Moscovia Sigismundi Liberi Baronis In Herberstein, Neiperg et Gutehnag Anno M.D XLIX

The forst modern plan of Moscow. A rare and important cornerstone map for Russia collections.

Sigismund von Herberstein made two visits to Russia. In 1517-18 he travelled as a diplomatic envoy of the Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian I. He returned in 1526-27 as an ambassador of Ferdinand I, King of Bohemia and Hungary. His combined visits amounted to a period of sixteen months during which he was able to see "... the land and city of Moscow and much of their manners and customs... Thus I can bear witness not merely from hearsay but as one who has seen partly for himself..." (Translation by J B C Grundy: 1969, p15)

Herberstein, who was ambassador from the Habsburg Emperor, Maximilian I to Moscow.
Herberstein's work including 3 maps, the first modern plan of Moscow and two maps of Muscovy, one topographical and one including physical features. The maps are likely In his work on the early cartography of Russia, Leo Bagrow notes: Heberstein was twice at Moscow-in 1517 and 1526. Herberstein's knowledge of a Slavonic language facilitated his intercourse with local inhabitants on his travels in Russia, and his academic education gave him a desire for knowledge of a country so little known to Western Europe. He missed no opportunity to question the people he met, not only on the customs and government of the country, but also on its geography, and particularly that of the border regions. He verified the information he collected by cross-questioning different persons on the same subject, and he also tried to obtain various written documents and records of itineraries. He attempted to procure maps too, but as these, besides being very scarce, were kept strictly secret by the authorities, he tried to persuade those whose knowledge he could trust to prepare maps for him. According to Lyatsky, who however made this statement after having left Russia, he had asked him to compile a map but met with a refusal. Herberstein does not tell us whether he succeeded in obtaining cartographic materials from any other person. But he certainly obtained plenty of oral information and some graphic material too. Thus we know that Grigoryi Istome and Vlasiy and Dmitriy Gerasimov, separately, described to him the navigation from the mouth of the North - Dvina, round Scandinavia, to Denmark. Somebody else gave him a travelling guide from the Dvina to the Ob'. By the time he came to Moscow this route was already fairly well known: in 1491 Andrey Petrov and Vasiliy Ivanov Boltin were despatched to the Pechora in quest of silver ore; in 1499 Prince Kurbskiy led an expedition to the Yugor region and crossed the Ural. Herberstein reprinted the travelling guide to the Pechora and the Ob', and we know that it already contained information on the town of Kumbalik, i.e. Pekin. The reference to a sea-route by the north coast of Europe and Asia to China made by Paolo Giovio, following Gerasimov, suggests that Herberstein had also been told about this route at Moscow. About the campaign against the Kazan' Tartars in 1524 Herberstein had heard direct from one of its participants, Voevoda S. Chelyadin, whom he had met earlier (1514) at Vilna, where Chelyadin was living as a prisoner of war after the battle at Orsha. Herberstein helped and comforted him at that time and gave him 20 ducats. At last, in the 1540's, Herberstein began to sort the materials he had collected and to write up his Notes.