Inname van Ruhrort, 1587 1613 - 1615

This is an anonymous print titled ‘Inname van Ruhrort, 1587,’ or Capture of Ruhrort, 1587. It offers a bird's-eye view of the siege during the Eighty Years' War, which saw the Dutch Republic fighting for independence from Spanish rule. Prints like this one played a crucial role in shaping public opinion and national identity in the 16th and 17th centuries. The image is not just a depiction of a military event. Consider how the 'capture' of Ruhrort is presented. What does it mean to capture a place, a people? What narratives are being constructed about the Dutch and their adversaries? Whose perspectives are included, and whose are notably absent? Look at the Latin text, which elevates the status of the military event. Consider how these prints were circulated and consumed. They not only documented events but also contributed to the construction of a shared cultural memory and national identity during a time of conflict and change.