Orașul Botoșani în surse cartografice austriece din secolul al XVIII-lea

Abstract

This article aims to analyse several military plans and engravings found in the archives and libraries of Vienna, which illustrate and describe the phases of the battle that took place on 22 March 1788 near Botoșani town. The battle was fought between the Austrian troops, commanded by Colonel Michael von Fabri, and the Ottoman troops, commanded by Ibrahim Nazir Pasha. While the battle was not a significant event, its outcome had strategic consequences as it opened up new supply opportunities and hastened the defeat of the Turks at Hotin. The conflict has a particular resonance for the history of Moldavia and Botosani town, as it represents the first clash in the military campaign of 1788, which resulted in the occupation of the capital of Moldavia, the city of Iași, and a large part of this principality by Austrian and Russian troops. Apart from establishing the military context that led to the creation of the plans and engravings, this article also highlights other aspects obtained from the research of these sources. These include updating bibliographical references, completing technical details, identifying the authors, and analysing the topography of the area and the urban structure of Botoșani town.