Portolan atlas made for Ferdinando II de Medici.
A fine portolan atlas made and illuminated by Cavallini for Ferdinando II de Medici, 5th Duke of Tuscany, patron of Galileo and Grand Master of the Order of San Stefano.
Several of the maps in the Cavallini portolan are decorated with ships showing the flag of the Order of San Stefano: this Order was founded by Cosimo de Medici in 1554 to harass Ottoman shipping in the Mediterranean, and for well over a hundred years ships of the Order fought in various battles against the Ottomans, for example in the naval battle off Prevesa, 1684.
[Portolan atlas made for Ferdinando II de Medici, Livorno, 1635.]
Portolan atlas made for Ferdinando II de Medici.
List of maps, our numbers:
01. [Western Mediterranean]
02. [Central Mediterranean]
03. [Eastern Mediterranean]
04. Isola, E’ Reg.io D’ Cipri
05. Isola, D’Rodi [with the arms of the Knights of St John in the upper left-hand corner]
06. Isola, E’ Reg.o D’ Candia
07. Isola; D’ Malta [includes Comino and Gozo]
08. Isola; E Reg.io D’ Sicilia
09. Isola; E Reg.io D’ Sardig.ia
10. Isola; D’ Corsica [includes part of Sardinia]
11. Isola Del’ Elba
12. Isola; E’ Reg.io D’ Maiorca [includes Minorca, Ibiza and Formentiera]
13. Tipvs Orbis Terrarv.m