This website presents our knowledge and research on this important aspect of the Royal Collection. As of April 2026 it will not be regularly updated and new research on this topic will sit within the main website.

War of the Austrian Succession (1740-8)

Includes much of the mapping collected by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, as Captain General of the British army

P.S. LALAU (ACTIVE 1746-83)

Map of the siege of Brussels, 1746 (Brussels, Brussels Capital Region, Belgium) 50°51'01"N 04°20'55"E

c.1746

Engraving and etching; letterpress text and copperplate-printed map on same sheet of paper | Scale: 1:21,300 approx. | RCIN 730011

A map of the siege of Brussels by the French, 2-20 February 1746. War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48). Oriented with south-west to top.

The siegeworks are shown on the north-east side of Brussels between the town and Scarbeck/Scaebecke (Schaarbeek 50°52'09"N 04°22'38"E). The lines of fire from the French batteries to the breaches made by them in the walls are shown.

Additional text: [one column of letterpress text to each side of map; left column begins:] CEtte Ville fut entierement investie le 2. Février 1746 …[Right column begins: couronne-] ment de cette partie, & le ziquezaque que l’on fit en avant …[Bottom of right column, a short key to the map:] REMARQUES.

Condition: no fold lines, trimmed. Verso: induced discolouration; slight offsetting from another copy of this map; top left, water-stained patch, shadow and ghosting from the removal of Cumberland's cipher label.
  • P.S. Lalau (active 1746-83) (printer) [bottom, letterpress text below map:] S’Imprime & se Vend à Lille, chez P. S. LALAU, sur la Petite Place.

    Subject(s)

    Army-France
  • Watermark: Strasburg bend and lily

    Condition: no fold lines, trimmed. Verso: induced discolouration; slight offsetting from another copy of this map; top left, water-stained patch, shadow and ghosting from the removal of Cumberland's cipher label

  • Scale: 1:21,300 approx. Scale bar: [64 mm =] 700 Toises.

    24.6 x 43.0 cm (image)

    21.7 x 26.3 cm (platemark)

    20.7 x 25.2 cm (neatline)

    20.9 x 25.4 cm (image of map)

    27.4 x 45.4 cm (sheet)

  • Printed title:

    PLAN DES ATTAQUES DE LA VILLE DE BRUXELLES. [top, letterpress text above engraved map]

    Additional text:

    [one column of letterpress text to each side of map; left column begins:] CEtte Ville fut entierement investie le 2. Février 1746 …; [Right column begins: couronne-] ment de cette partie, & le ziquezaque que l’on fit en avant …; REMARQUES. [Bottom of right column, a short key to the map]

    Annotations:

    George III heading: Brussels 2-20 Feb.y 1746.

    Other annotations: (Recto) [top left, black pencil:] 66. (Verso) [bottom left, black pencil, cropped:] 110 [or ‘11’; ‘100’ underneath?]; [bottom left, black pencil:] 41; [bottom right, black pencil] B[ruxelles; [centre, red pencil]: 41.

    George III catalogue entry:

    Brussels Plan des Attaques de la Ville de Bruxelles, investie par les François le 2 et prise le 20 Fevrier 1746: chez Lalau.

  • Subject(s)

    Brussels (Brussels Capital Region, Belgium) 50°51'01"N 04°20'55"E​

Page revisions

  • 3 November 2024