On the 22nd of June the head of Constable Hans den Ouden, clothing seller, was shot away
[Daily record of what happened in the town of s-Hertogenbosch in 1629]
Prince Frederick Henry (1584 1647) and siege warfare
The Eighty years War was mainly a siege war. The principal aim of the warring parties was to gain control over the greatest possible area. The key to this was formed by the walled towns. Because of advancing improvements in the artillery it was necessary to replace the old mediaeval city walls with modern fortifications. Towns were usually defended by the local armed guilds. Ordinary citizens stood on the walls with weapons to defend their goods and chattels, indifferent to the factions monarchy or republic.
Stadhouder Frederick Henry (1584 1647) had an extreme passion for siege warfare. He won international acclaim as the town enforcer. His principal success was the conquest of s-Hertogenbosch in 1629. The painting of the siege by Paulus van Hillegaert shows clearly how much an army encampment resembled a small town, complete with women, children, tradesmen and all kinds of fun and games.
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