"Abissinorum Imperium", Langenes, Barent

The mythical kingdom of Prester John is one of the most persistent legends of all time and often appears on early maps. This myth had its origins in rumors spread throughout Europe in about 1150 A.D. that there was a powerful Christian priest-king who had conquered the Muslims and founded the kingdom of Kara Khitai in Asia. This mysterious king became a symbol of hope in the Christian world, which at the time was beset by the Mongol hordes. A succession of Dominican and Franciscan missionaries and civil ambassadors were dispatched by popes and European monarchs to search for the kingdom. Many of these emissaries never returned, and those that did reported that the Christian kingdom in deepest Asia could not be found and was probably a myth. But the popular fancy was not easily dispelled, and so over time the location of the kingdom was merely transferred to Africa. Prester John's kingdom can be found on early maps in Scythia, India, Central Asia and Abyssinia.

Miniature map showing the domain of the legendary Christian king, Prester John. The map is dominated by the Nile River, which is shown emanating from twin lakes south of the equator. French text on verso.

The map was first published by Cornelius Claesz and printed by Barent Langenes in the 1598 edition of the popular Map-treasury. For the 1599 edition, graduation lines and latitude numerals were added to one side of the border on most of the maps, which were again used for multiple editions through 1650. This is the second state with the added graduation lines from a French edition, printed by Albert Hendricks.

References: King (2nd ed.) pp. 80-82; Van der Krogt (Vol. III) #8720:341.

Condition: A

A dark impression on a bright sheet with marginal soiling.