Sebastian Münster (1489–1552) - Cosmographia Universalis...

This original sheet is a precious Renaissance page taken from the Latin edition of 1550 of Sebastian Münster’s Cosmographia universalis, printed in Basel by the publisher Heinrich Petri and dedicated to the history of the Scandinavian regions. The front of the page, numbered 965, completes at the top the panorama of the Danish islands (including Funen, Gotland and Bornholm), citing the introduction of the Christian faith to Schleswig under Emperor Henry I the Fowler. Immediately afterward the historical chapter opens titled Regni Daniae origo (Cap. III), which retraces the semi-mythical origins of the Danish people from the progenitor Dan. The text delves into the dynastic conflicts among the early kings, dwelling on the figure of the powerful king Suibdagerus (Suibdagerus potentiss. Aquilonis rex), ruler of the north who united under his arms the kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and on the deeds of the warrior Haddingus (Haddingi stratagema), who managed to take a hostile city by tying burning lures under the wings of a flock of swallows. The visual composition of the front is decorated by a woodcut portrait depicting King Dan in profile with the crown on his head and the royal scepter. Turning the page, the back, numbered 966 under the general heading De regnis septentrionibus, continues the legendary chronicles of the Nordic rulers, mentioning the alternating fortunes of Froto the Fertile, the wise king Uffo (noted for the cunning hidden behind an apparent dullness) and the military campaigns against Norwegian and Irish territories. The lower section of the page introduces the chapter De regibus Daniae post Christum natum (Cap. IIII), integrating the medieval chronicles drawn from the writings of the historian Saxo Grammaticus on the regal genealogies after the advent of the Christian era, mentioning the complex ties with the houses of Sweden and Norway. The column of text is enriched by a woodcut that portrays another important Scandinavian monarch in Renaissance attire with a scepter, identified in the margin by historical notes relating to Gotarus, king of the Goths and the Swedes (Gotarus Suecis), and his military campaigns in Danish lands. Dimensions 30 x 20 cm It will be shipped by courier

Estimate:£170.09

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