Beleg van Chur

1620

Fire at Oppenheim and the return to Basel

When Oppenheim is destroyed by fire during the Spanish occupation, the family moves back to Basel.

1623

Takes over his father-in-law’s publishing house

After de Bry’s death he takes over his father-in-law’s publishing house. He took over and completed the later parts and editions of the Grand Voyages and Petits Voyages, originally started by de Bry in 1590, including the volumes India Orientalis and America Occidentalis.

1623

Moves to Frankfurt

Three years after moving back to Basel the family returns to Germany, this time to Frankfurt, where Merian will spend most of his working life.

1626

Becomes a citizen of Frankfurt

He becomes a citizen of Frankfurt and can henceforth work as an independent publisher.

1645

His wife Maria Magdalena de Bry dies

Maria Magdalena de Bry, Merian’s wife since 1617, dies.

19 June 1650

Death in Langenschwalbach

After several years of illness he dies in Langenschwalbach, near Wiesbaden, leaving his widow with two small children: his daughter Anna Maria Sibylla (born 1647) and a son, Maximilian, who died before his third birthday.