Verovering van Maastricht, 1579 1645 - 1647

Jan Miel created this print titled *Verovering van Maastricht, 1579* (Conquest of Maastricht, 1579). Miel's detailed print plunges us into the heart of the siege of Maastricht, a key moment in the Eighty Years' War. The landscape vibrates with the tension of clashing powers – the Spanish forces against the Dutch rebels, each vying for control. The print is a snapshot of a society deeply divided by religion and politics. What we see are the human stories of conflict, etched into the lines of the print: the determination of soldiers, the fear in the eyes of civilians, and the disruption of daily life. The Latin text annotates the different stages of the battle, providing an intellectual framework to the image. It is a reminder of how war is not just a physical battle, but also a battle of narratives and interpretations.