Vauban et la fortification du Quesnoy au XVIIe siècle

This book constitutes a completely revised version of the work published in 1981. It relates the story of the redesign of the place, based on the ideas of Vauban. The author basically focuses on the manuscript archives filed in Vincennesat the Defence History Service. As well as part of the abundant correspondence exchanged between Louvois and Vauban, also included are extracts from numerous other documents: letters sent by Louvois by the intendants who succeeded the Hainaut, letters from governors of Quesnoy and military bosses, reports of the engineers responsible for constructions, etc. In addition to these cited sources, there is also the product of research performed in various archives deposited in the services of the towns of Lille,Valenciennes and Cambrai. The recent discovery of maps preserved inVincennesat the Service History of the Defence (Marine Department) shed light on the period of the start of construction to reinforce the Quesnoy, which had been outside the spotlight up to that point.