In 1614 the Dutch West India Company dispatched a fleet of ships under the command of Joris van Spilbergen to promote Dutch trade in South America and the East Indies. Over the next decade, numerous battles ensued between the Dutch and the Spanish, who maintained control over the important port city of Callao. These engravings depicts two of those battles.

A. Callao, by Alain Manesson Mallet, from Beschreibung des Ganzen Welt-Kreisses…, circa 1684 (4.1 x 5.5"). This engraving depicts a fleet of galleons in the harbor engaged in battle with an army of infantry on land. The city of Callao is depicted in the background. Condition: Watermarked paper with light soiling.

B. Vertoning van 't Callao de Lima, by Jacques l'Hermite, from Iovrnael van de Nassausche Vloot, circa 1645 (8.0 x 6.1"). On May 12, 1624 Dutch Admiral Jacques L'Hermite attacked Callao and succeeded in burning 30 Spanish ships. This engraving was published in L'Hermite's account of his voyage around the world from 1623-26. This bird's-eye view shows the port of Callao with Spanish and Dutch ships in the bay, engaged in battle. Each of the Dutch ships are labeled on the map, including the Hollandia, the Delft, the Amsterdam, and the Eendracht. A compass rose orients north to the bottom left. Condition: There is one small hole in an unengraved area of the image. There is some paper weakness in top blank margin, with one small tear that has been archivally repaired.

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Condition: B

See description above.