"A New Mape of ye XVII Provinces of Low Germanie" is a map of the Low Countries (modern-day Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg) created by the renowned English cartographer John Speed. It appeared in ” A Prospect of the Most Famous Parts of the World” in 1627, (though the map is dated 1676), which was noted for its elaborate "carte-de-figure" style, which features detailed city views and costumed figures in the borders.
The map depicts the traditional 17 provinces of the Habsburg Netherlands as they existed between 1543 and 1585, prior to the final split between the northern Dutch Republic and the southern Spanish-controlled provinces.
The top border features eight oval vignettes of major cities: Amsterdam, Antwerp, Ghent, Middelburg, Groningen, Zutphen, Utrecht, and Atrecht (Arras),the side margins display ten figures representing various inhabitants, such as a "Hollander," "Brabander," and "Fisher Man," along with their wives.
The map was produced during the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648), a period when the Dutch were fighting for independence from Spanish rule. Despite the ongoing conflict, the map depicts the region in its "traditional" unified state, a common practice in 17th-century cartography to reflect the historical ideal of the Seventeen Provinces. (comprising the northern provinces) was engaged in a long battle against Spain, who controlled the southern provinces.
John Speed (1552-1629) was the outstanding cartographer of his age.His 'Theatre of Great Britain', first published in 1611 or 1612, was the first large-scale printed atlas of the British Isles.
The 'Prospect of the Most Famous Parts of the World', from which the present work is drawn, appeared in 1627, bound with the 'Theatre', and is the first world atlas compiled by an Englishman to be published in England.
