Frederik Thomas de Yvoy Quarter Master General
1663-1719
Background
Yvoy is not one of the highest officers of the Dutch army. The reason for me describing him here is that he does not get enough recognition as a source for events during the Spanish Succession War. On this page I want to investigate how this came to pass.
Yvoy in the Heinsius Archive
Yvoy features often in the Heinsius archive, mentioning that he sends attached relations and maps of events to Heinsius. Had these been found in the archive Yvoy would no doubt have been cited more often as a source in the histories of a lot of campaigns and battles. However, the problem is that virtually none of these attachements has been found in the Heinsius Archive.
One could suppose that as a politician Heinsius was not interested in these attachments and threw them away. From the content of the letters alone one can however easily refute this supposition. Furthermore Heinsius was a man especially interested in military affairs and gave orders for his correspondents to write about them. One then has to wonder what became of these attachments. The answer to this is probably twofold: First Heinsius dispatched them to the printer so that they could be used for propaganda purposes. Secondly they ended up in the hands of people who collected these attachements, either via the publisher or later sold from archives.
Yvoy on maps
There are several instances were Yvoy is mentioned on a map as being the source. Sometimes it even states on the map that he drew it, but that's probably not true because in August 1703 he stated that he needed a drawer in order to produce a map. So far I have found these in instances of Yvoy being mentioned as the source on a map: (WHK are numbers from the WilhelmsHöher Kriegskarten Archiv in Marburg)
- 1703: WHK 12/070 Ekeren: Plan van de Batailje der Hollandse en Franse Armée voorgevallen tussen Merijsebroek Wilmerdonk en Orderen op den 30. Junij onder commando van de Heer Generaal Obdam. Printed by Pieter Husson in 1703.
- 1703: WHK 12/071 Ekeren: Plan de la Bataile d'Eckeren donnée entre l'Armée des Hauts-Alliés et des deux Couronnes entre Muysebroeck, Wilmerdonck et Orderen le 30 Juin 1703 sous le commandament de General Obdam. This goes back to WHK 12/070
- 1704: WHK 12/122 Blenheim: Plan de la Glorieuse Bataille donnée le 13. Aoust 1704 sur le Danube etc. Printed by Anna Beek in 1704
- 1705: WHK 13/147 Brabant: Plan du passage des lignes de Brabant Printed by Anna Beek in 1705
Hand drawn carts in Marburg that are candidates as a source or design of the above prints
In the Kriegskarten Archiv in Marburg there are several had drawn maps that are candidates for being the source of the printed maps:
- 1703: WHK 12/069 Plan der Passerede Actie bij Eckeren den 30 Juni Anno 1703. Legend in Dutch
Yvoy in manuscript writing
These are instances in the Heisius Archive were Yvoy mentions that he has sent maps or reports to Heinsius. (Excerpt means that the letter has only been printed in resumee)
- 1703: H.A. II 1093 27 August 1703: 'de vous envoier la si-jointe relation du siège de Huy. s'il m'avoit éte possible je vous aurois joint auprès un petit plan de a situation.. ,mais il m'est inpossible de l'avoir si tot prêt, n'aian poin de desineur pour les faire travalier a cela.'
- H.A. II 1114 3 September 1703 The published excerpt of this letter is not of interest
- H.A. II 1173 18 September 1703 from Verviers: excerpt: Tomorrow Limbourg will be assaulted
- H.A. III 457 25 May 1704 from Coblentz: in this letter information about the army on its way to the Danube
- H.A. III 495 3 June 1704 from Mainz: information about the army on its way to the Danube
- H.A. III 575 29 June 1704 from Giengen: 'Voissi un ordre de Bataille comme nous sommes conbinés présentement'
- H.A. III 595 3 July 1704 from Ebermergen: 'Voissi en brief la relation de l'attaque du retrenchement ... de Donawert. Je prans la liberté de joindre un petit plan.... J'espère de pouvoir avoir un plan plus juste si nous restons quelque jours ici.'
- H.A. III 650 13 July 1704 from Burgheim: Excerpt: in this letter Yvoy gives a detailed description of the movements of the army
- H.A. III 679 20 July 1704 from Aichach: Excerpt: in this letter Yvoy gives a description of the movements of the army
- H.A. III 732 31 July 1704 from Friedberg: Excerpt: in this letter Yvoy gives a description of the movements of the army
- H.A. III 787 14 August 1704 from Höchstädt: 'et demain j'envesray le plan et la relation du tout par un postilion'
- H.A. III 906 9 September 1704 from Speyer: Excerpt: in this letter Yvoy gives a description of the movements of the army
- H.A. III 968 22 September 1704 from Kronweiszenburg: Excerpt: in this letterYvoy gives a description of events concerning the siege of Landau
- H.A. III 1000 29 September 1704 from Weisenburgh: in this letterYvoy gives a description of events concerning the siege of Landau
- H.A. III 1027 6 October 1704 from ?: Excerpt: On the request of Bülow Yvoy wants to change his relation about the battle of Höchstädt, but wonders if this is possible now that it has been printed.
- H.A. III 1072 20 October 1704 from Weisenburgh Excerpt: in this letter Yvoy gives a description of events concerning the siege of Landau
- H.A. III 1114 October 1704 from ?: Excerpt: in this letter Yvoy gives a description of events concerning the siege of Landau
- H.A. III 1142 7 November 1704 from Kronweiszenburg: Excerpt: in this letter Yvoy gives a description of events concerning the siege of Landau
- H.A. III 1182 17 November 1704 from Trarbach: in this letter Yvoy gives a description of events concerning the siege of Trarbach
- H.A. III 1214 25 November 1704 from Trier: Excerpt: the defences of Trier are not well at all.
- H.A. IV 93 23 January 1705 from Trier: Excerpt: the defences of Trier are not well at all and the Hessian garrison of Trarbach is no good.
- H.A. IV 265 13 March 1705 from Trier: Excerpt: in this letter Yvoy gives a description of affairs on the Moselle
- H.A. IV 365 17 April 1705 from Trier: Excerpt: in this letter Yvoy gives a description of affairs on the Moselle
- H.A. IV 385 22 April 1705 from Trier: Excerpt: in this letter Yvoy gives a description of affairs on the Moselle and asks for orders
- H.A. IV 419 6 May 1705 from Trier: Excerpt: Yvoy wants to get an official appointment as Quarter Master General of the Cavalry
- H.A. IV 470 19 May 1705 from Coblentz: Excerpt: Yvoy thanks Heinsius for his appointment as QM
- H.A. IV 668 9 July 1705 from Lens les Begines: Excerpt: in this letter Yvoy gives an account of the movements of the army
- H.A. IV 742 23 July 1705 from Vlierbeek: 'si-joint un plan d'idée comme nous avons passée les Lignies avec un espèce de relation auprè et un ordre de bataillie..'
- H.A. IV 786 2 August 1705 from Meldert: about the action on the IJssche on 29 and 30 July: J'espère que V.N.P. n'aura pas fait imprimer le broulion de relation avec le plan que je me suis donné l'honneur de lui envoier a cose q'il n'avoit pas esté reveu ni corigé. P.S. Voissi la relation corrigée et Mr. de Slingelandt a le plan changé mieux q'estoti le vostre.
- H.A. IV 925 6 September 1705 from Tirlemont: Yvoy writes about the surrender of Léau / Zoutleeuw
- H.A. IV 1121 early October 1705 from Herentals: Yvoy writes about affairs in the army
Career
- 1698: Commander of Den Bosch (till 1719)
- 1699: Colonel Commandant of the regiment Nassau Usingen
- 1703: Present at the battle of Ekeren
- 1704: Colonel of Van Goor's regiment
- 1706: Brigadier
- 1706: General Major
- 1712: Governor of Quesnoy
Service
- 1688: Invades England with William III