Danorum Marca, uel Cimbricum. aut Daniae Regnum. . .[DENMARK]

The oldest preserved map of Denmark of Danish origin. Drawn by Marcus Jordan at the request of Duke Heinrich Rantzau, viceroy of Schleswig-Holstein. It is a new perception of Denmark founded on Jordan's own measurements and observations. It became an important source for the great contemporary Dutch cartographers (Ortelius and Mercator).
This finely engraved map is embellished with sea monsters, a sailing ship, coat of arms, and an allegorical scene suggesting Denmark's importance in exploration and military strength.
From: Liber 'Quartus Urbium Praecipuarum totius Mundi', published in Cologne
The small cartouche in upper right corner has a dedication to Rantzau, who was an important contributor of plans for the 'Civitates'- perhaps Braun & Hogenberg included this map in order not to offend him!
In the lower right corner is found a large cartouche with a Latin description of Denmark. Above this cartouche is Rantzau himself, as Mars the god of war, with his foot on the imprisoned Skipper Clemens a famous Danish rebel farmer.
The figure of Pallas Athene symbolises the Duke's well known humanistic interests. He was a friend of the famous Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, and received Brahe when he had to leave Denmark by the end of the 16th century.
Jordan's map is the only real map in Braun & Hogenberg's famous work "Civitates orbis terrarum", which has numerous views of the most important towns in Europe. The map appeared in Vol IV in 1588. On the verso a detailed Latin description of the various provinces of Dania.
From the greatest publication in this genre!. The 'Civitates' was compiled and written by George Braun, Canon of Cologne Cathedral. Braun gathered together vast amounts of information and draft plans to produce over 500 city views/maps published in six parts between 1572 and 1617. Most of these engravings were made by Simon Novellanus and Frans Hogenberg, many after drawings by Joris Hoefnagel.

TRANSLATION OF CARTOUCHE TEXT TOP RIGHT: Heinrich Rantzau, privy counsellor to King Frederick II of Denmark, governor of the two Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein and of Dithmarschen, and singular protector of scholars, herewith adorned his country and our work.

CARTOUCHE BOTTOM RIGHT: Denmark, or Cimbria, or Kingdom of Denmark, divided into its many parts by sounds and inlets, is bordered in the east by Sweden, in the south by Saxony and Westphalia, in the west by the North Sea (German Sea), in the north by Norway.
On the border with Sweden it has the provinces Scania, Halland and Blekinge. This area is pleasant, fertile and well populated. This is where Helsingborg is located, from which a narrow sound leads to the Island of Zealand, on which lie the famous toll station near the fortress of Kronborg, and the royal residence of Hafnia, or Copenhagen.
To the south of Zealand are Laland, Falster and some smaller islands and, further to the west, Langeland. And the Fyn, itself a separate Danish island, but smaller than Zealand; it is surrounded by 37 smaller islands. From Fyn a comfortable sea crossing leads to Schleswig, which is joined to the Cimbrian Peninsula, northern Jutland. From there Wenslia, a peninsula, stretches in a wedge shape towards Norway as far as the town of Skagen, the outermost tip of Cimbria.
Cimbria is accessible from Saxony via Holstein, with Wagrien, Storman and Dithmarschen. These are duchies that are happily subject to the Danish King. They are under the administration of the gracious, noble Count H. Rantzau, renowned in the fine arts and the art of warfare. 1585.

COMMENTARY BY BRAUN: "Denmark, the continent's outermost territory in the north, consists of distinct areas that are connected and joined up. The country is dotted with many bodies of water and varies according to the shapes of the straits. Its most elegant territories are the Duchy of Holstein, Dithmarschen, Schleswig, Scania, Halland, Blekinge and Jutland.
There are also many wonderful islands. Scania is superior is size and wealth to the other provinces of the kingdom. [...] It is the most beautiful territory in Denmark, has brave men, is rich in grain, brimming with trade goods, full of churches, noble palaces, administrative buildings, manor houses and monasteries. The capital is Lund and it is three miles from Malmö."

Reference: Van der Krogt 4, 4986, State 2; Taschen, Braun and Hogenberg, p.302.