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This map, titled Belli Typus In Italia vicricis Aquilae progressus In Statu Mediolanensi Et Ducatu Mantuae . . . Anno 1702  (Representation of the War in Italy: The Progress of the Victorious Eagle in the State of Milan and the Duchy of Mantua . . . Year 1702),  was produced during the early stages of the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714). It focuses on northern Italy, including the Duchy of Milan, the Duchy of Mantua, and surrounding territories, depicting the regions of Lombardy, Piedmont, and parts of the Venetian Republic.

The map is finely detailed, with boundaries of territories color-coded and significant cities such as Milan, Mantua, and Venice prominently marked. The ornate cartouche in the lower right corner features war-related imagery, emphasizing the militaristic and geopolitical themes of the map 

The map reflects the dynamic and volatile political situation in northern Italy during the War of the Spanish Succession. This conflict arose following the death of Charles II of Spain in 1700 without a direct heir, leading to a struggle between European powers for control of the Spanish throne and its vast empire. The war pitted the Grand Alliance, led by Austria, England, and the Dutch Republic, against France and its ally Spain. 

Northern Italy was a key theater of war due to its strategic importance. The region was a patchwork of city-states, duchies, and territories under varying degrees of control by major European powers. The Duchy of Milan was under Spanish Habsburg rule but was a target for Austrian Habsburg expansion, given its critical location between France and Austria. The Duchy of Mantua, while nominally independent, had become a focal point for conflict, with French and Austrian forces vying for control. 

By 1702, the French, under the command of the Duke of Vendôme, had made significant gains in northern Italy, aligning with Spanish forces and local allies to consolidate their position. Their main opposition came from Austrian forces led by Prince Eugene of Savoy, a skilled commander in the service of the Habsburgs. The map, with its emphasis on Milan and Mantua, highlights the French advances and their encroachment into Habsburg-influenced territory.  

The Duchy of Mantua, a fertile and strategically valuable region, had long been contested. In 1701, French forces occupied Mantua, using it as a base for operations against the Austrians. Milan, similarly contested, was a cornerstone of Habsburg defenses in the region. Control of these areas was critical for maintaining supply lines and exerting influence over the broader region. 

The war in northern Italy also drew in the Duchy of Savoy and the Venetian Republic. Savoy initially sided with France but switched allegiance to the Grand Alliance in 1703, altering the balance of power in the region. Venice, though officially neutral, sought to maintain its territorial integrity amidst the conflict.