Serenissorum potentissimorumque Principum Habsburgi-Austriacorum stemma origo res gestae: quatuor schematibus à Pharamundo Francorum Rege ad haec usque tempora deductae. Iconibus, emblematibus, insignibus illustratae.

Oblong plano: [2-3]-8-[1 bl.] pp. on 7 large folding ff. + 35 folding plates (some repairs at verso with occ. loss, some folds not straight, some staining).

Old quarter vellum, flat spine (sl. loosening, def. at tail).

Very rare first edition of this publication on the genealogy of the House of Habsburg, by Th. Piespordius, secretary of the Archdukes Albert & Isabella. The author aims to track the Austrian family back to Pharamond, the legendary first king of the Franks. Containing: an engr. title (folding f. 1) signed N. Rijckmans; on folding f. 2 a printed dedication to Albert & Isabella within engr. architectural border with 14 sm. medallion portraits of the Habsburg rulers; and on folding ff. 3-7 some printed text and 8 large engr. genealogical plates, ill. with some sm. emblems and coats of arms, an engr. map of the heartlands of the Habsburg dynasty along the Upper Rhine, and 1 smaller pl. signed by Johannes Wierix (pasted on folding f. 7, as should be), showing Rudolph I on his throne and 4 historical scenes, i.a. Rudolph worshipping the Viaticum. According to a mention on the engr. title, the work was started 1 June 1615 and finished 31 December 1616. A 2nd ed. was publ. in 1620.
Our copy is enriched with 30 large and folding contemp. and important engr. genealogical plates (all sl. used with some repairs or tears, last few pl. loose) showing i.a. tables on the noble families in Flanders, Brabant and Hainaut and the whole Low Countries (i.a. "Description des descentes aux ducez, comtez, et seigneuries, comprises ce iourd'huy soubs le nom des Pays-Bas : par laquelle se monstre comment le tout est tombé a estre gouverné par un seul prince et seigneur", measuring ca. 235 x 60 cm), kings of France and Spain, Holy Roman Emperors, princes, dukes and counts, marshals and admirals of France, "Pourtraictz de plusieurs hommes illustres qui ont flori en France depuis l'an 1500", portraits of all the Counts of Flanders until Albert & Isabella, the coats of arms of the military orders, genealogical tables of separate families, i.a. Claerhout (with view on castle of Pithem), de Gent ("de Gandavo"), Ghisnensis, of Leopold Wilhelm, of Gaston de France and Marguerite de Lorraine (duke & duchess d'Orléans), etc. At the end another 5 ms. genealogical plates with drawn and hand-coloured French coats of arms.
Ref. Mauquoy-Hendrickx 2142. - STCV (1: EHC). - Opac KBR.