This book contains an account of the campaign of Louis, Prince de Condé in Flanders in 1674. The campaign was a part of the Franco-Dutch War, which saw France and the Netherlands fight for access to the Spanish-held territories (modern Belgium) on their borders. Condé was the leading French general of the day and led forces against the Dutch Stadtholder William III of Orange (the future William III of England). In August 1674, Condé and William faced one another at the Battle of Seneffe. Although inconclusive, both sides claimed victory despite suffering enormous losses. After the battle, Condé received orders to focus on sieges before being moved to the Rhine in 1675.

Due to its binding, this book was one of those selected by Olwen Hedley in the 1960s as a fine example of bookbinding in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle. Hedley’s ‘Additional Bookbindings’ serve as a supplement to the catalogue of fine bindings compiled in 1893 by the Royal Librarian Richard Rivington Holmes.

Binding information

Bound in red goatskin, tooled with the arms of Charles de Rohan, Prince of Soubise, Maréchal of France (1715-87).