This antique map, created in 1665 and titled ‘Catalonia’, depicts the region of Catalonia in northeastern Spain. The map shows the topography of the area, including rivers and mountain ranges, as well as towns and cities such as Barcelona, Tarragona, and Andorra la Vella.

Spain in the early 17th Century was a powerful global empire, with vast territories in the Americas, Asia, and Europe. The country was ruled by the Habsburg monarchs, who oversaw a period of great cultural and artistic flourishing known as the Spanish Golden Age. However, Spain was also beset by political and economic problems, including the rise of Protestantism in Europe and a decline in its overseas trade and military power. In Catalonia, tensions between the region and the monarchy were beginning to emerge, foreshadowing the eventual Catalan independence movement.