A Sammelband of four 17th-century military treatises

1. Freitag, Adam: Architectura militaris nova et aucta, oder newe vermehrte fortification...: auff die neweste Niederländische praxin gerichtet und beschrieben, durch -.-, der Mathematum liebhabern. I-III.

Leyden, 1631. Elzevier. 1 t. (engraved decorative title) + [6] + 194 [recte 186] + [2] + 35 t. (double‑page engraved plates) + 8 t. (double‑page tables).

First edition. Immediately after its publication, contemporaries recognized it as one of the fundamental works on fortification. The author, known as ‘le célèbre Fritach’, saw eight editions of his book: four in German (1631, 1635, 1642, 1665) and four in French (1635, 1640, 1657, 1668). The final edition still closely corresponded to the German editio princeps, published by the prestigious Leiden publisher Bonaventura and Abraham Elsevier.

The principles presented in the book—often referred to as the ‘Freytag method’—essentially reflected the general and standardized form of the so-called Old Netherlands fortification system, with which the author became acquainted in the circles of military engineers in Leiden. This system exerted significant influence on engineers across Europe—from the Netherlands to Poland and Scandinavia, and even to England and Portugal—as well as in the design of numerous colonial cities (primarily Dutch and Portuguese) in Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

In this case, theory and practice reinforced each other: Freitag’s book contributed to the codification and dissemination of the Dutch system, while the success of the fortifications built according to this method further increased the demand for his book.

2. Schildknecht, Wendelin: Harmonia in fortalitiis construendis,defendendis & oppugnandis. Das ist: Eine einstimmige, gründliche und außführliche, auch dabey lustige und anmuhtige Beschreibung Festungen zu bawen... I-II.

Alt-Stettin, 1652.

Johann Valentin Rheten.Wendelin Schildknecht (1592?–?) served as an ordnance officer in Alt-Stettin, yet it was not artillery but military architecture in which he produced written works. He joined the army at a young age and spent his entire life in military service. In his book, he follows the usual structure: regular fortifications, irregular fortifications, and finally siege techniques, although in the latter case, the author discusses only the methods of besieging fortresses. The remaining part, amounting to roughly one quarter of the entire work, is devoted to the issues of encampment, the formation of battle order, and tactics. He was among the first military writers whose ideas already pointed towards the linear tactics that would later become widespread. Schildknecht’s great strength lies in his clear and accessible writing style, effectively popularising the otherwise rather dry science of fortification. In his conceptions, he relied largely on Freitag (see the first item of the colligate volume). As a follower of the Dutch school, he too placed great emphasis on adapting plans to the features of the terrain. Possessing around thirty years of experience, he wrote not only about design but also about practical execution.” (Hadtörténeti Közlemények, Vol. 138, 2018, p. 21)

3. Scheither, Johann Bernhard von: Novissima Praxis Militaris, Oder: Neu-Vermehrte, und Verstärckte Vestungs-Baw- Und Krieges-Schuel : Bey Der allerletzten und gewaltsambsten Belagerung der vortrefflichsten Weltberühmten Vestung Candia...

Braunschweig, 1672. Zilliger und Gruber. 1t. (engraved titlepage) [6] + 120 p. + With 42 engraved plans, fortifications, sieges, and fortification profiles on 23 mostly folded plates.

Two plates (the leaves containing engravings 11, 12, 39 and 40) are missing.

A richly illustrated work on fortification, with particular emphasis on the siege of Crete. Scheither, serving as an officer and engineer, took part in the defence of Crete against the Turks with the Brunswick–Lüneburg auxiliary troops. Among the plates is the large, double-page view of ‘Attaccata di Candia’ with its richly detailed depiction of ships, as well as the fortifications on the islands of Spinalonga, Imeri Gramvousa, Kythira, Zakynthos, and others, together with a siege plan of Brunswick.”

4. Scheither, Johann Berhard von: Examen fortificatorium : darin so wohl eine ganz newe Art oder Manier vom Vestungs-Bau, gründlich und wohl vorgestellet erwiesen und behauptet; als auch dene von (Tit:) Herrn Christian Neubauern, in einem neulich publicirtem Tractat darwider ungründlich gethanen Einwürffen widersprochen, und worin seine Meinung zu verwerffen, dargethan : zugleich andere in dieser Materia neulichst herauss gegebene Bücher oder Tractatus undersucht…

Strassburg, 1676. Johann Friderich Spoor und Reinhard Wächtler. [4] + 102 p. + 8 t. (folded or double‑page engraved plates).

First edition. The following year, another edition was published with a replaced title page. Johann Bernhard Scheither (?-1677), due to his previous work, Novissima Praxis militaris (1672), was fiercely attacked by Christian Neubauer, and he responded with the present work. "Two highly knowledgeable and battle‑experienced adherents of the Old Dutch method of fortification … became involved in a sharp dispute. Their debate went beyond the scope of a scholarly discussion and turned into a priority dispute over which method was the strongest and most cost‑effective. Other expert authors also joined in.’ (HAB, p. 48, with a listing of related writings and counter‑writings.)”

VD 17 23:321627Y; Jordan 240; HAB, Architekt u. Ingenieur S. 374, Nr. 328; Jähns 1350

In an 18th-century full leather binding, with raised bands and gilt spine, and a gilt leather spine label. The upper and lower parts of the spine are slightly damaged. The boards are somewhat worn. Inside, occasional foxing; some of the folded plates show tears and creases. Taken together, the four works form a true rarity of military history, covering a substantial portion of 17th-century siege literature.