Luxemburg

Sources from old books

1695. Thesaurus geographicus a new body of geography by Abel Swall and Tim. Child.

The Dutchy of LUXEMBURG, Luxemburgensis Ducatus.

THIS Province is seated in the Lower Germany, and is bounded on the North by part of the Bishoprick of Liege and the Dutchy of Limburg, on the South by Loraine, on the East by the River Moselle and the Archbishoprick of Triers, and on the West by the River Maese, that parts it from Champaigne and Namur. Its utmost extent from South to North consists of about 70 miles, and from East to West, 60 miles. It is by Geographers divided into two Parts, whereof that to the North call'd Famenne, is a fertil Soil; yielding store of Corn and some Wine; the other towards France and the Maes, call'd Arduenne, is Wooddy and less Fruitful, but abounds with Venison and Game of all sorts. Here are also some Mountains, in which are found Mines of Iron. The chief Rivers are the Moselle, Else, Semay, and the Ourte. In the extent of this Dutchy are contain'd 20 large Wall'd Towns, and about 1200 Villages. The ancient Earls and Dukes of Luxemburg, were Princes of great Honour and Interest; of these Henry II. obtained the Imperial Dignity, in 1308. John his Son enjoy'd the Crown of Bohemia; Charles the Son of John and Wenceslaus the Son of Charles, were successively Emperors: And finally Sigismund was Emperor, King of Hungary and Bohemia, as well as Duke of Luxemburg, about the year 1400. Elizabeth the Niece and Successor of Sigismund, having no Issue, sold this Dutchy to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, and so it came to the King of Spain, from whom all the Southern part of it hath been wrested by the King of France. This Province is observed to have more Gentry and Nobility than any of the rest of these Countries. The chief Cities and Towns in it are,

Belonging to France.

• Luxemburg, Cap.
• ...Thionville.
• ...Montmedy.
• ...Damvillers.
• ...Yvoix.
• ...La Ferte.
• ...Astenay.
• ...M•rville.
• ...Rode Macheren.
• ...Konings Macheren.
• ...Sirick.
• ...Masieres.

Belonging to Spain.

• ...Durby.
• ...La Roche en Ardenne.
• ...S. Vit.
• ...Viande.
• ...Eichternach.
• ...Bastoigne.
• ...Neufchatel.
• ...Virton.

LƲXEMBƲRG, Luciburgum, aut Luxemburgum, is seated partly on a Rocky Hill, which is almost surrounded by the little River Alsitz, or Else, and partly on a Plain at the bottom of the Hill, at the distance of 45 miles from the River Maes to the East, 12 from the Moselle to the West, 70 South-east from Namur, 62 South from Liege, 22 West from Triers, and about 16 or 17 from the Frontiers of Lorrain. It is the old Town that stands in the Plain, which being commanded by the Hill, caused the building the new Town there, in which the Buildings are reasonably fair, and many of the Houses of Stone. It is a very strong Place; for on one side the Hill its very steep and surrounded by the River, which is a good Defence; and on the other it is Fortified with strong Bastions, Counter-guards, Half-moons, Ravelins and Ditches, besides two cover'd Ways and several Redoubts. Notwithstanding which, the French took it the 4th of June, 1684. after a Siege of 26 days, and had it granted to them together with its Dependences, in the succeeding Truce concluded the same Year.

Theonville or Diedenhoven, Theonvilla, aut Theonisvilla, stands on the Western Bank of the River Moselle, 15 miles South from Luxemburg; it is a good Town, and of old well fortified by the Emperor Charles the Great; but the French having taken it in 1558. when it was restored to the Spaniards, they added to its Fortifications six Bulwarks, four large Horn-works and other Strengths: However, the French found means to take it again, and had it granted to them by the Pyrenean Treaty; as was also Montmedy, a good strong fortified Town, seated on a Hill near the River Cher, 34 miles from Theonville to the West, and about 10 from the River Maes to the East.

Damvillers, which stands 12 miles South from Montmedy, and though a Town of good Strength, was several times Taken by the French, viz. in 1542, 1552 and 1637. and granted to them by the Pyrenean Treaty; but afterwards by that of Aix la Chapelle, it was dismantled.

Arlon, is seated on the River Semoy, 13 miles from Luxemburg to the East. It was a neat and handsome Town, but hath suffer'd much in the Wars.

Neufchastel, or the New Castle, standing about 14 miles from Arlon to the E. was formerly a place of great Strength and Beauty, but now not so considerable.

Bastoigne, stands 20 miles North from Arlon, and was heretofore a vast Market for Corn and Cattle.

Echternach stands near the Frontiers of Treves, and 25 miles East from Arlon. It is a small Town and not very considerable.

Vianden is seated upon the small River Our, 14 miles from Echternach to the North-west. It is an ancient Earldom belonging to the Illustrious Family of Orange.

S. Vit, 18 miles North from Vianden, is a neat handsome Town, giving Title to an Earldom, and enjoying a Jurisdiction over several Villages.

Roche en Ardenne, is seated on the River Ourt, 26 miles from S. Vit to the West, and 12 from Bastoigne to the North. It is a pretty little Town with the Title of an Earldom also, and hath a Territory of several miles extent.

Durbuy is another small Town, seated on the same River Ourt, 10 miles North from Roche, and likewise hath the Title of an Earldom.