Thirty Years War (1618-48)
Maps, prints and letterpress text covering the major battles and sieges of the war
Siege of Thionville, 1643
PLAN / DE LA VILLE / DE / THEONVILLE / AV DVCHÉ DE / LVXEMBOVRG. / ASSIEGEE PAR / L’ARMEE DE SA MAIESTÉ / TRES-CHRESTIENNE / LOVIS XIIII / ROY DE FRANCE / ET DE NAVARRE / COMMANDEE PAR MONSEI- / gneur le Duc...
published 1644Etching and engraving; mounted on paper (Mount Type B, cropped) | Scale: 1:19,500 approx. | RCIN 723029.a
A high oblique view and map of Thionville, besieged from 17 June to 10 August 1643 by the French, commanded by Louis de Bourbon, Duc d’Enghien (8 September 1621-11 December 1686) resulting in the capitulation of the Spanish garrison. Thirty Years War (1618-1648). Oriented with east to top.
D’Enghien followed up his spectacular victory at Rocroi (see RCIN 723028) by besieging Thionville, which did not fall without strong resistance from its defenders.
This map appears to have been designed, originally, to be pasted below another image. An example, with decorative engraved borders with the cardinal points named to the left, right and bottom edges, is in the Bibliothèque nationale de France département Cartes et plans, GE D-14752. This border (or the border described below) may have been present on RCIN 723029.a before being cut off by Dal Pozzo.
Another version of the map, with plainer borders which include the compass point names and a floral flourish at the corners, is in the Rijksmuseum (RP-P-OB-81.526A). It is probably this state which is represented by RCIN 723029.a. An example of this state, mounted with a copy of RCIN 723030 (also with the plainer border) pasted above it, and with the same setting of the text at 723029.b pasted along each side, can be seen in the Bibliothèque nationale de France département Cartes et plans GE C-10798.
An unfinished anonymous manuscript map, showing almost identical topographical and military details to RCIN 723029.a, is the Bibliothèque nationale de France département Estampes et photographie, EST VA-57 (3). This came from the collection of François Roger de Gaignières (30 December 1642-1715), the French genealogist, antiquary and collector.
The accompanying letterpress text, which includes the keys to the numbers and letters on the map, is at RCIN 723029.b.
Sébastien Pontault de Beaulieu (c. 1612-74) (cartographer) [bottom left, bottom right of inset (1):] Par le S.r de Beaulieu Com.re ord.re de l’artillerye de France et Coneur dicelle / en la Ville d’Arras et pays d’Artois Ingenieur ord.re de sa Maiesté.
François Collignon (c.1610-87) (etcher) [bottom left of view, to right of inset (1):] fr. Collignon sculp.
Nicholas Berey I (c.1610-65) (publisher)
Antoine de Fer (16??-1673) (publisher) [at end of text:] A PARIS, / Chez NICOLAS DE BERAY, au bout du Pont- / neuf, proche les Augustins, aux deux Globes. / Et ANTOINE DE FER, en l’Isle du Palais, au bout / du Pont de Bois, à l’Age de Fer. / M. DC. XLIV.
Watermark: Cropped
Condition: three fold lines. Verso: heavy surface dirt; remains of [Mount Type B]
Scale: 1:19,500 approx. Scale bar: Eschelle pour le Plan et Circonualation [60 mm=] 600 th.
44.6 x 53.1 cm (image and sheet)
cropped (platemark)
Printed title:
PLAN / DE LA VILLE / DE / THEONVILLE / AV DVCHÉ DE / LVXEMBOVRG. / ASSIEGEE PAR / L’ARMEE DE SA MAIESTÉ / TRES-CHRESTIENNE / LOVIS XIIII / ROY DE FRANCE / ET DE NAVARRE / COMMANDEE PAR MONSEI- / gneur le Duc d’Anguien, Pair de France, / General de l’Armée de sa Majesté / en Picardie. [title on accompanying text (RCIN 723029.b)]
Insets:
(1) [bottom left, in rectangular panel:] PLAN DES DEUX / Attacques de / THEONUILLE. Scale: 1:1,450 approx. Scale bars: Eschelle de 20 thoises pour les profilz [27 mm =]. Size: 16.9 x 13.9 cm (neatline cropped).
(2) GOUUERNEMENT / DE / THEONUILLE. Scale: Scale bar: [31 mm = 3 unspecified units.] Size: 8.8 x 11.6 cm (neatline cropped). Oriented with east to top (cardinal points).
Annotations:
George III heading: Thionville 17 June – 10 August 1643.
Other annotations: none.
George III catalogue entry:
Thionville Plan de la Ville de Theonville assiegée par l’Armée du Roy Louis XIV commandée par le Duc d’Enguien le 17 de Juin, et rendue le 10 d’Aout 1643: par le S.r de Beaulieu, gravé par Collignon: avec une Description: chez Beray, 1644.
Subject(s)
Thionville, Lorraine, France (49°22ʹ00ʺN 06°10ʹ00ʺE)
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. 3121
Page revisions
14 March 2024
Current version
