The Ottoman Expansion in Mediterranea

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

During the century that followed the death of Suleiman in 1566 of our calendar, the Ottoman Empire dominates three-quarters of the Mediterranean sea. The expansion and decline of the Empire are dramatically illustrated by the dynamic map in the right column of the Ottoman Empire article of the Wikipedia.

On October 6 in London, Christie's sells an Ottoman maritime map of the Mediterranea. To the delight of historians, it is easy to date maps with reference to the evolution of place names and the creation of new suburbs. It was made around 1600 in our calendar.

It is now composed of two parts separately framed, 118 x 128 cm for the West and 120 x 133 cm for the East. The ink drawing is very sharp and the geographical quality is comparable to the best Western maps of that time, or even better.

The Battle of Lepanto (1571) warned the Turks about the difficulty to maintain their naval supremacy. Some coastal details lead to consider that it was a military document for the use of an admiral to prepare for a naval campaign, and not just a navigation map. Because of its large size, consultation could be on wall.

The rarity of the map and its sharp details justify an estimate of £ 300 K.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

This lot was exceptional. Same comment for the realized price: £ 1.07 million including premium. Congratulations to Christie's.