The Knights Hospitallers on Cyprus

NABERAT, Anne de.

Isle de Cipre.
Paris: Jean Baudoin, 1629. 200 x 270mm.

A diagrammatic map of Cyprus designed to illustrate the presence of the Knights Hospitaller (or the Knights of St John of Jerusalem) on the island after their expulsion from the Holy Land in 1291.

Nicosia, Famagusta and Limassol are shown out of proportion, only named in the key bottom right. Limassol has a city wall that never existed, Famagusta has been reversed and Nicosia has twelve bastions instead of eleven. The only words on the map are 'Sedes hospit-la-arioru' (Here are the Hospitallers), west of Limassol.

The map was engraved by Raignauld for Anne de Nabarat's French translation of Giacamo Bosio's ''History of the Sacred Religion and Illustrious Militia of St John of Jerusalem'. Top left is the armorial of Alexandre de Vendôme (1598-1629), son of Henry IV of France and Grand Prior of the order; bottom left is that of de Naberat. A very fine impression.

STYLIANOU: 110; Sweet Land of Cyprus: 3; ZACHARAKIS: 2878.
Stock ID : 20123