Third Fortification Rule of the Count of Pagan, c1684.

by Mallet, Alain Manesson

Dwellings, windmill, and sailing vessel on river. Mallet engraving illustrating the method of delineating fortifications from an exterior polygon into English measure, converted to hercotectonick lines, as devised by the Count of Pagan, Blaise Francois de Pagan, Comte de Merveilles (1604-1665).

Alain Manesson Mallet (1630-1706) studied mathematics and geometry at the College of Burgundy, under the military engineer, Philippe Mallet (1606-1679). Allain Manesson then became a musketeer in the regiment of guards of Louis XIV. In 1663 he left for Portugal to enter the service of Alfonso VI. Under Marshal Schomberg Mallet served as an engineer and rose to the rank of sargento-mor (equivalent to commander) of artillery and inspector of fortifications. He greatly assisted in the fortification of Portugal against Spain in the Portuguese War of Independence.

Mallet returned to France, and was appointed mathematics teacher of the pages of the King in Little Stable, Versailles (reserved for the sons of the noble families that dated back to 1550 or earlier). Mallet began to write. In 1671 his first publication was on military science and the art of siege warfare. It was so successful that it was translated into German. In 1684 Mallet published his updated work Travaux de Mars, ou l’art de la Guerre, “on observations I’ve made on the art of war”, and provided engraved diagrams for the fortifications of cities and towns throughout Europe and included small scenes “to inspire young nobles to learn to draw, because in fortifications, drawing is not simply a noble propriety, but an absolute necessity”.

Page size is 175 x 125mm (7 x 5 inches). This is a fine engraving. Unfortunately the heavy print on the reverse is showing through slightly, and the left edge of this page has been extended.