Beschreibung
Quarto measuring 8.75" by 7" (22.2 x 18.2 cm); Complete: [4], 329, [17] pages. Text in Italian. The last blank is lacking. Roman & Italic engraved architectural title and 29 engraved folding plates. Woodcut ornaments and initials. Binding in ancient (posterior) vellum with small defects. Very good condition overall. Intermittent browning mostly in text, small worm-holes at the inner margin of few leaves, small marginal tear on two plates, upper margin of index a bit short. The famous first edition of a professional soldier's eyewitness report on battles and sieges conducted during the Spanish campaign in Flanders (1601-1609. It is the only work on the military operations of the campaign described from the Spanish side. Pompeo Giustiniano, was born in 1569 and at age eighteen he was in Flanders in 1587, fighting for the Spanish. He become captain in the army of Alexander Farnese. In 1601 he began serving under Ambrogio Spinola, commander of the Spanish forces fighting for the Archdukes Albert and Isabella, with the rank of sergeant major. In 1603 he took over the leadership of the Spanish infantry of Spinola, then was promoted to the rank of field marshal. In 1604 he personally met with Maurice of Nassau in the battle for the port of Sluis and Damme city. On September 22, 1604 during the siege of Ostend, the walled city which would not surrender, he had his right arm destroyed by a musket ball, which was replaced by a metal prosthesis and was nicknamed "Bras de Fer". In October 1605 he obtained the surrender of Wachtendonck, which was followed by the fall of other Dutch positions. The chief event of the campaign, here described, was the three-and-a half year siege of Ostend when the author acted as quarter master general. The city was the last Dutch coastal fortress to surrender to Spinola in 1604. The work is highly sought after for its engraved folding plates, which show various maps, forts, portable pontoon bridges, locations of navy ships, skirmishes, as well as troop formations & movements in during the battles. The editor, Giuseppe Gamurini, also translated a Latin edition published the same year. In the period after the battles described in this book, Giustiniano entered the Venetian service in 1613, became captain-general, and had an equestrian statue built in his honor in San Giovanni e Paolo in Venice. In 1613 he entered in the Venetian army. In 1616 he besieged Gradisca, but he had to withdraw the army because the Habsburg forces were too strong. On October 10, 1616, he was killed by the enemy army at Lucinico, and was buried in Venice, at the San Moise church. Palau 102835; Soprani, Li scrittori de la Liguria (Genoa 1667), p244; STCV 6624785. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 025607
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