Cartographica Neerlandica Map Text for Ortelius Map No. 090


Text (translated from the 1595 Latin, 1598 Dutch, 1601 Latin, 1602 Spanish, 1603 Latin, 1606 English, 1608/1612 Italian, 1609/1612/1641 Spanish and 1609/1612 Latin edition).

90.1. {1595L{THIETMARSIA, {1606E only{or DIETMARSH}1606E only}.

90.2. About the MARSI, descended from Marsus, Strabo the ancient Geographer speaks, and he says that many years ago they departed from the coasts near the Rhine to a low and marshy country. From these are descended the THEVTOMARSI, or, as they commonly pronounce the word, the Thietmarsi {1606E only{(the Dietmarshers)}1606E only} who about 400 years ago were governed by the most ancient family of Staden, many of whom they treacherously slew, finally liberating themselves by killing and banishing all their nobility. Henricus surnamed the Lion, Duke of Saxony subdued them. But being outlawed by Emperor Frederick, Waldemar, king of Denmark occupied the country and when he used their help against Adolph, Earl of Holstein and the Lubeckers, they revolted against their enemies, by whom the king was defeated at the village of Bornhouet.
90.3. Thus again being restored to liberty, to avoid the impression of being Anarchi {1606E only{not subjected to any jurisdiction}1606E only}, they adopted the patronage of the Archbishop of Bremen and acknowledged him as their king, but yet they would never pay tribute or subsidies to him, nor would they be obedient to his laws and commands. Often the Dukes of Holstein have attempted wars against them, and always they were repelled. Frederick the third, {not in 1603L{Emperor of Rome}not in 1603L}, gave the country to Christian the first, King of Denmark under the title of a Dukedom.
90.4. His son Ioannes, waging war against them in the year 1500, lost the battle, all his forces having been overthrown, and he hardly escaped with very few men by flight, leaving behind him the largest part of the nobility of Holstein. After that, they grew more audacious by this victory, and often greatly troubled and afflicted the Duke of Holstein. <Then> Adolphus, son of Frederick of Denmark and heir to the kingdom of Norway, and the Duke of Sleswick and Holstein who no longer wanted to endure their insolence, in the year of Christ 1559 mustered their men, gathered a great army to which Frederick the second, king of Denmark and Ioannes, his brother, joined their forces.
90.5. These armies <being> thus united, set forward and immediately conquered Meldorp and the entire Southern part of the province. Then after a few days of waiting, they led their forces along to Tilenbrugge. Against them, the Dietmarshers marched from Hemmingstade with all their power, and they met the enemy near the town of Heyde, intending to order the soldiers to take a rest, tired as they were with their tedious march. But being repelled, and attacking again, they were finally beaten, killed or forced to flee, <and> the town was taken and set on fire.
90.6. That day about 3,000 Dietmarshers were slain. Duke Adolphus, labouring as a valiant captain to keep his men in array and bringing those back who began to run away, got wounded. This battle was fought on the thirteenth {1608/1612I has instead{14th}1608/1612I instead} day of June. The Dietmarshers having been beaten, they submitted themselves to the King and Dukes, and obtaining pardon they were received in grace. And in this way Dietmarsh, which for many years in a row had defended and maintained its liberty by force of arms, became subjected to the Duke of Holstein.
90.7. {not in 1598D{This is what the author of this Map, which we here have inserted into our Theatre has written about this country. See also Albert Crantzius' Chronicle of Saxony. Christianus Cilicius, a Dane {1602S & 1609/1612/1641S have instead{an anonymous author}1602S, 1609/1612/1641S instead}, has recently published a small Treatise in which he has described these wars {1606E only{between the Danes and the Dietmarshers}1606E only}, and other things which help you to understand this area better}not in 1598D}.

90.8. OLDENBVRG.

90.9. This country derived its name from Oldenburg, its main city. Albert Crantzius {not in 1598D{in his Metropolis, in the fifteenth {1608/1612I has instead{fifth}1608/1612I instead} chapter of his third book}not in 1598D}, writes that this is one of the most ancient Earldoms of Germany. For {not in 1598D{in the thirtieth {1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S have instead{third}1608/1612I & 1609/1612/1641S instead} chapter of his second book,}not in 1598D} he considers Widekind, Duke of Saxony, who lived at the time of Charles the Great among the Earls of this country. Irenicus {1609/1612/1641S only{in his second book, 30h chapter}1609/1612/1641S only} states that this city was repaired by Charles the Great, who also dedicated a church to St. Ioannes Baptist there, consacrated by Adalgargus the Bishop.
90.10. I think he is deceived when he counts this city among the cities of Wandal and describes it on that coast. For this is another city, different from that one, and it is in Wagria, a province of Holstein, {1606E only{nowhere near Pomerland}1606E only}. {not in 1598D{This is by the Wandals <also> called Stargard, <and> by the Danes Brannesia, each according to the propriety of his own language, as the same Crantzius writes}not in 1598D}.
90.11. The author of this Map thinks that the Ambrones (a people that went into Italy with the Cimbers, and were slain and overthrown by Marius, as Plutarchus records) dwelt in this area and their name still lives among the people they call Amelanders. {not in 1598D{He has the same opinion about the Alani Saxones whom he truly believes to have dwelled sometime near lake Alana in this province, on both sides of the river Alana {1606E only{(both are on the Map spelled Ana)}1606E only} even as high up as the castle of Oria now called Lengener, as who would say Alani and Averlenger, that is, the Alanes on the further side.
90.12. Andreas Hoppenrode in his book on Pedigrees has something about the Earls of this County. But of anyone, David Chytræus has written best about it in his history of Saxony}1595L; not in 1598D} © Marcel van den Broecke ©.

Bibliographical sources


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