Geschiedenis 24 over 1672

 

 

Quite I while ago I posted a link to an old TV programma, amd after overcoming some technical problems I can repost the video here.  

Schwartzenberg

 

As I have noticed that most of the interest now goes into the facebook page on 1672, I decided it was time to post something here again.

The above plate is one of a series of plates from the collection of Gustave de Ridder, a French collectioneur of military artwork. These plates can be found in the BNF in Paris, the Anne Brown Collection in the USA and the Dutch Army Museum. 

 This one, showing an ensign of the Frisian Schwartzenberg Regiment according to the text, looks like a copy of another plate made for the dutch miitary historian ten Raa. The plates were made late 19th century/early 20th century by a Czech or Austrian  historian called Norbert Robitcheck "after earlier plates", so are not originals. (Info from the late Dr Jean Belaubre and Yves Roumegoux). Dr Belaubre was a firm believer in the authenticity of the depicted uniform colours and flags but I still have my doubts.

I this case the Schwartzenberg zu Hohelandsberg banner is depicted wrong as it is turned 90 degrees. You can take a look at Andre Buwalda's website here, for more info on the family. 

I also have great doubts about the yellow/black and red/white parts and the Frisian lion is a bit different than the Holland lion. It might be Robitcheck took his info from German Adelsbuche where indeed a very old Bavarian (!) Schwarzenberg Wappen is decribed with black, red and gold. (On google books a lot of Adelsbuche and German heraldry books can be found).  Robitcheck did the same trick with the Beveren flag, in which he mashed up the heraldry of the German Bevern and the Dutch Beveren.

So I am not convinced about the authenticity of the flag.

Mauritshuis Collection

 

This is an undated painting by the Dutch inventor and painter Jan van der Heyden of the city of Veere, probably 17th century, from the Mauritshuis Collection. This Collection is not accessible through the website of the Mauritshuis but through euopeana.eu  (just search with "mauritshuis" and "painting").

Maurits is the dutch equivalent of Maurice, and in this case it's Maurice "The Brazilian", who made his fortune in Brazil, at a certain time a dutch colony. Maurice also had a carreer in the Dutch Army.

Guard of the Witt

 

 

Yesterday we talked about William III's guard but it is not quite known that from early 1672 Cornelis de Witt, also had a guard of 50 men, dressed in red coats with yellow lining.

They are depicted here on a "schoolplate". There are other sources like papers who describe them as well, but my source is HSL V, p.314 esp. note 24.

William III's Guard

 

 

 

From the Hollandsche Mercurius, 1672 nr 5, a description of the Guard of William III. I presume this is his Horse Guard, as the troops are equipped with "casacken" in blue with the Prince's cypher and initials.

Latest developments

As most of the 1672 related activity is posted in Facebook or twitter, this blog is not as often updated as we like to do. Some important updates are:

- Helion and company have published a series on the Franco Dutch wars, with information on regiments, uniforms and wars and batlles and the like. Check them out here

- Several organisations in the Netherlands plan big events around 1672 in the year 2022.  Coordination is done here.

- Our own research is a "still going on" project. We are not full-time historians and we are also dependant on input from our readers of course.

28 augustus 2019

Today is August 28th, and we people of Groningen are celebrating the lifting of the siege of the city of Groningen in 1672.

There's a fair going on, a horse show, and some re-enactors are moving around the city.