Descriptive Table of the XVII Provinces – Tafel Vande XVII Nederlandze Provincien Vertonende der zelver verdeling grootte van Landen en Steden, Mids-gaders haar Regering zo Politicq al kerk-lyk . . .

It was printed by Caspar Specht around 1705. Surprisingly, the table still shows the Low Countries as one entity; but already separated in the middle. At the top: the “old” royal principalities; at the bottom the new republican provinces. Specht gives a comprehensive description of each principality/province with administrative subdivisions, their key cities and the number of inhabitants. The administrative organization is also described in detail.

This table also shows a total of 26 coats of arms. The crowns above the arms illustrate the hierarchical importance of the principality. The XVII provinces only held three duchies: Brabant (“of course” at top left) and Luxembourg (just below Brabant) and Gelre (Gelderland; more left). The duchy of “Limbourg” is currently situated much more in Germany. The county arms of, inter alia, Flanders towards middle-top left), Holland and Zeeland bear different crowns.

Further, one notices (in the top left corner) a “steden wyser”, which we identify as a modern distance table between cities. In the bottom Specht gives an overview of local weights and measures.

Such historical/geographic tables are very rare. More common was the publication of purely historical charts of nobility pedigrees per principality.