Philipsburg

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

Philipsburg, an Important Fortress in Germany upon the Rhine, called formerly Udenheim; it took its modern name from Philip Christopher de Saeterin, Bishop of Spire and Archbishop of Trier. This Prelate caused it to be built and fortified with seven Bastions, where the Bishop's Castle, and the Village of Udenheim stood, almost upon the brink of the Rhine, in a Plain surrounded with Marish Ground. Philipsburg in 1634 fell into the hands of the Imperialists through the Cowardliness of the Governour. The Swedes drove them thence January 15. 1634, and gave it to Lewis XIIIth. but as the Fortifications of it could not be finished, because of the rigour of the Winter, the Imperialists surpriz'd it by Night January 23. 1635. Afterwards the Duke of Anguien, having defeated the Bavarians at Friburg, retook Spire and Philipsburg, September 1644. The French King caused it to be regularly fortified, and made it a very important place. The Germans and their Allies, who had blocked it up for a long time, besieged it May 16. 1676, and it was surrender'd to them upon Articles, September the 17th following; but is was retaken by Lewis de Bourbon, the Dauphin of France in 1688. It stands three German miles from Heydelberg to the S. three from Durlach to the N. and about two S. from Spires. It was consign'd to the Bishop of Spire. But under the perpetual Protection of the Emperor, the Bishop has ever had his Residence in the Castl•, which is a noble Pile. This place lies a quarter of a mile from the Rhine in a Morass, and is but small; the Bastions are little, and there is a Ravelline before almost all the Cortines, but the Morass is its best defence. The French had begun a Crown Work on the side towards the Rhine, and it is thought they design'd to carry that Crown Work quite round the Town, and to make a second Wall and Ditch all round it, which would have endangered the Palatinate by enlarging it; which made that Elector engage the Emperor to retake it, and he also supplied the Duke of Lorrain's Camp so well, during the Siege, that it wanted nothing. In 1688 it was again besieged by the French, who thus described its Situation and Fortifications. It is situate (say they) near the Rhine, on the German side, and is almost surrounded with a Morass, and is besides regularly fortified with seven Bastions and half Moons in the places by which it is accessible: The Ground between the place and the Rhine is covered with a Crown-work and a Horn-work, which stands about twenty yards from the Rhine. All these Fortifications are lined with Stone, as likewise the covered way, and the other Works that inviron it. It was invested by the French the 27th of September 1688. The sixth of October the Dauphin of France came thither, who here made his first Campagn: The first of November it was surrender'd when it might have holden out much longer. However this Siege gave liberty to the Prince of Orange to rescue England from Popery and Tyranny.