, the print was finished by Hieronymous Wierix, presumably because of de Jode’s advancing age and frailty. It is after an original drawing by Maerten de Vos. A later version by Filips de Galle is known.

The scene in this broadside, ‘Spirituale Christiani Militis Certamen’, served as the basis of Jodocus Hondius the Elder’s ‘Christian Knight Map’. It shows a battle against the rulers of darkness: Vanity, Sin, Carnal Weakness, the Devil, and Death.

This very rare print is annotated throughout with quotations from the Bible and includes five personifications of the enemies of the Christian Knight: ‘Mundus’, or worldliness, which the Christian Knight tramples upon, ‘Peccatum’ (sin), a monstrous ‘Diabolus’ shooting flaming arrows, who is half woman half serpent, ‘Caro’ (mortal flesh) and ‘Mors’ (death) who wields a scythe. A path in the upper left leads to the New Jerusalem.

This is the original broadside on which Jodocus Hondius the Elder based the allegorical figures in his influential 'Christian Knight Map', known for its philosophical allegories showing a Christian knight and king fighting the rulers of darkness. 

Engraved by Hieronymous, or Jerome Wierix (1553–1619), the broadside shows the Christian Knight trampling upon ‘Caro’ (Carnal Desires), surrounded by the threats of the World or ‘Mundus’, ‘Peccatum’ (Sin), a monstrous half-woman, half-serpent, the Devil or ‘Diabolus’, aiming three flaming arrows, and ‘Mors’ (Death), wielding a scythe; at upper left a path leads to the New Jerusalem.

Wierix was an engraver in Antwerp attached to the guild of Saint Luke. He was often employed by Christophe Plantin, who is best known for publishing 

’ atlas, the ‘Theatrum’, and by Jesuits and other Counter-Reformists in producing pro-Catholic prints and broadsides, like this one.

The original broadside on which Jodocus Hondius the Elder based the allegorical figures in his influential ‘Christian Knight’ map.


Original Broadside for the ‘Christian Knight Map’