Reisz T. Csaba: Magyarország általános térképének elkészítése a 19. század első évtizedében - Lipszky János és segítői térképészeti vállalkozásának ismertetése (Budapest, 2002)
IDEGEN NYELVŰ ÖSSZEFOGLALÓK - The Making of Hungary’s First General Map in the first Decade of the 19th Century. The Cartographic Enterprise of János Lipszky
gages. Lipszky was eager to revive his estate. He was able to soon repay his debts from profits made from maps and renovated family possessions. In Szedlicsna, he built a new house for himself, which stood (although in deteriorating condition) until the 1980’s. Today, however, only the Lipszky-sepulchre in the former garden marks the place of the old family mansion. On 2 May 1826, János Lipszky’s eventful and successful life came to an end. Not having any own descendants, lateral relatives inherited his significant wealth, but lawsuits dragging on for a good thirty years after his death significantly reduced and fragmented the bequest, including the well organized map collection. Today a part of this map collection is held in the Map Collection of the National Széchényi Library. The making of the Mappa generalis (Chapter 5) The start and evolution of the plan and undertaking According to his autobiography, in addition to his military activities János Lipszky started the production of a map of Hungary already in 1794. When his superiors were informed about the undertaking and recognized its significance, they provided all necessary support: [From 1794 as Vecsey’s aide-de-camp] through this post, alongside my other service duties, I used my time and spent my spare hours on preparing a possibly comprehensive map of Hungary and her annexed frontier countries, for which I have collected materials during my entire time in service, transfers and private travels. First, I wished to use this work as explanation for an independent military-strategic work, which I have already started working on. Later, the number of participants in the undertaking increased, who encouraged my diligence and efforts, requested its actual publication, and offered all help necessary. Therefore an open venture was created as both his Imperial and Royal Highness, prince Joseph palatine, the Council of the Governor-general as well as the Court Military Council all highly supported it. Prince Charles marshal himself personally encouraged and persuaded me, simultaneously by providing finances appropriate for my rank for the full period of the work, by ordering me to Pest and supporting that I organize an astronomical expedition at the expense of the Education Fund. I also carried out private astronomical travels, and prepared with all due care the absolutely necessary materials, when the war with France broke out again in 1805. The venture probably gained its final shape in 1797, because Lipszky in his own accounts detailing expenses recorded that year when he spent 500 forints from his own money for preparatory works related to the publication of the map. One of Lipszky’s first supporters was baron Siegbert Vecsey, who had a particular fondness for the young military officer and enabled, as an aide-de-camp seconded to him, Lipszky to stay in Pest from 1795 and to perform mapping. (Obviously, the permission of Prince Charles, the president of the Court Military 438
