the tribulations of the year 1672 emphasized the neglected state in which the army of the republic of the seven provinces found itself. therefore, in 1677, willem iii of orange founded the corps artillery. in 1679 the state prosecution company in delft was established. it was not the only one in the netherlands. for example, the grof geschut gieterijin in the hague and the geweerfabriek in culemborg were also known.