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Agostino Ramelli, a military engineer to Henry III, King of France and Poland, published at his own expense what is considered to be one of the most important books on machines in the Renaissance. It was widely known and frequently imitated in its own time.
The 194 engravings on full and double pages show pumps, derricks, looms, cranes, saws, siege machinery, fortifications and foundry equipment. Each plate is fully described in the text, printed in both French and Italian. Ramelli sketched in detail a number of devices and machines that were successfully manufactured and sold, two or three centuries later.
He was born in Ponte Tresa or Mesanzena in 1531 and until 1555 he was in the service of Gian Giacomo de' Medici (1495-1555), Marquis of Marignano (the present-day Melegnano), with whom he had the possibility of studying mathematics and architecture (according to what Ramelli himself wrote). It is also possible that the young Ramelli had accompanied Medici on some of his military adventures (such as the War of Siena).Ramelli then moved to France where he worked in the service of Henry of Anjou (1551-1589), king of France. Ramelli took part in 1572 siege to La Rochelle in the role of engineer, perhaps accompanying a contingent of 4.000 Italian soldiers commanded by the Venetian, Filippo Strozzi, who had conducted military campaigns in the same places and during the same period, as had Gian Giacomo Medici. Ramelli, during an explorative mission at the Atlantic port of La Rochelle, was seriously wounded and captured, although thanks to the intervention on the part of the Duke he was soon released. With the ascent to the throne of Henry III the engineer consolidated his position at court and decided to publish his studies and projects. These were collected together in the volume entitled The diverse and artifactitious machines of captain Agostino Ramelli. This was a ponderous work in folio, published in Paris in 1588, in which there are 194 plates accompanied by a text in Italian and French and which presents his congenial inventions, part of which were imaginary. There are: 110 pumps or mechanisms for raising water, 25 mills, 10 cranes, 7 mechanisms for hauling heavy structures, 4 caissons for the drainage of ditches (and moats!), 4 fountains, 15 bridges for the crossing of ditches/moats, 14 devices for breaking through enemy defences and, finally, devices for launching cannon balls and also trabuches (kinds of catapults). This work is a classic of Renaissance engineering and had a considerable influence with regards to the development of European mechanics during the successive decades.
There is no known date of Ramelli's death. The last document found which deals with him is a legal paper dated 1608 with his signature and that of his wife.
Sources for Further Information on Ramelli:
1. http://www.sil.si.edu/ondisplay/ramelli/intro.htm
2. http://www.provincia.va.it/preziosita/ukvarese/pers/ramelli.htm