Scandinavia

Maps

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  1701 A system of geography by Herman Moll - Scandinavia.jpg

Sources from old books

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

Scandia, or Scandinavia, a large Peninsula or almost Island, which according to some was a part of old Germany, and contains the Kingdoms of Norway and Sweden, and part of Denmark. Some Geographers give the name of Scandia only to the South part of this Peninsula, where are the Provinces of Scania, (Schonen) Blekingia and Hallandia. Aristotle says that it was separated from the Continent of Germany by a vast Inundation of the Ocean, which turned all the rising Grounds that appear now in the Baltick into Islands; whereupon the Cimbrians being forced to seek new Habitations, wandered over a great part of Germany, and were at last entirely defeated by Marius in the passes of the Alps. S•rabo Horn. Introduc. ad Antiq. Geog.

1695. Thesaurus geographicus a new body of geography by Abel Swall and Tim. Child.

The name of Scandinavia, mention'd by Pliny and Solinus, is not at present very much us'd; but that of Scandia being more modern, is probably taken from the small Province of Scania or Schonen, which is situated on the Baltick Sea and forms part of Sweden, or (according to the opinion of others) from the ancient Inhabitants, who styl'd themselves Schaanau or Shane, altho' Junius would willingly derive its Original from the old Dutch Word Schans, signifying a Fortress; the situation of the Country being naturally well fenc'd. However, it is a large Peninsula, and comprehends the Kingdoms call'd the Northern in general, extending it self from the 55. D. to the 72. D. of Northern Latitude, and from the 25. D. to the 65. of Longitude; for the space of about 330 Leagues from South to North, that is to say, from the Coasts of Prussia as far as the Northern Cape, and 352 in length, viz. from the most Western shores of Norway, to the Frontiers of Onega and Karapol. It is bounded on the North and West by the vast Ocean, on the South by the Baltick Sea, and on the East by part of Moscovy and the Bay of Finland. This Peninsula was heretofore inhabited by divers sorts of People, viz. the Sucones or Sueci, Rueni, Northmanni, &c. having produced above 30 potent Nations, that in process of time settled their Colonies almost throughout all the Regions of the habitable World. Indeed its Situation partly in the Temperate Zone, and partly in the Frozen, renders the Air cold for a long while, so that the Soil brings forth very little Corn, neither does it ripen kindly in these Parts, more especially beyond the Polar Circle; to which Barrenness the great number of Lakes, Forests and Mountains, do very much contribute; the greatest Fertility consisting in Woods, Pastures, and Copper-Mines, besides some of Gold and Silver, but these last have not long continu'd. This whole vast Continent is at present divided into three Kingdoms, viz. of Denmark, Norway and Sweden; the first of these is separated by the Sea, but the two others, which are likewise parted by a long Chain of Mountains stretch'd forth from South to North, and many small Lakes, lie between the great Lake Vener and the River Glama. The King of Sweden possesses the middle of the Country, and the Eastern part on the Coasts of the Baltick Sea, together with the Gulphs of Bothnia and Finland. The King of Denmark is in like manner Sovereign Lord of the more Western and Northern parts, that is to say, of Denmark and Norway.