IISH

Korte beschryvinge, ende af-beeldinge...

Korte beschryvinge, ende af-beeldinge van de generale regelen der Fortificatie, de Artillerie, Munition, ende Vivres, van de Officieren der selver en hare Commissien, Van de Leger-Aerde-Wallen, de Approchen met het Tegen-weer, ende van Vyerwercken / door Henricus Hondius
Hagae-Comitis : [s.n.],
1624
Call number:
AB M 96


Mercenaries are probably the oldest wage earners in the world. Within the framework of our coordinated research programme 'Global labour history', they are thus very worth studying. The same is true for sailors, which also constitute a group of international proletarians whose history began long before the Industrial Revolution.
The fact that one of the most important bequests that the KNAW ever received originated with Jan Hendrik van Kinsbergen (1735-1819) is also very important. In addition to his importance for the maritime history, admiral Van Kinsbergen was also an important book collector, especially of books about shipping and warfare.
One of these is the fairly rare copy of Henricus Hondius (1573-1649) Korte beschryvinge, ende afbeeldinge van de generale regelen der Fortificatie (Den Haag, 1624), only represented in four other Dutch libraries. Its subject is fortifications and warefare in the first phase of the Dutch revolt. It contains marvellous illustrations of the famous battle on the beach near Nieuwpoort in 1600. You can see the troops of the Republic advancing against those of the Archduke. Especially noteworthy is that it indicates the origin for each banner. There is no better proof of the international labour market for soldiers.
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