Tartariae Imperium / Empire of Tartary 1596

The Tartariae Imperium, first appearing in Magini’s Geographiae Universae tum Veteris tum Novae Absolutissimum in 1596, is a fantastic illustration that shows the Tartarian land mass and covers much of the area we now call Russia. And as all maps do, this has some interesting geographic locations.

Antonio was a well known and respected cartographer, astrologer and mathematician. He was born in Padua, Italy and studied philosophy in Bologna. He went on to beat Galileo Galilei for the chair of mathematics at the same university before he died in 1617. He had an accomplished life, publishing works on trigonometry and even inventing his own calculator. One of his passions and legacy was to create an atlas of Italy which was printed posthumously in 1620.

Firstly, the most obvious interest is the presence of Alaska on a map from 1596. The official history for Alaska varies, but it is widely accepted that Europeans were not aware of Alaska until the Great Northern Expedition, when Vitus Bering, along with Aleksei Chirikov, sighted the southern coast of Alaska on July 15, 1741. This sighting occurred near present-day Kayak Island and marked the first confirmed European sighting of Alaska.

And yet, here we have a detailed impression of the coast of Alaska stretching as far as Baja California:

We find in the centre of the map a reference to the Stretto di Anian, which refers to the famed northern passage that Marco Polo and many others were inspired to find – the mythical passage between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans via the North is the Strait of Anian. The name was officially termed by Giacomo Gastaldi in his 1562 map and was later adopted by cartographers Bolognino Zaltieri and Gerard Mercator.

The next interesting feature is the size of Japan, marking a vast territory complete with cities and place names. When comparing this to the modern Japan we see today, it looks as if most of Japan is now under water only leaving the left side peninsula and a few mountain tops for the modern day inhabitants.

Inscribed below the island of Japan is:

Japan Insula a M. Paulo Veneto Zipangri dicta, ol: Chryse, a Magno Cham ol: bello netita sed frustra.

Which translates to:

The island of Japan, called Zipangu by Marco Polo of Venice, formerly Chryse, once sought in war by the Great Khan, but unsuccessfully.

Here we find our first reference to the lost island of Zipangu, or Kyushu, as it was also known. Zipangu was described by Marco Polo as a wealthy and prosperous land, rich in gold and ornate palaces. He noted the abundance of gold, pearls and other precious gems, as well as the two Mongol invasion attempts in 1274 and 1281. 

More interestingly, we also have the name and location for the lost city and trading port of Bungo (豊後国, Bungo no Kuni) which played a large role in Japanese Christian history. It was visited by Francis Xavier in 1551 and was a Portuguese trading port from 1543-1614 AD. Bungo is further detailed in the Chronicals of Japan, completed in 720 AD. No trace of Bungo can be found in present day Japan.

• Who Were the Tartarians?
• Maps Showing Tartaria
• The Tartarian Empire
• The Enchanted Island of Hy-Brasil
• Origins of the Alans from Scythian Culture

The Tartar Empire is depicted from Europe to Asia. What is interesting is that both towns and tents are depicted on the map. The Tartarian Empire consisted of three aspects of society: the agricultural Tartarians, the city Tartarians, and the ruling Tartarians. The agricultural Tartarians would be like our modern day farming communities who would have occupied most of the land. The city Tartarians would have collated and distributed resources and produce from their city dwellings. And finally, the ruling Tartarians and their armies would have travelled in vast caravans setting up in different places for different lengths of time.

We can see one of the ruling class in top right of the map in one of their ornate style tents. In the middle of the map, represented by three tents, was the capitol city of Caracoran, or Karakorum, where the ruling class of Tartaria would gather. Surrounded by a desert and mountain range, this was a strategic location.

In the centre of map it reads:

Tartaria, Que Sar: matiam Asiaticam et utram: que Scythiam – ueterum comprehendit.

Which translates to:

Tartary, which included Asiatic Sarmatia, and both which formerly included Scythia.

This phrase describes the extent of Tartary, indicating that it includes territories historically associated with Asiatic Sarmatia and ancient Scythia. It highlights the geographical scope of Tartary, encompassing regions with historical significance in Eurasia.

To the right of that passage it reads: 

At the bottom left of the Caspian Sea there is an interesting reference:

Hic Rubini gemme reperiutur

Translation:

Here rubies are found

The region south of the Caspian Sea, historically known as Hyrcania or Hyrcanian Sea, has been known for its significant mineral wealth, including rubies and spinels. Historically used by the Persians and Greeks, gemstones from this region are known for their quality and rarity. Rubies and spinels from Hyrcania are highly prized for their rich colour, clarity, and size.

Tabor Reg. Tabor sou Tybur, umbi litariaue Tolaroru regio, ubi licet ol. libros sacros perdidissent.

And translates to:

Region of Tabor. Tabor under the Tiber, where the region of the Tolarians, where they may have once lost sacred books.

The very bottom right of the map reads:

Tartari Europaei, hoc est, qui campos Ponti Euxini et paludis meotidis ac totum Taurice isthmu et chersonesu colunt in hac tabula nonpatent sed habentur in Moscauic tabula.

Which translates to:

The European Tartars, that is, those who inhabit the fields of the Black Sea and the Meotian marshes, and the entire Isthmus of Taurica and Crimean Peninsula, are not shown on this map, but are found on the Moscow map.

The mention of European Tartars is interesting at this juncture because in the centre of the map, in modern day Russia, is a clear depiction of the name Belgium. Like so many towns in America that bear European names, could this have been another home of the Belgian peoples?

In the top right side of the image above, it reads:

Arsareth Hic io Tribus secessore, et Totarorum siue Tartaro ru loco Scyth substituerut.

Which translates to:

Here, Arsareth and the tribe departed, and in place of the Totarians or Tartars, they substituted the Scythians.

The mention of the mythical and spiritual place of the ten Lost Tribes of Israel is astounding. With a narration of where they were and that they may have taken new names or left the area is a fantastic place to start when rediscovering the lost 10 tribes of Isreal.

From 2 Esdras 13:40-45 (KJV):

“Those are the ten tribes, which were carried away prisoners out of their own land in the time of Osea the king, whom Salmanasar the king of Assyria led away captive, and he carried them over the waters, and so came they into another land. But they took this counsel among themselves, that they would leave the multitude of the heathen, and go forth into a further country, where never mankind dwelt, That they might there keep their statutes, which they never kept in their own land. And they entered into Euphrates by the narrow passages of the river. For the most High then shewed signs for them, and held still the flood, till they were passed over. For through that country there was a great way to go, namely, of a year and a half: and the same region is called Arsareth.”

Below that:

Argon. Cristianoru olim regnum nomine Presbiteri Ioannis in Asia erat.

Translation:

Argon. The kingdom of the Christians, formerly known by the name of Prester John, was in Asia.

Our second reference to a supposedly mythical land, one where The Christian King Prestor John rules over wealthy and prosperous Christian kingdom in Asia, Appearing strongly in medieval literature, King Prester John wrote to various European monarchs, describing his kingdom as a paradise of riches, marvels, and Christian virtue. and this could explain Nestorian Christianity: Eastern Christianity, thats spread widely across Asia, India, and China. The famous Nestorian Stele in Xi’an, China, dating back to the 8th century, documents the presence of Christians in China during the Tang Dynasty. also, where this gets interesting is the emergence of the Khans and in perticular Arghun (Argon) Khan the forth ruler of Likhanate a division of the Mongol empire that famously send Rabban Bar Sauma, a Nestorian Christian monk to the courts of European kings and the Pope to propose a Christian alliance against the Muslim Mamluks.

The top right hand corner reads:

Tartariae Tractus bellicosissimos se: per habuit incolas, feros tame, rapacef, crudeles, ac huma: no generi infestos.

Translation:

Tartary held the most warlike regions for itself; it had inhabitants, though fierce, yet tamed, rapacious, cruel, and hostile to the human race.

An interesting and bold statement to put on a map, but one that gives us an insight in to the diverse nature of Tartaria, with its range of people, customs and religions it very much mirrors the eclectic nature of our current society, A society quick and ready to war, who are fierce in battle and yet refined and tamed at the same time, but with elements of barbarism.

In the centre of the map it reads:

Cambalu Cathaie metropolis

Which translates to:

Cambalu, the metropolis of Cathay

The city of Cambalu also later known as Khanbaliq, the capital of Tartarian China during the 13th and 14th centuries. “Cathaie” is the original name of China, and was used by medieval Europeans to refer to Khanbaliq. the capital of Kublai Khans 13th century, Yuan Dynasty . The city held a strategic location and has survived to become present-day Beijing, China.

In the very bottom right hand side of the map, it reads:

La farfana Volcani del fuego Lanieni

Which has been surprisingly difficult to translates

One possible translation is La Farfana Volcano of Fire, Lanieni

Firstly the reference is to three islands in the pacific ocean called Lanieni, one of the islands has a significant volcano, and although the shape has changed slightly, we could easy draw a parallel with the current islands of Hawaii, which still have a fire breathing volcano, the middle island has now broken in to many and the third island is now much smaller. What we found interesting is the reference to La Farfana which is the name for the volcano a straight boat ride away in Chile, More interestingly is that the root of this name is unknown and thought to derive from a local dialect which could possible link the cultures of Hawaii and Chile in the distance past.

In 1597, the publication of the map was halted until 1608 where its publication was then resumed. Luckily for us, this map still survives today.