Gulikse troepen verslagen bij Erkelenz, 1610

Frans Hogenberg made this print of the Gulikse troops defeated near Erkelenz in 1610. The image shows serried ranks of soldiers clashing on a battlefield, a scene of conflict made possible by the rise of gunpowder weaponry. Prints like this one played an important role in shaping public opinion during the early modern period. Produced in the Netherlands during the height of the Dutch Golden Age, it is full of references to the conflict between the Dutch Republic and the Spanish Empire. These prints were often commissioned by political actors to promote their cause and demonize their enemies. The level of detail suggests that this image was based on eyewitness accounts. Such images were important sources of news and propaganda in a time before mass media. Historians can use such images alongside written sources to understand the political and social context of this conflict.