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The First Official Map of The Grand Duchy of Baden.

Finely executed map of the Grand Duchy of Baden, published by the Engineering Bureau for the Grand Duchy of Baden, which had only just obtained its sovereignty in 1811.

The map was first executed in 1812, with a number of later and reduced size examples issued. The 1814 would seem to be the second edition.

The map was prepared by Johann B. Tulla, the Baden chief engineer, who is perhaps best known for leading the engineering project the transformed the Rhine to a more commerce friendly river in 1817.

The Grand Duchy of Baden

The Grand Duchy of Baden existed as a state in southwestern Germany on the east bank of the Rhine from 1806 to 1918.

Baden came into existence in the 12th century as the Margraviate of Baden and subsequently split into various smaller territories that were unified in 1771.

When the French Revolution threatened to overflow into the rest of Europe in 1792, Baden joined forces against France. In 1796, the margrave Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden, was compelled to pay an indemnity and cede his territories on the left bank of the Rhine to France. However, in 1803, largely owing the intervention of Alexander I, emperor of Russia, the Grand Duke received the bishopric of Konstanz, part of the Rhenish Palatinate, and other smaller districts, together with the dignity of a prince-elector. Changing sides in 1805, he fought for Napoleon. As part of the peace of Pressburg in 1805, the Grand Duke obtained the Breisgau and other territories at the expense of the Habsburgs. In 1806, the Grand Duke joined the Confederation of the Rhine, declared himself a sovereign prince, formally became a grand duke, and received additional territory.

Baden continued to assist France, and by the Peace of Vienna in 1809, the grand duke was rewarded with accessions of territory at the expense of the Kingdom of Württemberg. Having quadrupled the area of Baden, Charles Frederick died in June 1811, and was succeeded by his grandson, Charles, Grand Duke of Baden, who was married to Stéphanie de Beauharnais (1789-1860), a cousin of Empress Josephine's first husband who had been adopted by Napoleon I.