What is Leo Belgicus?
[[Image:Leo belgicus.png|thumb|right|Claes Jansz. Visscher, 1609.]] [[Image:Leo Belgicus.jpg|thumb|right|Jodocus Hondius, 1611]] The '''Leo Belgicus''' is a [[map]] of the former [[Low Countries]] (the [[Netherlands]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Belgium]] and a small part of northern [[France]]). They are drawn in the shape of a lion. The Leo Belgicus that came first was [[wikt:draw|drawn]] by the [[Austria]]n [[cartographer]] [[Michael Aitzinger]] in [[1583]]. The Netherlands were [[wikt:fight|fighting]] the [[Eighty Years' War]] for freedom at this time. There were three different drawings. In the most common one, the lion's head was found in the northeast part of the country and the tail in the southeast part of the country. The most [[wikt:famous|famous]] [[wikt:version|version]] is the drawing of [[Claes Janszoon Visscher]]. It was made in [[1609]] when the [[Twelve Years' Truce]] was written. The third version was made late in the war. It was made after the freedom of the [[Dutch Republic]] was given in the [[Peace of Westphalia]] of the year [[1648]]. It is called the ''Leo Hollandicus'', the Holland Lion, and shows only the [[province]] of Holland. [[Category:Maps]] [[Category:National symbols of Belgium]]