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The many inaccuracies and omissions on this early map of Southeast Asia show the limitations of geographical knowledge at the time. There are some interesting details though, such as a legend listing the small islands in the Moluccas and Philippines.

This map of Asia is dedicated to Prince William, Duke of Gloucester, and features a drawing of his coat of arms. He had been in line to succeed to the English throne, but died at the age of 11 in 1700, the year before this map was produced.

The letters ‘E’ or ‘D’ are marked after place names to indicate if they are English or Dutch colonial possessions: e.g. ‘Marleborough Fort E’ on Sumatra or ‘Concordia Fort D’ on Timor. The Philippines are labelled ‘to Spain’.

The letters ‘E’ or ‘D’ are marked after place names to indicate if they are English or Dutch colonial possessions: e.g. ‘Marleborough Fort E’ on Sumatra or ‘Concordia Fort D’ on Timor. The Philippines are labelled ‘to Spain’.

The letters ‘E’ or ‘D’ are marked after place names to indicate if they are English or Dutch colonial possessions: e.g. ‘Marleborough Fort E’ on Sumatra or ‘Concordia Fort D’ on Timor. The Philippines are labelled ‘to Spain’.

This map of Asia, from an atlas by the German cartographer Karl von Spruner, is colour-coded to show the colonial possessions of the European powers—Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, France, Britain and Denmark—at the end of the 17th century.

This map of Asia, from an atlas by the German cartographer Karl von Spruner, is colour-coded to show the possessions of the Indian Maratha Empire, and of the European colonial powers at the end of the 18th century.

This map marks the locations of Baptist missionary stations in Asia, including at Ava, Rangoon, Java and Amboyna (Ambon) in Southeast Asia. The station at Java also has a school. The map’s legend lists the stations’ dates of foundation.

This map marks the locations of Baptist missionary stations in Asia, including at Ava, Rangoon, Java and Amboyna (Ambon) in Southeast Asia. The station at Java also has a school. The map’s legend lists the stations’ dates of foundation.

The inset map on this map of India features part of mainland Southeast Asia: Pegu and the Tenasserim Provinces (Myanmar), Siam (Thailand), and the Malay Peninsula (Malaysia), with the Straits Settlements—Singapore, Malacca, Penang—highlighted in red.

The inset map on this map of India features part of mainland Southeast Asia, with the British colonial territories—Straits Settlements, British Burma—highlighted in red, ‘protected states’ in yellow, and ‘independent states’ in green.

Map of Southeast Asia highlighting European colonial possessions. Unusually, the south coast of the Philippine island of Mindanao is shown twice, reflecting uncertainty about its true location. Names of indigenous peoples are listed on Borneo.