Menno van Coehoorn

Menno, Baron van Coehoorn
Menno, Baron van Coehoorn.
Born	March 1641 Britsum, Friesland, Dutch Republic
Died	17 March 1704 (aged 62–63) The Hague, Dutch Republic
Buried	Wijkel
Allegiance	Dutch Republic
Service/branch	Infantry, then Engineers
Years of service	1657 – 1704
Rank	Lieutenant General Ingenieur Generaal der Fortificatiën General of Artillery
Commands held	Garrison Commander Namur 1692 Zeelandic Flanders 1702
Battles/wars	Second Anglo-Dutch War Franco-Dutch War Maastricht Seneffe Grave Cassel Saint-Denis Nine Years' War Bonn (1689) Fleurus Namur (1692) Huy Namur (1695) Givet War of the Spanish Succession Venlo Stevensweert Roermond 1st Liége Bonn (1703)

Menno, Baron van Coehoorn ([ˈmɛnoː vɑŋ ˈkuɦoːr(ə)n]; March 1641 – 17 March 1704) was a Dutch soldier and engineer, regarded as one of the most significant figures in Dutch military history. In an era when siege warfare dominated military campaigns, he and his French counterpart Vauban were the acknowledged experts in designing, taking and defending fortifications.

Both had their advocates; Vauban's maxim of 'more powder, less blood' also took longer, an important consideration when most military deaths occurred from disease. He is also viewed as more innovative in the design and extent of his fortifications, which included ports, waterways, roads and even town layouts.

However, unlike Vauban, Van Coehoorn had limited financial resources. He showed great skill in maximising these, while adapting to the specific challenges posed by the flat terrain in the Netherlands. Some of his water defences and designs were still being used in the 1950s.