A scarce and highly detailed miniature map of Havana, Cuba, made following the seizure of the city by British forces in 1762.
This finely-engraved map depicts the city and harbor of Havana, Cuba during the Seven Years' (or French & Indian) War. In 1761, Spain rashly entered the war on the side of France. From March to August, 1762, a massive British force of almost 30,000 men, under the command of the Earl of Albermarle, besieged Havana, guarded by the great castle of Fort Moro. The map shows the city and fort and pictographically details some of the action, including the fierce vollies of cannon fire eminating from the British ships. The 'Renvois', or key, gives a detailed account of the siege. Although the British succeded in taking the city, then the largest port in Spanish America, they soon returned it to Spain, in exchange for Florida, pursuant to the Treaty of Paris (1763). While the map is of a modest size, the quality of the engraving and detail of the presentation provides a surprisingly thorough overview.
This map was issued by Beaurain in 1765, both to serve as one of the border illustations added to his great wall map recording the events of the Seven Years' War, the Carte de Allemagne... (1765), and, as is the case here, as a separately-issued map, mounted on larger piece of paper and bound into a made-to-order atlas.