Europa regina,Latin for 'Queen Europe', is themap-like depiction of theEuropean continent as a queen.[1][2] Made popular in the 16th century, the map shows Europe as a young and graceful woman wearingimperial regalia. TheIberian Peninsula(Hispania) is the head, wearing ahoop crown. ThePyrenees, forming the neck, separate the Iberian peninsula fromFrance (Gallia), which makes up the upper chest. TheHoly Roman Empire (Germania and other territories) is the centre of the torso, withBohemia (sometimesAustria in early depictions) being the heart of the woman (alternatively described as a medallion at her waist). Her long gown stretches toHungary,Poland,Lithuania,Livonia,Bulgaria,Muscovy,Macedonia andGreece. In her arms, formed byItaly andDenmark, she holds asceptre and anorb (Sicily).[3] The map erroneously depicts Europe as mostly separated from Asia by sea. In most depictions,Africa,Asia and theScandinavian peninsula are partially shown,[3] as are theBritish Isles, in schematic form.[3]
During the EuropeanMiddle Ages, maps typically adhered to theJerusalem-centeredT-O scheme, depicting Europe,Asia andAfrica.[4] Separate maps of Europe were extremely rare; the only known examples are a map fromLambert of Saint-Omer'sLiber Floridus, published in 1112, and a 14th-centuryByzantine map.[4] The next Europe-focused map was published by cartographer Johannes Putsch fromInnsbruck in 1537, at the beginning of theEarly Modern Age.[4]
The Putsch-map was the first to depict Europe as anEuropa regina,[5][4][6] with the European regions forming a female human shape withcrown,sceptre andglobus cruciger.[4] The map was first printed byCalvinist Christian Wechel.[7] Though much about the origination and initial perception of this map is uncertain,[6] it is known that Putsch (whose name wasLatinized as Johannes Bucius Aenicola, 1516–1542)[7] maintained close relations withHoly Roman EmperorFerdinand I ofHabsburg,[6][7] and that the map's popularity increased significantly during the second half of the 16th century.[6] The modern termEuropa regina was not yet used by Putsch's contemporaries, who instead used the Latin phraseEuropa in forma virginis ("Europe in the shape of a maiden"),[7] and spread in combination with Putsch's poemEuropa lamentans, addressed to the emperors, about them alleviating Europe from its wars.[8]
In 1587,Jan Bußemaker published a copperengraving byMatthias Quad, showing an adaptation of Putsch'sEuropa regina, as "Europae descriptio".[6] Since 1588,[6] another adaption was included in all subsequent editions ofSebastian Münster's "Cosmographia",[4][6] earlier editions had it only sometimes included.[7]Heinrich Bünting's "Itenerarium sacrae scripturae", which had a map of Europe with female features included in its 1582 edition, switched toEuropa regina in its 1589 edition.[6] Based on these and other examples, the year 1587 marks the point when many publications began adopting the imagery ofEuropa regina.[6]
Europa Regina was introduced in the 1530s by the Austrian cartographer Johannes Putsch, possibly with the intent of depicting Europe as the spouse ofCharles V ofHabsburg, who aspired to become the universal monarch of Christendom and reigned over numerous realms including theHoly Roman Empire and the kingdom ofSpain.[3][7] Arguments in favour of this hypothesis are: the westward orientation of the map to haveHispania as the crowned head, said to resemble the face of Charles V's wife,Isabella of Portugal; the use of theHoly Roman Empire's insignia – its crown, sceptre and orb – and the portrayal of Habsburg realms (Austria, Bohemia, Hungary, Germany) as the heart and centre of the body; and the design of the gown, which resembles the contemporary dress code at the Habsburg court.[9][7][3][10] As in contemporary portraits of couples,Europa regina has her head turned to her right and also holds the orb with her right hand, which has been interpreted as facing and offering power to her imaginary husband, the emperor.[10]
Outside this and in more general terms, Europe is shown as theres publica christiana,[7] the unitedChristendom in medieval tradition,[3] andgreat[1] or even as the dominant power in the world.[10]
A third allegory is one of Europe asParadise through the special placement given to the bodies of water on the map.[7] As contemporary iconography depicted paradise in enclosed form,Europa regina is enclosed by seas and rivers.[7] TheDanube river is depicted in a way that it resembles the course of thebiblical river flowing through paradise, with its estuary formed by four arms.[7]
ThatEuropa regina is surrounded by water is also an allusion to theantiquemythological Europe, who was abducted byZeus and carried over the water.[10]
Europa regina belongs to the Early Modern allegory ofEuropa triumphans, as opposed toEuropa deplorans.[11]
The art of shaping a map in a human form can also be found in a map drawn byOpicinus de Canistris, showing theMediterranean Sea.[4] This map, published in 1340 and thus predating the Putsch map, showed Europe as a man and Northern Africa as a woman.[5] TheLeo Belgicus map showed theLow Countries as a lion; this was closer to the modern map orientation, with north at the top.
While inEuropa regina maps, actual geography is subordinate to the female shape, the opposite approach is seen in a map drawn by Hendrik Kloekhoff and published by Francois Bohn in 1709. In this map, titledEuropa. Volgens de nieuwste Verdeeling ("Europe, according to the newest classification"), a female is superimposed on a map showing a fairly accurate geography of Europe, and although the map is oriented westward with the Iberian Peninsula forming the head as in theEuropa regina imagery, this results in a crouching female shape, corresponding more with theEuropa deplorans than theEuropa triumphans allegory.[12]
Media related toEuropa regina at Wikimedia Commons