VAUBAN

"Sébastien Le Prestre"

Sébastien Le Prestre, Marquis de Vauban (1633-1707), remains one of the most emblematic figures of the Grand Siècle, whose influence extends far beyond the military sphere. Marshal of France under Louis XIV, he revolutionized the art of warfare through his genius in siege warfare, the art of constructing and capturing fortresses. A master of the "pré carré" strategy, he endowed the kingdom with unparalleled protection by fortifying more than 300 towns and creating 37 entirely new fortresses, such as Neuf-Brisach. His genius lay in his ability to adapt architecture to the terrain, favoring underground bastioned structures to withstand the advancements in artillery. But Vauban was also a visionary and humanist, a precursor to the Encyclopédie; he was interested in urban planning, statistics, and even tax reform. His work, twelve sites of which are now listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites, constitutes a monumental legacy that still shapes the borders of France today.

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Vauban was able to buy the Bazoches estate thanks to an exceptional reward of 80,000 pounds granted by King Louis XIV, in reward for his brilliant conduct during the siege of Maastricht.

CHATEAU DE BAZOCHES

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1675

Vauban was raised to the dignity of Marshal of France, the highest military distinction, crowning fifty years of service to the Sun King.

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1703

Publication of La Dîme Royale (a bold tax reform project) and death in Paris, leaving behind a France transformed into an impregnable fortress.

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1707