Overzicht van het beleg van Bommel, 1599 1599 - 1601

This is Frans Hogenberg’s “Overzicht van het beleg van Bommel, 1599,” a detailed etching offering a bird's-eye view of the Siege of Bommel during the Eighty Years' War. Hogenberg situates us within a conflict that was as much about religious and political identity as it was about territory. Born in Mechelen, Hogenberg fled religious persecution to settle in Germany, and this personal history surely informed his commitment to documenting the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule. This wasn't just war; it was a fight for self-determination. Look closely, and you'll see how the landscape itself becomes a character in this drama, with rivers and fortifications shaping the narrative of siege and resistance. The map transcends mere topography, it becomes a stage upon which identities are forged and contested. Consider how images like these helped shape public opinion and national identity during a time of intense upheaval. The siege of Bommel is more than a historical event, it is a reminder of the human cost of conflict, but also of the enduring quest for freedom and self-determination.