Other 18th-/19th-century conflicts
Maps, views and documents from 19 wars
Map of Milazzo, 1718 (Milazzo, Sicily, Italy) 38°13ʹ16ʺN 15°14ʹ18ʺE
1718 or laterPen, ink and watercolour on paper; laid down on coarse linen | Scale: 1:32,500 approx. | RCIN 727012
A map of Milazzo, besieged by the Spanish in 1718. War of the Quadruple Alliance (1718-20). Oriented with north to top (compass rose).
The tentative attribution of the draughtsmanship of this map to Gabriel Delahaye is based on the similarity of the formal calligraphy in the title and key, and the place-names on the map, and general style of cartography to that of other maps by him in this collection.
Shows the positions of the Spanish and Imperial (Habsburg) troops and the Spanish siege works. The English ships are probably part of the fleet commanded by Admiral Sir George Byng (1663-1733), who had arrived off the coast of Sicily in August 1718.
? Gabriel Delahaye (active 1689?-1723) (draughtsman)
Anonymous military engineer (surveyor) [top left, following on from title:] levé Sur les lieux par un / Ingenieur du Roy de Sardaigne
Subject(s)
Navy-EnglandArmy-SpainArmy-AustriaWatermark: Strasburg bend and lily
Mark, stamped: 162
Condition: one fold line; foxed
Scale: 1:32,500 approx. Scale bar: Echelle d'un mille d'Italie [57 mm =].
43.4 x 55.3 cm (neatline)
44.5 x 56.4 cm (image)
46.2 x 57.9 cm (sheet)
Manuscript title:
PLAN / de la ville & chateau de / MELAZZO / avec le Camp des Imperiaux, les ouvrages / & Retranchements des Assiegés. Et le / Camp des Espagnols, leurs attaques & / Trenchées; [top left, in rectangular panel]
Additional text:
[top left, below title, in rectangular panel, a key, A-I, K-O, to the castle, the walled town, the low town, the Imperial (Habsburg) camp, the trenches and works of the besieged, the Spanish camp, attacks, works and batteries:] RENVOY
Annotations:
George III heading [on white paper strip pasted to verso:] Melazzo besieged by the Spaniards in 1718.
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [bottom centre, red pencil, obscured by paper strip:] [?6/21]; [bottom centre, black pencil, obscured by paper strip:] [?VII/21]; [top left, obscured by linen backing, black pencil, partly legible:] [?] Melazzo [?].
George III catalogue entry:
Melazzo Plan dessiné de la Ville et Chateau de Melazzo avec le Camp des Imperiaux, les Ouvrages et Retranchements des Assiegés et le Camp des Espagnols leurs Attaques et Tranchées, 1718: levé par un Ingenieur du Roy de Sardaigne.
Subject(s)
Milazzo, Sicily, Italy (38°13ʹ16ʺN 15°14ʹ18ʺE)
Bibliographic reference(s)
J.B. Hattendorf, ‘Byng, George, first Viscount Torrington (1663–1733)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004; online edn, Oct 2009
Page revisions
25 May 2024
Current version
