War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14)
Sieges, marches, encampments and famous battles from 1701 to 1712 in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands
Siege of Bonn, 1703
LE / SIEGE / DE / BONN / Commencé le 3 de May. / Fini le 14 du même mois. / Anno 1703
1703 or laterPen, ink and watercolour on paper; laid down on coarse linen | Scale: not stated. 1:9,000 approx. | RCIN 725019
A map of the siege of Bonn, garrisoned by the French under the command of the marquis d'Alègre, besieged from 3 May 1703 by the Allied army, commanded by the Captain-General, John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (1650-1722), capitulating on 14 May. War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14). Oriented with west to top.
Although the siege of Bonn was commanded by Marlborough, the siegeworks were directed by Menno van Coehoorn (1641-1704), a Dutch soldier and military engineer who was known as the Dutch Vauban and who invented a type of mortar.
A ‘de Rantzou’ is listed as a signatory, together with other members of the Allied army, to the ‘Sentiment du Conseil de Guerre après la Prise d'Huy; du 25. Août 1703.’ in Lamberty (1734), vol.12, p.169. It is possible that the author of this map is the same de Rantzou, or some relation or, indeed, one of the three officers in the [Dutch] army at Blenheim with the name of Rantzou. There was also a Danish cavalry brigade named ‘Rantzou’ in the Left Wing of the army at Höchstädt (Blenheim).
The title appears bottom centre, in a decorative cartouche flanked by standards, drums and cannon, surmounted by a bust of, probably, Menno van Coehoorn with a coat of arms comprising four lit mortar bombs [Coehoorn was the inventor of a type of mortar] with a reclining Roman soldier to each side.
C Rantzou (active 1703) (draughtsman) [bottom centre, in cartouche:] C. Rantzou fecit.
Watermark: Strasburg bend and lily; countermark: IV [bottom centre, in a decorative cartouche flanked by standards, drums and cannon, surmounted by a bust of, probably, Menno van Coehoorn with a coat of arms comprising four lit mortar bombs [Coehoorn was the inventor of a type of mortar] with a reclining Roman soldier to each side]
Mark, stamped: 68
Condition: no fold lines; seven holes punched along left side; six holes punched along right side - the seventh is cut off diagonally; five regular indentations along right side with a greenish tinge: from a ring-binder?; surface dirt on recto and verso, especially along the right edge of the verso
Scale: not stated. 1:9,000 approx.
38.3 x 51.6 cm (image and neatline)
38.8 x 53.0 cm (sheet)
Manuscript title:
LE / SIEGE / DE / BONN / Commencé le 3 de May. / Fini le 14 du même mois. / Anno 1703. [bottom centre, in a decorative cartouche flanked by standards, drums and cannon, surmounted by a bust of, probably, Menno van Coehoorn with a coat of arms comprising four lit mortar bombs [Coehoorn was the inventor of a type of mortar] with a reclining Roman soldier to each side]
Annotation:
George III heading: Bonn May 1703.
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [top left, red pencil:] 1703; [top left, red pencil:] 4/24; [top left, black pencil:] V/22; [top right, black pencil:] 2.
George III catalogue entry:
Bonn Plan dessiné du Siege de Bonn, commencé le 3 et fini le 14 de May 1703; par C. Rantzou.
Subject(s)
Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, German (50°44'03"N 07°05'43"E)
Bibliographic reference(s)
G. de Lamberty, Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire du XVIII siècle, 12 vols, The Hague 1724-1734
