Matthaus Merian began publishing the ‘Theatrum Europaeum’ in 1633, it was not finished until 1738 by which time 21 volumes had been issued including some 20,000 pages of text, 720 maps, plans, views and other engravings and nearly 700 portraits. The Siege of Lille (12 August – 10 December, 1708) was an important operation in the 1708 campaign of the War of the Spanish Succession. The French garrison commanded by Marshal Boufflers held the city of Lille for 120 days against the forces of the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene to whom it eventually fell. The siege is famous for the so-called ‘l’affaire des poudres (the gunpowder incident). The Chevalier de Luxembourg along with 2,000 horsemen managed to pass through the Allied lines and deliver 40,000 pounds of gunpowder. This is a fine folding plan of the procession siege.