War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14)
Sieges, marches, encampments and famous battles from 1701 to 1712 in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands
Sieges of Aire and Saint-Venant, 171
PLAN / DE LA VILLE / D'AIRE / Assiegée par les Alliez / en 1710
1710 or laterEtching and engraving; printed on paper | Scale: 1:6,500 approx. | RCIN 726062
The date of 9 November for the surrender of the fortress, and the dates for the siege of St Venant, are taken from Ostwald (2007), p.343.
Other commanders included Arnold Joost van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle (1670-1718) and Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau (1676-1747), who commanded the Prussian troops.
This large-scale map shows the detail of the fortified walls with the attack parallels, zig-zags and batteries, and the immediate surroundings.
Inset: [bottom right, in irregularly-shaped panel, a fortification plan:] PLAN DE / ST VENANT / Assiegé par les Alliez en 1710. Scale: not stated. Size: largest dimensions: 21.7 x 26.9 cm (neatline).
Additional text: [bottom left, below title, in title panel, a key, A-I, L-T, to religious buildings in the town and to named bastions:] RENVOY.
Condition: one fold line. Verso: bottom, right of centre, water-stained patch, shadow and ghosting from the removal of Cumberland's cipher label.
Anna Beek (1657-1717) (publisher) [bottom left, below scale bar, in title panel:] A la Haye Chez Anna Beek / avec Privilege
Pieter van Call (active 1706-15) (engraver) [bottom left, in title panel:] P. van Cal Fecit.
Watermark: None
Condition: one fold line. Verso: bottom, right of centre, water-stained patch, shadow and ghosting from the removal of Cumberland's cipher label
Scale: 1:6,500 approx. Scale bar: Echelle de 200 Toises [60 mm =].
47.7 x 57.8 cm (neatline)
48.0 x 58.2 cm (image)
49.4 x 59.5 cm (platemark)
53.3 x 63.2 cm (sheet)
Manuscript title:
PLAN / DE LA VILLE / D'AIRE / Assiegée par les Alliez / en 1710. [bottom left, in cartouche representing a carved stone plinth surmounted by a Roman helmet and armour and other artefacts of war]
Inset:
[bottom right, in irregularly-shaped panel, a fortification plan:] PLAN DE / ST VENANT / Assiegé par les Alliez en 1710. Scale: not stated. Size: largest dimensions: 21.7 x 26.9 cm (neatline).
Additional text:
[bottom left, below title, in title panel, a key, A-I, L-T, to religious buildings in the town and to named bastions:] RENVOY.
Annotations:
George III heading: Aire 6 Sept.r - 8 Nov.r and S.t Venant 6 - 29 Sept.r 1710.
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [top right, black pencil:] 105.; [bottom right, ink:] ½C; [bottom right, black pencil, beneath previous ink inscription:] 5; [bottom, left of centre, black pencil, cropped:] 98; [right centre, red pencil:] 98.
George III catalogue entry:
Aire Plans des Villes d'Aire et de S.t Venant, assiegées par les Alliés en 1710; chez Beek. [The same entry appears under the heading Venant, St.]
Subject(s)
Aire-sur-la-Lys, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France (50°38'19"N 02°23'55"E)
Saint-Venant, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France (50°37'10"N 02°32'22"W)
Bibliographic reference(s)
J. Ostwald, Vauban under siege: engineering efficiency and martial vigor in the War of the Spanish Succession, Leiden 2007
