Tavernier, Melchior
This engraved plan of Montpellier, published in 1622 by Melchior Tavernier, documents the city’s fortifications and its strategic landscape in the aftermath of the siege of Montpellier (1622) during the Huguenot rebellions against Louis XIII. The bird’s-eye view presents the newly reinforced bastioned fortifications, a product of the French crown’s efforts to consolidate control over Protestant strongholds in the south of France. The elaborate star-shaped defenses depicted here reflect the modernized military engineering principles of the early seventeenth century, designed to withstand artillery bombardment and siege warfare.
723 x 488 mm. Old folds now flattened, light toning, overall excellent condition.
The letterpress text below provides a historical account of Montpellier, emphasizing its status as an important city in Languedoc, a center of Huguenot resistance, and home to one of Europe’s oldest medical faculties. The text details the siege of 1622, in which royal forces under Louis XIII laid siege to the city following the Protestant defeat at the Battle of Castelnaudary. After a two-month siege, Montpellier surrendered and accepted the king’s authority, leading to the partial dismantling of its walls and the establishment of a royal citadel to ensure continued control.
The table at the bottom identifies key buildings, gates, streets, and defensive structures within the city.
This plan of Montpellier is a significant example of seventeenth-century French siege cartography, marking the city’s transition from an independent Protestant stronghold to one firmly under royal control. It reflects the military realities of the period and the broader political strategy of Louis XIII, who sought to systematically reduce the autonomy of Huguenot cities in his consolidation of absolute power.
Apparently the sole copy known.
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