Karl Spruner von Mertz
Illustration — 1865 Spruner map of the Roman Empire under Diocletian Karl Spruner von Merz (15 November 1803, in Stuttgart – 24 August 1892), or Karl von Spruner as he preferred to be known, was a German cartographer and scholar. He spent most of his long life in military service. He joined the Bavarian army, aged 11, in 1814, and was promoted to lieutenant in 1825.
Also recorded as Karl von Spruner · Christoph Karl Heinrich Spruner von Mertz
Karl Spruner von Mertz
Karl Spruner von Mertz · This file was provided to Wikimedia Commons by Geographicus Rare Antique Maps, a specialist dealer in rare maps and other cartography of the 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, as part of a co · Public domain
- Born
- 1803 · Zwiefalten.
- Died
- 1892 · Munich.
- Nationality
- Germany
- Occupation
- cartographer · historian · map maker
- Languages
- German
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Illustration — 1865 Spruner map of the Roman Empire under Diocletian Karl Spruner von Merz (15 November 1803, in Stuttgart – 24 August 1892), or Karl von Spruner as he preferred to be known, was a German cartographer and scholar. He spent most of his long life in military service. He joined the Bavarian army, aged 11, in 1814, and was promoted to lieutenant in 1825.
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wikidata · Q6186030
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Biography
Biography
He established a reputation as a scholar, but this did not come to the notice of his military superiors until 1851, leading them to promote him to major in 1852 and to lieutenant colonel in 1855. He was promoted to general in 1883, and finally retired in 1886, after 72 years in the Bavarian army. Spruner von Merz is best known for his historical atlases. The first of these was his Historischer Atlas von Bayern (historical atlas of Bavaria), published in 1838. His greatest work was his Historisch-Geographischer Hand-Atlas, whose first edition appeared in parts from 1848 to 1853. Heinrich Theodor Menke made major contributions to its second and third editions. In 1842, he was made a member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities.
This is Karl von Spruner’s 1855 map of South America, with an “overview of its discovery, conquest and colonization.” Nation states, European possessions, and overlapping indigenous peoples’ territories are color coded, with historical notes throughout. Relief is shown by hachures, and the finely engraved detail throughout exhibits the exquisite craftsmanship for which the Perthes firm is best kno
Karl Spruner von Mertz · This file was provided to Wikimedia Commons by Geographicus Rare Antique Maps, a specialist dealer in rare maps and other cartography of the 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, as part of a co
This is Karl von Spruner’s 1855 map of North America, with an overview of its “discovery, conquest and colonization.” Nation states, European possessions, and overlapping indigenous peoples’ territories are named and color coded, with historical notes appearing throughout. This map is especially noteworthy for its treatment of the southwest. Mexico and Upper California are defined as a single larg
Karl Spruner von Mertz · This file was provided to Wikimedia Commons by Geographicus Rare Antique Maps, a specialist dealer in rare maps and other cartography of the 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, as part of a co
Life and career
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Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1803
Karl Spruner von Mertz was born in 1803 at Zwiefalten.
1892
Karl Spruner von Mertz died in 1892 at Munich.
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Zwiefalten.
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Munich.
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Literature
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These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Spruner, Karl von: Atlas zur Geschichte von Bayern. bavarikon.de.
- 2.Militär-Wochenblatt. Nr. 58 vom 14. Juli 1886, S. 1159–1160.
- 3.Leiningen-Westerburg, Josephine zu. In: Gudrun Wedel: Autobiographien von Frauen. Ein Lexikon. Böhlau, Köln 2010, ISBN 978-3-412-20585-0, S. 489.
- 4.Elisabeth Friedrichs: Die deutschsprachigen Schriftstellerinnen des 18. und 19. Jahrhunderts: Repertorien zur deutschen Literaturgeschichte. Band 9, Metzler, Stuttgart 1981, ISBN 978-3-476-00456-7, S. 181. (Digitalansicht)
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The authorities additionally record the headings Karl von Spruner and Christoph Karl Heinrich Spruner von Mertz. His recorded language was German.
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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