ANTIQUE (1860) BATTLE MAP, "BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF THE SIEGE OF ANTWERP (1585)."

A beautifully rendered bird's eye view of the 1585 Siege of Antwerp shows the climax of the battle between the rebel Antwerpian ship Fin de la Guerre and ships of the Imperial Spanish Navy.

This map was found tipped in a book leaf of what was left of a British publication entitled, "History of the Rise of the Dutch Republic," London, 1860 (which will be included in the sale of this map). The rest of the book was regrettably not found among the other books in that collection. In any case, the map itself is in excellent condition commensurate with age. There are no tears or creases threatening to tear. The overall piece measures approximately 15" x 12." A handsome addition to anyone's collection who is interested in Netherlandish history or cartography.  

Fin de la guerre (French for "End of War"; also called by its Spanish or Latin name, Fin de la Guerra or Finis Belli) was an Antwerpian rebel ship employed during the siege of Antwerp (1585) against the Spanish forces.

The vessel resembled a huge floating fighting platform, featuring a castle in its center manned by a large number of guns and a thousand musketeers. According to some sources, the ship was protected by thick iron plates. The defenders put great faith into the construction to relieve the siege, thus its name. When put into action, however, the vessel proved too heavy for the shallow waterways and soon ran aground, prompting some Spanish to call it mockingly Los gastos perdidos (The lost expenditure).

After one final, unsuccessful sortie, Antwerp was ultimately forced to surrender in August 1585.