Historical Maps of Europe

The maps in this book are reprinted from the collection held at the Public Records office in Kew, London. These superbly crafted charts, which have been accumulated from sources all over Europe over many years, are remarkable documents that until now have been accessible only to researchers. Dating from the earliest days of professional mapmaking, they chart over three centuries of European history through cartography. From the earliest representations of the mapmakers art in the 16th century, when the skills required to produce detailed scale maps first developed, to the elegant charts of the 19th century, they show the rise and fall of empires and the development of powerful nations. With an introduction that chronicles European history and detailed captions that explain the historical context of each of the maps, this is a fascinating work that is as insightful as it is attractive.