Folio (28,2 x 19 cm), [10], 24 pp, [24] pp. (numbered 24b-34b), 35-415, [2], 416-505, [2], 506-507, [2], 508-522, [1] pp. Illustrated with an engraved title page, portrait of the author on verso, with the famous LEO BELGICUS map and 114 history plates (Geschichtsblätter), at the end an engraved calendar in the text. The engravings depict all the horrors of the 80 Years' War: the looting, the killing and the sieges by the Spanish of many cities. In the last part plates of the troubles in France and Germany. They deliberately lack the legends, too shocking for the Spanish and Austrian princes, to whom the work was dedicated. Some age-toning, small marginal hole in p. 503, a few stains, but still a very good copy. Contemporary pigskin binding, with blind tooling, with the gilt lettering OBER RATH on the front cover
A work famous in the history of the Netherlands, with battles and atrocities by the Spanish graphically-illustrated by Hogenberg. First published in 1583, there were frequent reissues with augmentations of the text and in the number of plates. This is the original edition.
Ref. Eenheid op papier (1994), p. 65-66 ; Vander Heijden, Leo Belgicus, n°1.1 (first state) ; Machiels E-820 ; Brunet I, 122 ; Graesse I, 49 ; Adams E-1175 ; Muller Historieplaten I, p. 41ev : series 5-6-7-8 Nederlandsche geschiedenis