Other 17th-century conflicts
Printed and manuscript maps, prints and views of 22 seventeenth-century wars
View of the siege of Alès, 1629 (Alès [Alezs], Langueoc-Roussillon, France) 44°08ʹ00ʺN 04°05ʹ00ʺE
1629 or laterEtching and engraving; printed on paper; mounted on paper (Mount Type A) | Scale: 1:4,000 approx. | RCIN 722047.a
A combination of plan and middle-high oblique view of the old and new Huguenot fortress of Alès, besieged in June 1629 by the French Royal army under Louis XIII (27 September 1601-14 May 1643) resulting on 17 June 1629 in the surrender of the town by its defender Henri, duc de Rohan (21 August 1579-13 April 1638). Huguenot Rebellions or Rohan Wars (1627-1629). Oriented with west to top (compass points are written in the margins).
This print is a later state of that at RCIN 722039.o. The earlier state is distinguished by lacking the letters A (in the centre of the town, and B-D along the northern (right) bastions of the fortified walls. The two batteries on the opposite side of the river are annotated, on the later state: 'Batterie et aproches du Roy'. To the west of these is another battery annotated, on the later state: 'Aproche et trauail du R. de Rambure'. Other additions to the later state include the annotations of the St Germain and St Jullien hills as 'Montaigne S.t Germain' and 'Montaigne S.t Jullien tenue par les ennemis'.
See also RCIN 722042.b.
After Simon Maupin (?1590-1668) (draughtsman)
Melchior Tavernier (1594-1665) (publisher) [top left, following on from title, in title cartouche:] Designée par S. Maupin. / A Paris chez Melchior Tauernier, Graueur et Imprimeur du Roy / pour les Tailles doulces.
Watermark: Three fleur-de-lys in crowned shield, suspending the letter L, the letters I P below
Condition: four fold lines; creased. Mount Type A; cropped almost to edge of map; no gilt edges. Verso: pressure marks from the mounts of items which were kept below this print in a different collection are present. Some surface dirt to recto and verso
Scale: 1:4,000 approx. Scale bar: Echelle de Cent Thoises [47 mm =].
40.7 x 57.3 cm (image and sheet)
cropped (platemark)
41.7 x 33.0 cm (mount)
Printed title:
PLAN de la / Vielle et Nouuelle / Fortification D’ALEZS. [top left, in ornate oval cartouche]
Annotations:
George III heading: Alais 1629 beseiged by Louis XIII.
Other annotaitons: (Recto) none. (Verso) [bottom right, partly obscured by mount, ?in a contemporary hand:] B.
George III catalogue entry:
Alais Plan de la vielle et nouvelle Fortification d’Alezs (assiegée par Louis XIII en 1629) par le S.r Maupin, chez Tavernier; avec une Description et une petite Carte des Sevenes par le S.r Fabre, 1629.
Subject(s)
Alès [Alezs], Langueoc-Roussillon, France (44°08ʹ00ʺN 04°05ʹ00ʺE)
Bibliographic reference(s)
M. McDonald, The Print Collection of Cassiano dal Pozzo. Part II, Architecture, Topography and Military Maps, 3 vols, London 2019, cat. no 2909
Page revisions
25 May 2024
Current version
