Saturday, April 13, 2024

Spinola, Bocquoy & Velasco - siege of Rheinberg from del Prado

 Salvete Omnes,

a fine Saturday one could say, as the World War III yet have not started - Go willing never will, but let us pray for peace in the Holy Land, Europe and the rest of the world.
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as rem, it is going to be about some heavy lance cavalry on war footing in the early XVII century western Europe, the town of Rheinberg on the banks of that great European river - the Rhine.
Museo del Prado, in Madrid, Kingdom of Spain-EU, has this painting -  Asedio de la villa de Rinsbarch (Rheinberg), circa 1601AD?


During the 80 Years War - when the Dutch rebelled against their Spanish Hapsburg kings and for many years fought against the Hapsburg armies until  independence in 1622AD.

in 1601 AD this Lower Rhine river town had been 'passing,' by means of conquest and reconquest, between the forces of Dutch and the Spanish armies starting at least in 1588AD through 1633, and in this instance  Rheinberg had been put under siege by the Hapsburg forces under Ambrogio Spignola, who had in his officer core de Bucquoy and Louis de Velasco. 




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interesting details can be find in this painting - quite a lot of cavalry, especially lance cavalry supplied by Spignola and his subcommanders.

lance company or banner under de Velasco

ferrying horses across the river


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in the foreground a dappled horse with a tied tail ridden side-saddle by a woman

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we can see here the size of the lances and manner of holding them

enjoy
valete

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