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This map, titled Electoratus Hanoverani cum ditionibus et praefecturis suis nova et accurata delinata, depicts the Electorate of Hanover and its associated territories in the early 18th century. Created by Matthäus Seutter, one of the leading Augsburg-based cartographers of the time, the map is a fine example of both geographic precision and artistic ornamentation typical of the period. Hand-colored boundaries clearly distinguish the various administrative districts, while major cities, rivers, and settlements are carefully labeled.
The Weser River, a prominent feature of the map, flows northwest through Hanover and Bremen to the North Sea, serving as a key trade artery for the region. Other major rivers include the Elbe, bordering the northern territories and connecting Hamburg to central Europe, and the Leine and Aller Rivers, which supported agriculture and facilitated local commerce. Among the major cities depicted is Hanover (Hannover), the political and economic center of the electorate. By 1714, Hanover rose to prominence on the international stage when the House of Hanover ascended to the British throne with George I, establishing a dynastic connection between Hanover and Great Britain. Other notable cities include Göttingen, a university center that would later gain cultural significance, Celle, historically significant as a ducal residence, and Osnabrück, an important trading hub and ecclesiastical seat in the northwest.
The early 18th century was a transformative period for the Electorate of Hanover. As a key state within the Holy Roman Empire, Hanover’s rulers maintained a delicate balance of regional governance while wielding influence over British and European politics. The region’s fertile lands and expanding urban centers supported a growing economy based on agriculture, textile production, and early industrialization. Trade routes along rivers like the Weser facilitated commerce with the North Sea ports and Baltic markets, bolstering Hanover’s economic importance.
The lower-left corner of the map features an elaborate cartouche, characteristic of Seutter’s style. Allegorical figures symbolize agriculture, industry, and the arts, reflecting the region’s prosperity and cultural refinement. Cherubs holding wreaths and globes further emphasize Hanover’s stature as a center of economic and political power.
Matthäus Seutter (1678-1757) was a prominent German mapmaker in the mid-eighteenth century. Initially apprenticed to a brewer, he trained as an engraver under Johann Baptist Homann in Nuremburg before setting up shop in his native Augsburg. In 1727 he was granted the title Imperial Geographer. His most famous work is Atlas Novus Sive Tabulae Geographicae, published in two volumes ca. 1730, although the majority of his maps are based on earlier work by other cartographers like the Homanns, Delisles, and de Fer.
Alternative spellings: Matthias Seutter, Mathaus Seutter, Matthaeus Seutter, Mattheus Seutter
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