MYLLER, Padre Angelicus Maria – PEREGRINUS IN JERUSALEM – 1735 – SOLD

Description

MYLLER, Padre Angelicus Maria – 1735

From the 1735 – 2nd edition :

PEREGRINUS IN JERUSALEM. / Fremdling zu Jerusalem, / Oder / Ausführliche / Reiß- Beschreibungen, / Worinnen / P. ANGELICUS MARIA MYLLER.

Printed in Vienna & Nürnberg

This book is not bound in its original cover as the section of Malta has been bound purposely in the German language. It has the rare 2 maps of Malta, as described below.

Title of Map: Stadt Valeta / Mare Mediterraneo

Engraving size: 143 x 185 mm

Description: A rare engraving of the Capital of Malta. Valletta is named after its founder, the Grand Master of the Order of St John, Jean Parisot de la Valette. But the city really owes its birth to his arch enemy, Grand Turk Suleiman the Magnificent. When the Knights arrived in Malta in 1530, they settled in the small village of Birgu, which was protected by Fort St Angelo. They managed to enlarge the old St Elmo watchtower on the Sceberras Peninsula opposite, but their defences were still weak. The strategic importance of Mount Sceberras was to become all too evident during the Great Siege. Valletta had been planned before the siege. But the plans could only be executed once a grateful Christendom had lavished riches on the Knights for their defeat of Suleiman. Pope Pius V and King Philip of Spain gave financial aid and loaned the services of an outstanding military engineer, the Italian, Francesco Laparelli. The magnificent fortress city grew on the arid rock of Mount Sceberras peninsula, which rises steeply from two deep harbours, Marsamxett and Grand Harbour. Started in 1566, Valletta was completed, with its impressive bastions, forts and cathedral, in the astonishingly short time of 15 years.

From a book by A. M. Myller recounting his travels from 1725 to 1727. Myller journeyed from Rome to Jerusalem then on to Troy, Gallipoli and Constantinople. From Constantinople he travelled to Egypt and then to Syria. Finally from Syria he travelled to Malta and back to Rome. He arrived in Malta in July 1727.

Title of Map: INSULA MALTA / INSULA GOZZO / MA RE ME DITERRA NEO

Engraving size: 136mm x 178mm

Description: A rare engraving of the islands of Malta and Gozo. The oldest megaliths in the world are located on the islands. Archeologists have dated the stone structures of Ggantija (the Giant’s Tower), Hagar Qim, Tarxien, and Mnajdra to about 5200 BC. The first settlers arrived on Malta and Gozo around 5000 BC from Sicily. The growing threat of the Ottoman Turks to Western Europe caused Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain, to give Malta to the Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in 1530, for a yearly rent of a Maltese falcon. The Church imprimatur was dated Pragæ, 26 Aprilis, 1729. Malta is in the fifth book devoted to the islands of the Mediterranean.