NAMUR, a large, rich, and very strong town of the Netherlands, capital of the county of Namur, with a strong castle, several forts, and a bishop's see. The most considerable forts are, Fort William, Fort Maese, Fort Coquebert, and Fort Espinor. The castle is built in the middle of the town, on a craggy rock. It was besieged by King William in 1695, who took it in the fight of an army of 100,000 French, though there were 16,000 men in the garrison. It was ceded to the house of Austria in 1713, but taken by the French in 1746; and
Nan-king, and restored by the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. It was again taken by the French in 1792, who evacuated it the following year, and retook it in 1794. It is situated between two mountains, at the confluence of the rivers Meuse and Sambre, in E. Long. 4. 57. N. Lat. 50. 25.