La Flandre Espagnole, et La Flandre Holandoise

The Low Countries during the War of Spanish Succession.

This copperplate engraved map covering a large portion of modern-day Belgium was published in Paris by Nicholas de Fer in 1705. At the time, the region was divided between the Spanish Netherlands and the Dutch Republic and a key battleground in the ongoing War of Spanish Succession.

After Charles II of Spain failed to leave an heir after his death in 1700, the possibility of a united Spanish/French global empire led to the formation of a Grand Alliance to protect the delicate balance of power. Dutch and English forces under the Duke of Marlborough won several key victories against the French across the Low Countries in the first years of the conflict.

The image shows numerous fortified cities and defensive lines, reflecting the region’s long history as a contended territory. Canals, settlements of various sizes, and other locations of interest (ruins, abbeys, etc.) are also identified throughout the image.

Source: Royal Trust Collection