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Menno van Coehoorn
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Menno van Coehoorn
Menno, Baron van Coehoorn, March 1641 to 17 March 1704, was a Dutch States Army officer and engineer, regarded as one of the most significant figures in Dutch military history. In an era when siege warfare dominated military campaigns, he and his French counterpart Vauban were the acknowledged experts in designing, taking and defending fortifications.
Both had their advocates; Vauban's maxim of 'more powder, less blood' also took longer, an important consideration when most military deaths occurred from disease. He is also viewed as more innovative in the design and extent of his fortifications, which included ports, waterways, roads and even town layouts.
However, unlike Vauban, Van Coehoorn had limited financial resources. He showed great skill in maximising these, while adapting to the specific challenges posed by the flat terrain in the Netherlands. Some of his water defences and designs were still being used in the 1950s.
Van Coehoorn was born at Britsum in March 1641, one of six sons of Goosewijn van Coehoorn and Aaltje van Hinckena, owners of the Lettinga State, near Leeuwarden, in the Dutch province of Friesland. Goosewijn was an officer in a Friesland regiment of the Dutch States Army and a member of the petty nobility. The family originally came from Kühhornshof, near Frankfurt; in 1572, his great-grandfather joined the army of William the Silent, leader of the Dutch Revolt.
Van Coehoorn was educated at home with his brothers, and showed an aptitude for mathematics and military drawing. He later attended the University of Franeker, where he was supervised by his uncle Bernardus Fullenius (1602–1657), professor of mathematics and trainer of surveyors.
He had four surviving children from his first marriage to Magdalena van Scheltinga in 1678: Goosewijn (1678–1737), Gertruda (1679–1757), Hendrik (1683–1756) and Amalia (1683–1708). After her death in 1683, he married Truytje van Wigara (dates unknown); he died on 17 March 1704 and was buried at Wijckel.
In 1657, he was commissioned Lieutenant in his father's company, part of the permanent garrison in Maastricht. Promoted captain in October 1660, Van Coehoorn first saw action in 1665 during the Second Anglo-Dutch War, when he helped repulse an English-funded invasion by the Bishop of Münster. During the 1672 to 1678 Franco-Dutch War, he was wounded at the defence of Maastricht in 1673, then fought at Grave and Seneffe in 1674. Promoted major just before Cassel in 1677, he was a Lieutenant-Colonel when the war ended.
In the Netherlands, 1672 is still known as the Rampjaar or Year of Disaster. The rapid fall of major fortresses like Nijmegen and Fort Crèvecœur near 's-Hertogenbosch demonstrated the Republic's vulnerability, and the obsolescence of its defences. This caused intense debate in two areas; first, where to locate strongpoints; second, how to design fortifications suitable to the flat terrain of the Netherlands.
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Menno van Coehoorn
Menno, Baron van Coehoorn, March 1641 to 17 March 1704, was a Dutch States Army officer and engineer, regarded as one of the most significant figures in Dutch military history. In an era when siege warfare dominated military campaigns, he and his French counterpart Vauban were the acknowledged experts in designing, taking and defending fortifications.
Both had their advocates; Vauban's maxim of 'more powder, less blood' also took longer, an important consideration when most military deaths occurred from disease. He is also viewed as more innovative in the design and extent of his fortifications, which included ports, waterways, roads and even town layouts.
However, unlike Vauban, Van Coehoorn had limited financial resources. He showed great skill in maximising these, while adapting to the specific challenges posed by the flat terrain in the Netherlands. Some of his water defences and designs were still being used in the 1950s.
Van Coehoorn was born at Britsum in March 1641, one of six sons of Goosewijn van Coehoorn and Aaltje van Hinckena, owners of the Lettinga State, near Leeuwarden, in the Dutch province of Friesland. Goosewijn was an officer in a Friesland regiment of the Dutch States Army and a member of the petty nobility. The family originally came from Kühhornshof, near Frankfurt; in 1572, his great-grandfather joined the army of William the Silent, leader of the Dutch Revolt.
Van Coehoorn was educated at home with his brothers, and showed an aptitude for mathematics and military drawing. He later attended the University of Franeker, where he was supervised by his uncle Bernardus Fullenius (1602–1657), professor of mathematics and trainer of surveyors.
He had four surviving children from his first marriage to Magdalena van Scheltinga in 1678: Goosewijn (1678–1737), Gertruda (1679–1757), Hendrik (1683–1756) and Amalia (1683–1708). After her death in 1683, he married Truytje van Wigara (dates unknown); he died on 17 March 1704 and was buried at Wijckel.
In 1657, he was commissioned Lieutenant in his father's company, part of the permanent garrison in Maastricht. Promoted captain in October 1660, Van Coehoorn first saw action in 1665 during the Second Anglo-Dutch War, when he helped repulse an English-funded invasion by the Bishop of Münster. During the 1672 to 1678 Franco-Dutch War, he was wounded at the defence of Maastricht in 1673, then fought at Grave and Seneffe in 1674. Promoted major just before Cassel in 1677, he was a Lieutenant-Colonel when the war ended.
In the Netherlands, 1672 is still known as the Rampjaar or Year of Disaster. The rapid fall of major fortresses like Nijmegen and Fort Crèvecœur near 's-Hertogenbosch demonstrated the Republic's vulnerability, and the obsolescence of its defences. This caused intense debate in two areas; first, where to locate strongpoints; second, how to design fortifications suitable to the flat terrain of the Netherlands.
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