Le Fameux Detroit de Gibraltar

Nicholas de Fer’s view of Gibraltar published shortly after it was first captured by the British (and Dutch).

This tremendous view of the Strait of Gibraltar is oriented with east at the top (note the compass rose), with the eponymous waterway flanked on either side by the rocky coasts of Spain and Morocco. Sailing ships of all kinds fill the strait, and the famous fortified peninsula can be seen near the top of the sheet. An inset map on the left presents details on the European coastline between Cadiz (lower left) and Cape St. Vincent in Portugal.

The British, with Dutch assistance, first took Gibraltar in 1704 during the War of Spanish Succession. Possession was confirmed at the Treat of Utrecht in 1713, and despite two significant siege efforts by the Spanish to recapture Gibraltar in 1727 and 1779, the ‘Rock’ remains in British hands to this day.

The copperplate view was engraved by Charles Inselin and published in Paris by Nicholas de Fer around 1705 for inclusion in his Atlas Curieux.