Battle of Nördlingen, 1645

A view and order of battle of the Battle of Nordlingen, fought on 3 August 1645 between the combined armies of France and Saxe-Weimar, commanded by Louis II de Bourbon-Condé, duc d’Enghien (8 September 1621-11 December 1686) and Henri de la Tour d’Auvergne (11 September 1611-27 July 1675) and the combined forces of the Holy Roman Empire and Bavaria, commanded by Franz von Mercy (d.3 August 1645) and Count Johann von Werth (1591-16 January 1652), resulting in a French victory. Thirty Years War (1618-1648). See RCIN 723061.1.a for the bottom part.

Another example of this print in a slightly diffferent state, is at RCIN 723061.2.a. The only difference which can be discerned is in the Beaulieu imprint which, on RCIN 723061.1.a is rendered in a longer form: ‘Par le S.^r de Beaulieu Ingenieur et Geographe Ord.^re du Roy. 1646.’ Since the spacing of the beginning and end of this imprint is identical on the two examples (the intial word ‘Par’ and the final date ‘1746.’ are in the same position in both states), it follows that the gap in the imprint of RCIN 723061.2.a indicates the deletion of ‘et Geographe Ord.^re du Roy.’ from the copperplate of RCIN 723061.1.a. The re-engraving of the shorter imprint which appears on RCIN 723061.2.a which must, therefore, be a later state.

The original design and survey for this print was made by Beaulieu, who was present at the Battle of Nördlingen. Having lost his right arm at the siege of Philippsburg in 1644, he thereafter made all his maps and sketches using his left hand (see RCIN 723051).

The attribution of some of the engraving to Noël Cochin rather than to Nicolas Cochin is made by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (link gives an example of RCINs 723061.1.a,b. This example has the accompanying explanatory letterpress text pasted along the left and right edges of the print.)

The accompanying explanatory letterpress text is at RCINs 723061.1.c-f. It gives an account of the events leading up to the battle, the battle itself and the subsequent march of the French army to Dinkelsbühl, depicted in one of the vignettes in the print. A list of Beaulieu’s maps available for sale which is given at the end of the text includes the siege and encampment of the French army at Collioure; the siege of the citadel at Perpignan; the Battle of Rocroi; siege of Thionville; the action at Freiburg and siege of Philippsburg; Malta and the neighbouring islands; a naval engagement with the Turks, and the Battle of Nördlingen.