In 1659, the famous mapmaker Joan Blaeu published his world atlas Tooneel des Aardrycks [Display of the Realm of Earth]. The archives in Leiden have made their atlas available online.
This week we are looking at Blaeu’s map of the Duchy of Limburg. In the east, we can see the river Meuse [Maas in Dutch, “Mosa Fluvius” on the map] connecting the cities of Maastricht (“Maestricht”) and Luik (“Luyck vel Liege”). Limburg is in the higher part of the Netherlands, so we see more woods and hills, and no swamps.
Limburg has seen the most border changes out of any province in the Netherlands. Some parts of the former Duchy of Limburg as it was in 1659 are now part of the Dutch province of Limburg. Others are part of the province of Limburg in Belgium, and some parts are now in Germany. See the research guide for Limburg for more information.
Map of the Duchy of Limburg, 1659. Credits: Joan Blaeu, Erfgoedcentrum Leiden (public domain)
About Yvette Hoitink
