This map was created by Spanish cartographer Tomás López de Vargas Machuca in 1770 and published posthumously by his sons in the “Geographical Atlas of Spain” from 1804. The map depicts the Province of Álava with the territorial boundaries prior to the provincial administrative reform carried out by Javier de Burgos in 1833.

The Province of Álava covered approximately the same territory as it does today. It bordered the Lordship of Biscay, to the northeast with the Province of Guipúzcoa, to the east with the Kingdom of Navarre and to the south-west with the province of Burgos.

The province was divided into six districts, which grouped together the brotherhoods, as the towns of Álava were known:

• Vitoria gang
• Laguardia Crew
• Zuya's gang
• Ayala Gang
• Salvatierra Crew
• Mendoza's gang

This map shows the location of the County of Treviño, whose origins date back to the early Middle Ages, more specifically after the conquest of Navarre.

You can read more about Tomás López and his atlas in this article from the newsletter: Tomás López and the first detailed atlas of Spain (1804).

Sources

• Map of the Most Noble and Most Loyal Province of Alava – David Rumsey