Other 17th-century conflicts
Printed and manuscript maps, prints and views of 22 seventeenth-century wars
View of the siege of Wolmar, 1601 (Valmiera [Volmar], Valmieras Rajons, Latvia) 57°32ʹ28ʺN 25°25ʹ39ʺE
published 1602Etching and engraving; printed on paper; mounted on paper (Mount Type A); gilt edges top and right | 42.3 x 32.9 cm (image and sheet) | RCIN 721119
A high oblique view of the siege of Wolmar, 18 October-18 December, by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, commanded by Jan Zamoyski (1542-1605) and Stanisław Żółkiewski (1547-1620). Swedish Wolmar, defended by Carl Carlsson Gyllenhielm (4 March 1574-17 March 1650), capitulated on 19 December 1601. Polish-Swedish War (1600-1611).
This crude view shows the general attack on the town on 18 December which resulted in its surrender the following day. Defences of the medieval wall of Wolmar have been partly augmented by wooden palisades over which the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth troops have mounted ladders and have entered to town on the day of its capitulation. The two Polish-Lithuanian commanders are mentioned in the key.
In spite of the date in the title, the George III heading, and George III catalogue entry have recorded it as 28th and 29th respectively, of December. This may have been an attempt by George III’s Librarian to render the dates in New Style.
Giacomo Lauro (active 1583-1645) (engraver and publisher)
Subject(s)
Army-PolandWatermark: Anchor in circle
Condition: several creases; top and left, old repairs to tears, made with paper before the print was mounted; left, piece missing, repaired with paper at the time of mounting?; pressure marks from the mounts of items which were kept above and below this map/print in a different collection are present on the recto and verso
42.3 x 32.9 cm (image and sheet)
cropped (platemark)
50.4 x 40.0 cm (mount)
Printed title:
Vrbs et arx Episcopalis / VOLMARIA / Capta a Sac Regia Poloniæ et / Sueciæ Maiestate magnoq Duce Lithuaniæ / et c. in eaq Carolus, Caroli Ducis filius et / Iacobus a Gard filius generalis Capitanei / Sueciæ XVIIIA. mensis Decembris MDCI. [top of map, between two coats of arms-on the left, the white eagle of Poland with an escutcheon, and, on the right, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania]
Additional text:
[bottom left, in a cartouche, a key, a-i, k-u, x-z, A-F, preceded by a verse, begins:] De Caroli Ducis fuga adventante …
Annotations:
George III heading: Volmar 28 Dec.r 1601.
Other annotations: (Recto) [top right, black pencil:] 1601. (Verso) [bottom left, on map, red pencil:] 1/100; [bottom left, on map, black pencil:] I/104.
George III catalogue entry:
Volmar Urbs et Arx Episcopalis Volmariæ capta a Rege Poloniæ 29 Decembris 1601: per Jacobum Laurum, 1602.
Subject(s)
Valmiera [Volmar], Valmieras Rajons, Latvia (57°32ʹ28ʺN 25°25ʹ39ʺE)
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. 2789
Page revisions
25 May 2024
Current version
