Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
For much of the 16th and 17th centuries, what had formerly been unified Hungary was di-
vided between the Austrian Hapsburg family, who ruled over the west, and the Ottoman (or
Turkish) Empire, which had conquered the east. The boundary between these two rival states
fluctuated. For most of this era Érsekújvár was within the Hapsburgs' domain but it spent
several periods under Ottoman control. The month-long siege of the town that is portrayed
here took place in August and September 1663, and ended with a victory for the Turkish
army. The region remained in Ottoman hands until 1685.
The map is a woodcut - an image printed from a carved block of wood - attributed to
Georg Lackner. To modern eyes, its bold, stylised lines resemble the work of a cartoonist. It
is not drawn to scale: the oversized and imposing tents of the besieging army seem to over-
whelm the fortress. The text around the edges of the map includes the names of senior Ot-
toman commanders. Meanwhile, on the right-hand side, reinforcements arrive to join their
comrades.
Our print of the map has an unusual history. It was once owned by Colonel John Scott, an
English-born rogue whose colourful career included periods as a sailor, a fraudster, a map-
maker, a fur trader in North America and a soldier in the Dutch army. Frequently in trouble
with the law, he was imprisoned several times but regularly escaped punishment for his mis-
demeanours. He is best known, however, for his work as a spy. He may have been a double or
triple agent, employed by the French and Dutch governments as well as by his own country.
Scott's map came into the government's hands on 18 May 1682, when a messenger named
Thomas Atterbury confiscated it, along with other papers from his rooms in London. Scott
was accused of using his cartographic skills against English interests by making plans of ports
with notes about their defensive capability. Letters found in his possession were considered
evidence that he had conducted 'dangerous correspondence with foreign powers'. As so often
in his past, Scott survived this incident relatively unscathed. He eventually settled in the West
Indies, where he died in 1704, aged about 72.
