Sieges, marches, encampments and battles in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands
Anonymous
Battle of Malplaquet, 1709 1709 or later
Pencil, pen, ink and watercolour on two sheets of paper, joined; laid down on coarse linen; a brass ring for hanging missing from the top left and top right corners; one pink linen tie missing from top edge; edged with cerise silk ribbon | Scale: 1:9,100 approx. | RCIN 726030
A map of the Battle of Malplaquet, fought on 11 September 1709 between the Allied army (Austria, Dutch Republic, Great Britain, Prussia), commanded by John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (1650-1722) and Prince Eugène of Savoy (1663-1736), and the armies of France and the Electorate of Bavaria, commanded by Marshal Claude Louis Hector de Villars (1643-1734) and Marshal Louis François, duc de Boufflers (1644-1711), resulting in an Allied victory. War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14). Oriented with south-west to top.
The map covers an area extending from Framieres (Frameries 50°24'20"N 03°53'45"E) in the north-east to Surhon (Sur Hon 50°18'41"N 03°50'47"E) and Taisniere (Taisnières-sur-Hon 50°19'12"N 03°50'05"E) in the south-west. The map shows the different positions of the armies before, during and after the battle and the outlines of the defensive lines which were begun by the French and would have been finished 24 hours later but for the arrival of the Allies.
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Anonymous (cartographer)
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Watermark: Fleur-de-lys in crowned shield, a ‘4’ suspending the monogram WR below; countermark not visible
Condition: two fold lines; worn along folds; slight surface dirt; slight foxing. Verso: brown staining; heavy surface dirt along top edge, consistent with the map having been stored rolled and tied for some time
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Scale: 1:9,100 approx. Scale bar: 1500 Common Paces [126 mm =].
82.4 x 69.7 cm (neatline)
97.6 x 70.4 cm (image)
101.0 x 73.5 cm (sheet)
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Manuscript title:
No title
Annotations:
George III heading [black pencil:] Malplaquet 1709.
Other annotations (Recto) [top left, black pencil:] VI/30 Military. (Verso) [top left, blue biro on 1980s red-printed Royal Library label:] VI 30; [top right, ink, in Schultz's or Mason's hand?, on a contemporary label:] II [with a red cross to Il]/69; [right of centre, black pencil, obscured by linen backing, three groups of numbers:] 2 - A / 5 - 80 / 4 - 127.
George III catalogue entry:
Malplaquet A drawn Plan of the Battle of Malplaquet, 11.th Sept.r 1709. 2 sheets.
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Probably from the collection of military and naval maps and prints formed by Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland (1721-65), third son of George II; subsequently acquired by George III (1738-1820)
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Subject(s)
Malplaquet, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France (50°19'11"N 03°51'56"E)
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