Art and Architecture (SP3055)

The siege of the town of Breda

The illustration from a contemporary account of the siege gives an idea of the scale of the operation. At the centre is the heavily fortified town, with its two rivers, the Mark and Aa, flowing into it and joining. The Spanish engineers diverted the rivers to counter similar tactics from within. They also sent fire-ships into the town. You see a second line of defense [similarly composed of angled curtains of wall, designed to deflect cannon]; this outer defense was to protect the Spanish troops from counterattack. You also see the squares of the Spanish tercios, with their lances.