BEAULIEU, Sébastien de [Les glorieuses conquestes de Louis le Grand]. [Paris Imprimerie Royale 1727] 5 vols, large folio : 151 plates mounted on stubs (some marginal brown. with around 10 pl. more brown., sl. staining, sm. stamps on verso of 1st pls). Contemp. marbled calf, gilt triple fillet and coat-of-arms on covers, richly gilt spines on 7 raised bands with gilt crowned monogram (some heads and tails +/- rubbed, wormholes to lower cover of vol. "XXII"), gilt title labels, spines dated 1643-1697 and numbered "XIX-XXIII", a.e.g. Excellent copy. Magnificent monumental work and splendid presentation copy with arms of Louis XV on covers, glorifying the reign of Louis XIV. Known as "Grand Beaulieu", the series of views were first published in 1676-1694 and, on initiative of Colbert, Minister of Finance under the Rule of Louis XIV, incorporated as final part in the "Cabinet du Roi" (1723-27). Only the plates are present, neither text nor title were bound-in in this publication. The copperplates were newly printed on strong paper in mostly very strong and neat impressions. The plates of this copy are chronologically arranged from 1643 (battles of Louis XIII) to 1697 (Louis XIV). The first (only single page) plate engraved by Pavillon after Antoine Benoist and dated 1703 shows 10 medallion portraits of Louis XIV from the age of 5 on to the age of 60. The other plates, all double, show 67 panoramical city views and 73 city maps, with also 10 larger folding plates representing panoramical views of battles. All the plates inscribed in an ornam. border, each city view surmounted by an empty medallion supported by putti or surrounded by ornam. scrolls. They illustrate battles and sieges in Spain (Catalonia), Low Countries, France (Roussillon, Lorraine and North), Italy and Crete i.a. Arras, Asti, Barcelona, Calais, Charleroi, Clermont, Corbie, Dunkerke, Gibraltar, Cassel, Liège, Maastricht, Mainz, Namur, Nieuwpoort, Speyer, Tripolis, Worms, Ypres, Girone, Saint-Omer, Courtrai, Furnes, Piombino, Dixmude, Ath, etc. The last plates of vol. XXII are maps and views of "Ile de la Conférence" on the Bidassoa river (Basque Country), built for the peace negotiations between France and Spain in 1659. Ref. Pastoureau, Beaulieu XV, type B. Brunet I-1444. Olivier 2495, 2.