Coehoorn

Coehoorn, Menno, Baron van, called the Dutch Vauban, was a military engineer, born in 1641, near Leeuwarden, the son of a captain of infantry. He studied fortification at Franeker, and at the age of sixteen was already a captain. He distinguished himself upon many occasions, especially at the siege of Maestricht, and in 1673 he made use of the mortars which he had invented and which were called after him. Readers of Roderick Random will remember that these mortars formed part of the armament of one of the ships that Roderick was on board of. In 1692 he fortified Namur, and afterwards defended it against Vauban. In 1695 he retook the town. In 1701 he besieged and took many towns during the war of the Spanish succession, and finally died in 1704 at the Hague, where he had gone to consult with Marlborough upon the next campaign.