Beleg van Sluis en de overdekte stormbrug gebruikt door het Staatse leger onder Maurits, 1604 1604

This is Georg Keller's rendering of the Siege of Sluis by the State Army under Maurits, created around 1604. Keller, who lived between 1568 and 1634, presents us with the brutal reality of 17th-century warfare, shaped by the religious and political tensions of the time. Here, the artist depicts not just a battle, but a landscape transformed by conflict; you see the organized chaos of armies, the imposing structures of war, and the disruption of everyday life. This wasn't just a clash of armies; it was a struggle for power that deeply affected the lives and identities of those caught in its path. Maps like this one were not objective records, but tools of power, shaping perceptions and solidifying narratives of dominance. Look at the detail, the way the armies are arranged, the clear lines of the siege works. Consider how such images would have been consumed, reinforcing ideas of national identity and military might. You can almost hear the clamor of battle, the anxiety of those under siege, and the human cost of territorial ambition.