Petrus Bertius (1585 – 1629)
the latinized version of his Dutch name Pieter de Bert, was a philosopher, theologian, historian, geographer and cartographer. Born in Beveren, Flanders he settled as a refugee in Amsterdam and after finishing his studies he became Professor of Mathematics and librarian at Leiden University. In 1618, he was appointed Cosmographer and Historiographer of Louis XIII of France. He was connected by marriage to Jodocus Hondius Jr. and Pieter van den Keere, his brothers-in-law and both cartographers, and this would influence his later life.
Barent Langenes was a Flemish bookseller and publisher, about whom little is known, not even his life dates. He worked in Middelburg, Holland.
Cornelis Claesz (1551 – 1609) born in Leuven was a Flemish printer, book dealer and publisher who was specialized on maps and travel descriptions.
Petrus Kaerius (1571 – c. 1646), the latinized version of his Dutch name Pieter van den Keere, was an engraver, publisher and globe maker. Born in Ghent, he emigrated in 1583/84 with his family for religious reasons to London. Three years later his sister married Jodocus Hondius and from him, Pieter received training as an engraver. In 1593 both settled in Amsterdam where Pieter worked for different cartographers.
Map Details
The Dutch headline above the map is „Noorvveghen“. It is decorated with an ornamental and very unusual title cartouche in Latin: „Septentrionalum regionu descrip.“ in the right lower corner. Left to it at the bottom the engraver is mentioned: „Petrus Kaerius facit et caelavit“. In the upper left corner a distance scale („Militaria Germanica“) is placed.
The map describes the northern part of Continental Europe which stretches from „Nova zembla“ and „Russia“ in the Northeast to the northern part of France (“Gallia“). Especially emphasized are „Lappia“, „Swedia“ and „Novogardia“ (Nowgorod), „Germania“, „Polonia“ and „Hungaria Pars“. Remarkable is the special mention of „Finlandia“. The British Isles („Anglia“, „Scotia“ and „Ireland“) including “Orcades“ and „Hebrides“ are shown without place-names, with the exception of England where London and Bristol are mentioned.
Iceland („Island“) is depicted completely empty in the interior. Along the coastline only the island of Grimsey („Grimsey“), „Langenes and „Horni“ are named. The mystical islands
To the left of a strange straight line the mystical islands of „Frisland“ and „Bus“ are placed.
In the Northwest mainly the coastline of Greenland („Groenland“) is depicted.
Between Greenland and Nova Zembla a strange group of peninsulas is to be seen which are named „S Hugo Willough’s Land“. Their origin on this map can be traced back to a voyage across the Barents Sea, the English explorer Hugh Willoughby undertook in 1553 and on which he thought to have seen islands in the North. Based on his description, these islands were subsequently depicted by Petrus Plancius (though he was doubtful of their existence). Mercator included them on his famous map „Septentrionalium Terrarum Descriptio“ of 1595 but they appear on other Arctic maps of Janssonius and Blaeu at least into the seventies.