10. A by the book siege
Tuesday 26, november 2013
The Queen's Bastion, where you currently find yourself, was built on the remains of the old Episcopal Palace, one of the most prominent buildings of the former Suda gothic quarter. However, it is a great place to get an idea of how the 1707 siege of Lleida transpired.
The first movements were observed on 11 and 12 September, when the Bourbon troops, commanded by the Duke of Orleans, formed a ring behind the city. To advance positions, they dug a trench parallel to the medieval walls, they constructed artillery platforms and a complete set of interconnecting trenches in zigzag. The cannons were able to open a breach in the east a month later. The defenders of Lleida, commanded by Heinrich von Hesse-Darmstadt then received the order to retreat to the top of the hill while the Duke of Orleans ordered the sacking of the city. According to some reports, some 700 refugees in the former Roser Convent were killed, although studies that are more recent have reduced this number.
A new breach opened in the west, the excavation of new trenches on the north side and the accidental explosion of an arsenal located at the Cantelmo Bastion sparked the surrender on 10 November. A day later, the surrender decree was signed.
A walk towards the Tongue of the Serpent Bastion will enable you to locate the next QR code.