Ulloa - Historie den Caerle V - 1610

GRAND MAPS OF NAPLES, MILAN AND THE EMPIRE. CHARLES V: THE THEATRE OF POWER IN EUROPE
Stunning aerial views of the main cities of the Empire, many Italian (with captions in Italian). Some watercolors by an ancient hand. Interesting sixteenth-century map of Mexico. The conquest of Mexico occurs in 1521, with the fall of Tenochtitlán by Hernán Cortés. At that moment Spain is already under Charles V, the first Habsburg sovereign of Spain.
Large bird’s-eye planimetrics of Naples, Milan and other cities of the Empire (repeatedly folded - 50x40 cm).
The work is distinguished by its rich engravings, including an imposing architectural frontispiece, a large portrait of the emperor and numerous plates with urban views and historical scenes. Of particular note are the views of Naples and Milan, which visually convey the central role of the Padana cities in the imperial Mediterranean system, transforming them into symbols of Habsburg political and military power.
Dutch edition of 1610 of the famous biography of Charles V by Alfonso de Ulloa, printed in Delft by Adriaen Gerritsz, which celebrates the emperor as universal sovereign and defender of the faith. The volume thus appears as a visual and narrative construction of the empire, in which images and text cooperate to celebrate the power of Charles V.
MARKET VALUE
North-European illustrated editions from the early Seicento dedicated to Charles V generally range between €2,500 and €3,000, with higher values for complete copies and for plates well preserved.
Individual bird’s-eye views sell for €300-€400 each.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Stunning bird’s-eye views of the main cities of the Empire, many Italian (with captions in Italian). Some watercolors by an ancient hand. Interesting sixteenth-century map of Mexico. The conquest of Mexico occurs in 1521, with the fall of Tenochtitlán by Hernán Cortés. Spain is already under Charles V, the first Habsburg sovereign of Spain at that time.
Large bird’s-eye planimeters of Naples, Milan and other cities of the Empire (folded several times - 50x40 cm).
Recent binding in half-leather with gilt-engraved spine; title label; wear to boards and joints.
Architectural figurative frontispiece; large engraced portrait of the emperor. Numerous full-page engraved plates and folded plates with bird’s-eye views, including large and detailed views of Naples, Milan and many other Italian cities (Italian captions). (50x40 cm), in addition to historical scenes and depictions of other cities of the Empire.
Text in Dutch Gothic on two columns. Maps with browning and stains; some folds and tears to the folded plates. Old bookplate with arms on the front pastedown.
In old books, with a centuries-long history, there may be some imperfections not always noted in the description.
Collation: pp. (2); 4 preliminary leaves; 442; 16 preliminary leaves; (2).

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Historie, ende het leven van den aldermachtichsten ende victorieusten keyser Caerle de vijfde.
Delft, By Adriaen Gerritsz., 1610.
Alfonso de Ulloa.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
Alfonso de Ulloa’s biography of Charles V is one of the most influential narrative constructions of the imperial figure in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Delft edition of 1610 takes on particular significance in the Dutch context, where the memory of the emperor — born in Ghent — remains strongly rooted.

The iconographic apparatus plays a central role: the urban views are not mere topographic representations, but instruments for politically constructing the imperial image. The grand view of Naples emerges as a key element, testifying to the strategic importance of the city in the Mediterranean and its function as viceregal capital of Spanish rule.

Next to Naples, views of distant cities like Ormus and Cananor broaden the empire’s global dimension, turning the volume into a true geography of power. The book thus becomes not only historical chronicle but also a symbolic atlas of imperial authority.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Alfonso de Ulloa (active in the second half of the 16th century) was a historian and translator of Spanish origin, mainly active in Italy. His works contributed decisively to the diffusion of the Habsburg official memory, building a monumental and celebratory image of Charles V intended to circulate throughout Europe.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
The work went through numerous editions during the 16th and 17th centuries. The Dutch edition of 1610, printed in Delft by Adriaen Gerritsz, fits into the tradition of large illustrated Dutch volumes aimed at an educated and mercantile audience.
The indication “in vergult Testament” identifies the bookseller’s mark, typical of Dutch book trade of the time.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
STCN (Short-Title Catalogue Netherlands), Delft 1610 edition.
USTC, European editions of Ulloa’s biography of Charles V.
ICCU/OPAC SBN, catalogs of Ulloa editions.
WorldCat/OCLC, international records of the 1610 edition.
Van der Krogt, P., Koeman’s Atlantes Neerlandici, for the context of Dutch views and cartography.
Israel, Jonathan, The Dutch Republic: Its Rise, Greatness and Fall, Oxford, 1995, pp. 420–430.