List of battles of the Eighty Years' War

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This is a list of battles of the Eighty Years' War.

Contents

Introduction

Royalist forces

Until August 1567, the government of the Habsburg Netherlands, in the hands of Governor-General Margaret of Parma and her Stadtholders, was using local Netherlandish troops, such as schutterijen as city guards. Military law enforcement included the Bandes d'ordonnance (Dutch : Benden van ordonnantie), elite heavy cavalry formations drawn mostly from the Flemish (Dutch-speaking) and Walloon (French-speaking) aristocracy. The newly created Army of Flanders arrived in the Low Countries in August 1567 under the command of the Duke of Alba, who immediately carried out substantial military reforms. Alba reduced the prominence of the Bandes d'ordonnance (in part because he distrusted the local nobility) in favour of the well-known Habsburg multi-ethnic infantry regiments, the tercios , alongside Spanish light cavalry (the latter comprised just 8% of the army by 1573). [1]

Alba introduced Spanish (Castilian) as the language of communication in the Army of Flanders, and Spaniards received higher pay and most of the key positions in his high command. Alba had a low opinion of soldiers from other ethnicities (called "nations") in the tercios, such as Italians, Flemish and Walloons (flamencos or nativos, as the Spaniards called them), and Germans, and preferred relying on Spanish infantrymen, but the actual share of Spanish soldiers in the Army of Flanders – which was at one of the highest totals of the war during Alba's tenure – was a little over 15%. There were also Burgundian, Scottish, Irish, English and Portuguese "nations" at various stages of the war, and intermittently units from other ethnic backgrounds. [2]

Mutiny due to lack of troop payment was a common problem in the 1570s, which could result in increasing civilian sympathies for the rebel cause (notably the 1576 Sack of Antwerp leading to the Pacification of Ghent), while in the late 1580s and especially 1590s, ethnic tensions between the commanders of the "nations" (such as the Italian Parma, the German Mansfeld and the Spanish Fuentes) led to power struggles that left the Army of Flanders divided and largely paralysed. [2]

Rebel forces

The rebels, who initiated their first actions of physical force during the Beeldenstorm (August–October 1566, initially mostly directed at Catholic Church property rather than governmental forces) started out as disparate riotous mobs of poorly armed and poorly trained but well-organised Calvinists, originally predominantly from industrial centres in western Flanders. [3] On 14 December 1566, the Habsburg Netherlandish government declared the city of Valenciennes – where Calvinists had seized power – to be "in state of rebellion", and in late December 1566, the first encounter battles occurred between the Habsburg Netherlandish governmental troops and Calvinist rebels. [4] Apart from managing to extend the Siege of Valenciennes (1567) for several months, the Calvinist rebels proved no match for the troops of Margaret of Parma (delegated to stadtholders such as Philip of Noircarmes), who crushed the disturbances in March 1567, before king Philip II sent Alba with the newly formed Army of Flanders from Spain to the Netherlands in April 1567. [5] [6]

During 1568 and 1572, William "the Silent" of Orange, the wealthiest and most powerful nobleman of the Netherlands, attempted two invasions from his Nassau-Dillenburg stronghold as a 'warlord' with mercenary soldiers organised in typical German fashion (here referred to as "Orangist troops") in opposition to Alba, though both met with little success. [7] Meanwhile in 1572, a mixture of groups of noblemen and common people sympathetic to his cause, or to Calvinism, known as Geuzen, formed paramilitary units that seized control of most of Holland and Zeeland, where Calvinists soon came to dominate politics. Orange functioned as minister of war and commander-in-chief of the Hollandic and Zeelandic troops from 1572 on. [8] It was not until 1575 that these units were merged into the Dutch States Army, organised and directed by the States of Holland and West Friesland and the States of Zeeland (which was illegal; only the king had the right to raise armies). Around the same time, starting in 1574 with the Admiralty of Rotterdam, five Dutch admiralties emerged to organise rebel fleets.

When faced with large-scale mutinies in the Army of Flanders in 1576 known as the Spanish Fury, Catholic-dominated provinces of the Netherlands such as Brabant and Flanders (authorised by the Council of State in March 1576 [9] ) also began raising their own armies in self-defence against mutineers, but were unable to prevent the Sack of Antwerp. With the Pacification of Ghent (8 November 1576) all Seventeen Provinces except Luxemburg would agree to expel all foreign troops from the Habsburg Netherlands (essentially restoring the pre-1567 situation) while establishing a temporary general peace of religion. Although this resulted in much ad hoc cooperation between the rebel provinces and the inclusion of units from all of them into the States Army, organisation initially remained mostly provincial and decentralised, and the rebels suffered a catastrophe at the Battle of Gembloux (1578). Most of the rebel territories would go on to create a closer military alliance with the 1579 Union of Utrecht, proclaim independence by the 1581 Act of Abjuration, obtain English support in 1585 and establish the Dutch Republic in 1588, but the 1579–1588 period was marked by a long series of rebel defeats at the hands of Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma. Effective military reforms of the Dutch States Army were only introduced by Maurice of Nassau in the subsequent Ten Years (1588–1598). By the 1620s, the annual costs of the Dutch States Army were 11,177,087 guilders, 58% of which were paid by Holland as most populous and wealthy province. [10] By the 1630s, Holland increasingly refused to fund land war operations, pleading for greater maritime expenses against the Dunkirker Privateers instead. [11] This led to tensions with stadtholder Frederick Henry, who unsuccessfully sought to merge the five admiralties into one in 1639, and then resumed his focus on financing the land war. [12]

List

DateBattleRegionRebel forcesRoyalist forcesNotes
10 August – October 1566 Beeldenstorm multiple Calvinist mobs Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Government troops Inconclusive
14 December 1566 – 23 March 1567 Siege of Valenciennes (1567) HainautCalvinist rebels Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Government troops Royalist key victory
27 December 1566 Battle of Wattrelos FlandersCalvinist rebels Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Government troops Royalist victory
29 December 1566 Battle of Lannoy FlandersCalvinist rebels Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Government troops Royalist victory
13 March 1567 Battle of Oosterweel BrabantCalvinist rebels Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Government troops Royalist victory
23 April 1568 Battle of Rheindalen Jülich Orangist troops Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
23 May 1568 Battle of Heiligerlee Groningen Orangist troops Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
May–July 1568 Siege of Groningen (1568)  [ nl ]Groningen Orangist troops Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Government troops Royalist victory
10–11 July 1568 Battle on the Ems  [ nl ]Groningen Geuzen Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Government troops Rebel victory
21 July 1568 Battle of Jemmingen East Frisia Orangist troops Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
20 October 1568 Battle of Jodoigne Brabant Orangist troops Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
12 November 1568 Battle of Le Quesnoy Hainaut Orangist troops Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
9–19 December 1570 Battle of Loevestein  [ nl ]Guelders Geuzen Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
1 April 1572 Capture of Brielle HollandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
6 April 1572 [13] Flushing rebellion  [ nl ] [13] ZeelandCivic militia [13] Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
23 June – 19 September 1572 Siege of Mons (1572) HainautPrinsenvlag.svg Orangist troops Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
17 July 1572 Battle of Saint-Ghislain  [ nl ]HainautHuguenot cross.svg Huguenot troops Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
12–15 September 1572 Walloon Fury in Dokkum  [ nl ]FrieslandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
2 October 1572 Spanish Fury at Mechelen MechelenPrinsenvlag.svg Orangist troops Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
 ? 1572 The Battle of Ijsselmeer HollandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
20 October 1572 Relief of Goes ZeelandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen
Flag of England.svg English navy
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
22 October 1572 Massacre of Naarden HollandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
4 November 1572 – 18 February 1574 Siege of Middelburg (1572–1574) ZeelandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen
Flag of England.svg English navy
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
12 Augustus 1572 – 8 February 1578 Blockades of Amsterdam  [ nl ]HollandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
16 November 1572 Massacre of Zutphen  [ fr; nl ]GueldersPrinsenvlag.svg Orangist troops Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
11 December 1572 – 13 July 1573 Siege of Haarlem HollandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
17 April 1573 Battle of Flushing ZeelandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
11 October 1573 Battle of Borsele ZeelandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
22 April 1573 Battle on the Zuiderzee Zuiderzee Prinsenvlag.svg Geuzen Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
21 August – 8 October 1573 Siege of Alkmaar HollandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
28 August 1573 Capture of Geertruidenberg (1573) HollandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen
Huguenot cross.svg Huguenot troops
Flag of England.svg English navy
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
October 1573 Battle of Delft (1573) HollandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
October 1573 – 3 October 1574 Siege of Leiden HollandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel key victory
27/29 January 1574 Battle of the Scheldt (1574)
(Battle of Reimerswaal)
ZeelandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen
Flag of England.svg English navy
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
Early February 1574 Capture of Valkenburg (1574) HollandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
14 April 1574 Battle of Mookerheyde ClevesPrinsenvlag.svg Orangist troops Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
30 May 1574 Battle of Lillo BrabantPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
19 July – 7 August 1575 Siege of Oudewater (1575) UtrechtPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
11–24 August 1575 Siege of Schoonhoven (1575) HollandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen
Flag of England.svg English troops
Huguenot cross.svg Huguenot troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
October 1575 – 29 June 1576 [14] Siege of Zierikzee ZeelandPrinsenvlag.svg Geuzen Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
25 July 1576 Sack of Aalst  [ nl ]FlandersCity guard Spanish mutineers Mutineer victory
14 September 1576 Battle of Vissenaken  [ nl ]BrabantCoat of arms of the Duchy of Brabant.svg Brabantian troops Spanish mutineers Mutineer victory
15 September – 11 November 1576 Siege of the Spanjaardenkasteel  [ nl ]FlandersCoat of arms of the Duchy of Brabant.svg Brabantian troops
Arms of Flanders.svg Flemish troops
Wapen graafschap Holland.svg Hollandic troops
Spanish mutineers Rebel victory
4–7 November 1576 Sack of Antwerp BrabantCoat of arms of the Duchy of Brabant.svg Brabantian troops
German/Walloon troops
Armed citizens
Spanish mutineers Mutineer victory
December 1576 – February 1577 Siege of Vredenburg  [ nl ]UtrechtFlag of Utrecht city.svg City guard
Flag of the prince-bishopric of Utrecht.svg German troops
Spanish mutineers Rebel victory
24 July 1577 Capture of the Namur citadel  [ nl; fr ]NamurPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
(Coup d'état)
1–2 August 1577 Capture of the Antwerp citadel  [ nl ]BrabantPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army German mutineersRebel victory
4 August – 4 October 1577 Siege of Breda (1577)  [ nl; es; fr; it ]BrabantPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg German mercenariesRebel victory
28 October 1577 Ghent Calvinist coup FlandersPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army

Vlag van Gent.svg Ghent Calvinists

Calvinist victory
(Coup d'état)
31 January 1578 Battle of Gembloux BrabantPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist key victory
20–24 February 1578 Siege of Zichem BrabantPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
8–12 March 1578 Siege of Nivelles (Dutch) (French) BrabantPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
26 May 1578 Alteratie of AmsterdamHollandFlag of Amsterdam.svg Catholic city council

Calvinist radicals
Former Geuzen

Calvinist victory
(Coup d'état)
25 June – 20 July 1578 Siege of Kampen (1578)  [ nl ]OverijsselPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg German mercenariesRebel victory
31 July 1578 Battle of Rijmenam BrabantPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
3 August – 19 November 1578 Siege of Deventer (1578) OverijsselPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg German mercenariesRebel victory
22 September – 7 October 1578 Siege of Binche  [ fr; nl ]HainautPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
2 March 1579 Battle of Borgerhout Flanders Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Scotland.svg Scottish troops
Huguenot cross.svg Huguenot troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
8/12 March – 29 June/1 July 1579 Siege of Maastricht LimburgPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
29 March 1579 Street battle in Mechelen [15] MechelenPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army

Calvinist armed citizens

Catholic armed citizensRoyalist victory
1 July 1579 Schermersoproer  [ nl ] in Den BoschBrabantCalvinist city guardCatholic guildsRoyalist victory
3 March – 18 June 1580 Siege of Groningen (1580)  [ nl ]GroningenPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Rennenberg troops Royalist victory
(Coup d'état)
9 April 1580 [15] English Fury at Mechelen MechelenPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders
City guard
Rebel victory
9 June 1580 Taking of Diest (1580) BrabantPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Huguenot cross.svg Huguenot troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
15–16 June 1580 Zwolle riot  [ nl ]OverijsselFlag of Zwolle.svg Calvinist city guard
Kampen Calvinists
Catholic armed citizens
Catholic farmers
Calvinist victory
17 June 1580 Battle of Hardenberg  [ nl ]OverijsselPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
18 October 1580 – 23 February 1581 Siege of Steenwijk (1580–1581) OverijsselPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
September 1580 – 17 Augustus 1581 Siege of Cambrai (1581)  [ nl ]CambrésisFlag of Anjou.svg Anjou troops
Prinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
19 July 1581 Battle of Kollum FrieslandPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
26–27 July 1581 Capture of Breda (1581) BrabantPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Breda vlag 1580.svg City guard
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
30 September 1581 Battle of Noordhorn GroningenPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Scotland.svg Scottish troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
3–24 October 1581 Siege of Niezijl GroningenPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
10 October – 30 November 1581 Siege of Tournai (1581)  [ nl; fr ]TournaisisPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
22 July – 15 September 1582 Siege of Lochem (1582) GueldersPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Huguenot cross.svg Huguenot troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
26 July 1582 Battle of Ponta Delgada
(also part of the War of the
Portuguese Succession
)
Azores Flag Portugal (1578).svg Pro-Crato Portugal
Prinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Fleet
Pavillon royal de la France.svg  France
Flag of England.svg  England
Flag Portugal (1578).svg Pro-Philip Portugal
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Spanish Empire
Royalist victory
(Pro-Philip victory)
1–2 August 1582 Siege of Lier (1582) BrabantPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
17 January 1583 French Fury BrabantPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army

Flag of Anjou.svg Anjou troops

States victory
(Failed coup)
7 February – 23 April 1583 Siege of Eindhoven (1583) BrabantPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of Anjou.svg Anjou troops
Flag of Scotland.svg Scottish troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
17 June 1583 Battle of Steenbergen (1583) BrabantPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of Anjou.svg Anjou troops
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
October 1583 – 17 September 1584 Siege of Ghent (1583–1584) FlandersVlag van Gent.svg Calvinist Republic
of Ghent
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders
Malcontents
Royalist victory
Early February 1584 Capture of Aalst (1584) FlandersPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
May–July 1584 Siege of Zutphen (1584)  [ nl ]GueldersPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
July 1584 – 17 August 1585 Siege of Antwerp BrabantPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist key victory
6–15 October 1585 Siege of IJsseloord GueldersPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
4–8 December 1585 Battle of Empel BrabantPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch fleet Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
17 January 1586 Battle of Boksum FrieslandPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
Early April – 7 June 1586 Siege of Grave (1586) BrabantPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
June 1586 Siege of Venlo (1586) GueldersPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
17 July 1586 Capture of Axel FlandersPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English soldiers
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
26 July 1586 Destruction of Neuss Cologne Black St George's Cross.svg Truchsess Cologne
Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Black St George's Cross.svg Ernest Cologne
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders
Royalist victory
(Ernest-Spanish victory)
13 August 1586 – 3 February 1590 [16] Siege of Rheinberg (1586–1590) Cologne Black St George's Cross.svg Truchsess Cologne
Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Black St George's Cross.svg Ernest Cologne
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders
Royalist victory
(Ernest-Spanish victory)
22 September 1586 Battle of Zutphen
(Battle of Warnsveld)
GueldersPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English soldiers
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
12 June – 4 August 1587 Siege of Sluis (1587) FlandersPrinsenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
27 February – 29 April 1588 Siege of Medemblik (1588)  [ nl ]HollandPrinsenvlag.svg Statenvlag.svg States Army

Flag of England.svg Leicester troops

States victory
(Failed coup)
29 July 1588 Battle of Gravelines Channel Flag of England.svg English Royal Navy
Statenvlag.svg Dutch Republic Fleet
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Spanish Armada
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders
Rebel key victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
23 September – 13 November 1588 Siege of Bergen op Zoom (1588) Brabant Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
10 April 1589 Capture of Geertruidenberg (1589) Holland Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
Early 1590 Battle of Bayona Islands (1590) SpainStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic
Flag of England.svg Royal Navy
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Royalist victory
4 March 1590 Capture of Breda (1590) Brabant Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
19–30 May 1591 Siege of Zutphen (1591) Guelders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
1–10 June 1591 Siege of Deventer (1591) Overijssel Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
30 June – 15 July 1596 Capture of Cádiz SpainStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic
Flag of England.svg Royal Navy
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
2 July 1591 Capture of Delfzijl Groningen Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
15–25 July 1591 Siege of Knodsenburg Guelders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
Late August 1591 Battle of the Gulf of Almería (1591) SpainStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic
Flag of England.svg Royal Navy
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Royalist victory
20–24 September 1591 Siege of Hulst (1591) Flanders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
17–21 October 1591 Siege of Nijmegen (1591) Guelders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
December 1591 – May 1592 Siege of Rouen (1591–1592) FranceArms of France and Navarre (1589-1790).svg Henry of Navarre
Flag of England.svg English troops
Statenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders
Flag of the Catholic League (French Wars of Religion).svg Catholic League
Royalist victory
(Spanish-Catholic victory)
24 April – 21 May 1592 Siege of Caudebec FranceArms of France and Navarre (1589-1790).svg Henry of Navarre
Flag of England.svg English troops
Statenvlag.svg Dutch fleet
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders
Flag of the Catholic League (French Wars of Religion).svg Catholic League
Rebel victory
(Navarre-Anglo-Dutch
or 'Protestant' victory)
30 May – 5 July 1592 Siege of Steenwijk (1592) Overijssel Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
26 July – 2 September 1592 Siege of Coevorden (1592) Drenthe Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
14 January – 10 February 1593 1593 Luxemburg campaign
Siege of Sankt Vith
Luxemburg Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of Bouillon.svg Duchy of Bouillon
Pavillon royal de France.svg Kingdom of France
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist tactical victory
Rebel strategic victory
27 March – 24 June 1593 Siege of Geertruidenberg (1593) Holland Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
28 October 1593 – 6 May 1594 Siege of Coevorden (1593) Drenthe Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
19 May – 22 July 1594 Siege of Groningen (1594) Groningen Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel key victory
January–June 1595 1595 Luxemburg campaign
Siege of Huy (1595)
Luxemburg
Liège
Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of Bouillon.svg Duchy of Bouillon
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders
LuikVlag.svg Bishopric of Liège
Royalist victory
2 September 1595 Battle of the Lippe Cologne Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
11–28 September 1595 Siege of Groenlo (1595) Guelders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
14 October 1595 Sack of Lier Brabant Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
8–24 April 1596 Siege of Calais (1596) France Royal Standard of the King of France.svg Henry of Navarre
Flag of England.svg English troops
Statenvlag.svg Dutch troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
Mid-July – 18 August 1596 Siege of Hulst (1596) Flanders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
24 January 1597 Battle of Turnhout Brabant Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
June – August 1597 Islands Voyage AzoresStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic
Flag of England.svg Royal Navy
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Royalist victory
9–19 August 1597 Siege of Rheinberg (1597) Cologne Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
29 August – 3 September 1597 Siege of Meurs (1597) Moers Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
11–28 September 1597 Siege of Groenlo (1597) Guelders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
1–9 October 1597 Siege of Bredevoort (1597) Guelders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
1–10 October 1597 Siege of Bredevoort (1597) Guelders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
18–19 October 1597 Capture of Enschede (1597) Overijssel Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
19–21 October 1597 Capture of Ootmarsum Overijssel Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
20–23 October 1597 Siege of Oldenzaal (1597) Overijssel Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
25 October – 12 November 1597 Siege of Lingen (1597) Overijssel Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
28 April – 2 May 1599 Siege of Schenckenschans (1599) Guelders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
15 May – 22 July 1599 Siege of Zaltbommel Guelders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
10–12 September 1599 Siege of Rees (1599) Cleves Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Banner of the Holy Roman Emperor (after 1400).svg Lower Saxon Circle
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
28 January – 6 March 1600 Siege of San Andreas (1600) Guelders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
5 February 1600 Battle of Lekkerbeetje Brabant Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
2 July 1600 Battle of Nieuwpoort Flanders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel tactical victory
12 June – 2 August 1601 Siege of Rheinberg (1601) Cologne Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
5 July 1601 – 20 September 1604 Siege of Ostend Flanders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist key victory
1–27 November 1601 Siege of 's-Hertogenbosch (1601) Brabant Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
18 July – 20 September 1602 Siege of Grave (1602) Brabant Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
1 September 1602 – 18 May 1604 Mutiny of Hoogstraten Brabant Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops

Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Spanish mutineers

Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Mutineer–allied victory)
3–4 October 1602 Battle of the Narrow Seas
(Battle of the Dover Straits)
ChannelStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic
Flag of England.svg Royal Navy
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
26 May 1603 Battle of Sluis Flanders Statenvlag.svg Dutch Republic Fleet Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
19 May – 19 August 1604 Siege of Sluis (1604) Flanders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
10–19 August 1605 Siege of Lingen (1605) Overijssel Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
16 June or 6 October 1606 Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1606) PortugalStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Royalist victory
3–14 August 1606 (royalists)
30 Oct. – 9 Nov. 1606 (rebels)
Siege of Groenlo (1606) Guelders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
25 April 1607 Battle of Gibraltar (1607) Spain Statenvlag.svg Dutch Republic FleetFlag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Rebel victory
28 July – 2 September 1610 Siege of Jülich (1610) JülichStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic
Royal Standard of the King of France.svg  Kingdom of France
DEU Neuburg an der Donau COA.svg Palatinate-Neuburg
Brandenburg Wappen.svg Brandenburg
Banner of the Holy Roman Emperor (after 1400).svg Imperial Army Rebel victory
(Franco-Dutch victory)
Late August 1614 Siege of Aachen (1614) AachenDEU Aachen COA.svg Free City of Aachen
Brandenburg Wappen.svg Brandenburg
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
15 April 1617 Battle of Playa Honda Philippines Statenvlag.svg Dutch Republic FleetFlag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Royalist victory
21 August 1621 Battle of Gibraltar (1621) Spain Statenvlag.svg Dutch Republic Fleet
Royal Standard of Denmark (1731-1819).svg  Denmark–Norway
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Royalist victory
5 September 1621 – 3 February 1622 Siege of Jülich (1621–1622) Jülich Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
8 July – 2 October 1622 Siege of Bergen op Zoom (1622) Brabant Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
29 August 1622 Battle of Fleurus (1622) Hainaut Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
German soldiers
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
28 August 1624 – 5 June 1625 Siege of Breda (1624) Brabant Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist key victory
1 April – 1 May 1625 Recapture of Salvador BrazilStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire
Flag of Portugal (1578).svg  Portuguese Empire
Royalist victory
24 September – 2 November 1625 Battle of San Juan (1625) AntillesStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Royalist victory
1–7 November 1625 Cádiz expedition (1625) SpainStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic
Flag of England.svg Royal Navy
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Royalist victory
25 July – 1 August 1626 Siege of Oldenzaal (1626) Overijssel Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Flag of England.svg English troops
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Anglo-Dutch victory)
20 July – 19 August 1627 Siege of Groenlo (1627) Guelders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
7–8 September 1628 Battle in the Bay of Matanzas Cuba Statenvlag.svg Dutch Republic Fleet Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Treasure fleet Rebel key victory
30 April – 14 September 1629 Siege of 's-Hertogenbosch Brabant Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel key victory
12 September 1631 Battle of Abrolhos BrazilStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire
Flag of Portugal (1578).svg  Portuguese Empire
Royalist victory
12–13 September 1631 Battle of the Slaak HollandStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Rebel victory
9 June – 22 August 1632 Capture of Maastricht Limburg Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel key victory
25 June – 1 July 1633 Capture of Saint Martin (1633) AntillesStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Royalist victory
11 June – 2 July 1633 Siege of Rheinberg (1633)  [ nl ]Cologne Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
8–20 May 1635 Siege of Philippine  [ nl ]Flanders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
20 May 1635 Battle of Les Avins LiègeRoyal Standard of the King of France.svg  Kingdom of France Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(French victory)
8–10 June 1635 Sack of Tienen  [ nl ]Brabant Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Royal Standard of the King of France.svg  Kingdom of France
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
(Franco-Dutch victory)
24 June – 4 July 1635 Siege of Leuven Brabant Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army
Royal Standard of the King of France.svg  Kingdom of France
Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders
Banner of the Holy Roman Emperor (after 1400).svg  Holy Roman Empire
Royalist victory
30 July 1635 – 30 April 1636 Siege of Schenkenschans Guelders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
18 February 1637 Battle off Lizard Point EnglandStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Royalist victory
20–25 August 1637 Siege of Venlo (1637) Guelders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
21 July – 11 October 1637 Siege of Breda (1637) Brabant Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
April – May 1638 Siege of Salvador (1638) BrazilStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire
Flag of Portugal (1578).svg  Portuguese Empire
Royalist victory
20–22 June 1638 Battle of Kallo Brabant Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist key victory
18 February 1639 Action of 18 February 1639 North SeaStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Rebel victory
18 September 1639 Action of 18 September 1639 ChannelStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Inconclusive
21 October 1639 N.S. Battle of the Downs Channel Statenvlag.svg Dutch Republic Fleet Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg "Second Armada"Rebel key victory
12–17 January 1640 Action of 12–17 January 1640 BrazilStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire
Flag of Portugal (1640).svg  Portuguese Empire
Rebel victory
August 1641 Battle of San Salvador (1641) BrazilStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Rebel strategic victory
4 November 1641 Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1641) PortugalStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Inconclusive
August 1642 Battle of San Salvador (1642) BrazilStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Rebel victory
6 November 1642 – 28 December 1643 Dutch expedition to Valdivia ChileStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Royalist victory
20 March – 17 April 1644 Attack on Saint Martin AntillesStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Royalist victory
7 October – 4 November 1645 Siege of Hulst (1645) Flanders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Rebel victory
15 March – 4 October 1646 Battles of La Naval de Manila PhilippinesStatenvlag.svg  Dutch Republic Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Royalist victory
October 1646 Siege of Venlo (1646)  [ nl ]Guelders Statenvlag.svg Dutch States Army Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg Army of Flanders Royalist victory
10 June 1647 Battle of Puerto de Cavite Philippines Statenvlag.svg Dutch Republic FleetFlag of Cross of Burgundy.svg  Spanish Empire Royalist victory

See also

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The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish government. The causes of the war included the Reformation, centralisation, excessive taxation, and the rights and privileges of the Dutch nobility and cities.

The Pacification of Ghent, signed on 8 November 1576, was an alliance between the provinces of the Habsburg Netherlands. The main objectives were to remove Spanish mercenaries who had made themselves hated by all sides due to their plundering, and to promote a formal peace with the rebellious provinces of Holland and Zeeland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spanish Fury</span> 1572–1579 attacks during the Dutch Revolt

A Spanish Fury was a number of violent sackings of cities in the Low Countries or Benelux, mostly by Spanish Habsburg armies, that happened in the years 1572–1579 during the Dutch Revolt. In some cases, the sack did not follow the taking of a city. In others, the sack was ordered, or at least not restrained, by Spanish commanders after the fall of a city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willem IV van den Bergh</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army of Flanders</span> Military unit

The Army of Flanders was a multinational army in the service of the kings of Spain that was based in the Spanish Netherlands during the 16th to 18th centuries. It was notable for being the longest-serving army of the period, being in continuous service from 1567 until its disestablishment in 1706 and taking part in numerous pivotal battles of the Dutch Revolt (1566–1609) and the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648). Because it employed or pioneered many developing military concepts more reminiscent of later military units, enjoying permanent, standing regiments (tercios), barracks, military hospitals and rest homes long before they were adopted in most of Europe, the Army of Flanders has been considered the world's de facto first modern professional standing army. Sustained at huge cost and at significant distances from Spain via the Spanish Road, the Army of Flanders also became infamous for successive mutinies and its ill-disciplined activity on and off the battlefield, including the Sack of Antwerp in 1576.

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Willem Bloys van Treslong was a nobleman from the Southern Netherlands and military leader during the Dutch war of Independence. He was best known as one of the leaders of the Sea Beggars who captured Den Briel on 1 April 1572.

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The Ten Years were a period in the Eighty Years' War spanning the years 1588 to 1598. In this period of ten years, stadtholder Maurice of Nassau, the future prince of Orange and son of William "the Silent" of Orange, and his cousin William Louis, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg and stadtholder of Friesland as well as the English general Francis Vere, were able to turn the tide of the war against the Spanish Empire in favour of the Dutch Republic. They achieved many victories over the Spanish Army of Flanders, conquering large swathes of land in the north and east of the Habsburg Netherlands that were incorporated into the Republic and remained part of the Netherlands into the present. Starting with the important fortification of Bergen op Zoom (1588), Maurice and William Louis subsequently took Breda (1590), Zutphen, Deventer, Delfzijl, and Nijmegen (1591), Steenwijk, Coevorden (1592) Geertruidenberg (1593), Groningen (1594), Grol, Enschede, Ootmarsum, and Oldenzaal (1597)., recovering territories lost in 1580 through the treachery of George de Lalaing. Maurice's most successful years were 1591 and 1597, in which his campaigns resulted in the capture of numerous vital fortified cities, some of which were regarded as "impregnable". His novel military tactics earned him fame amongst the courts of Europe, and the borders of the present-day Netherlands were largely defined by the campaigns of Maurice of Orange during the Ten Years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eighty Years' War, 1599–1609</span> Sixth phase of the Eighty Years War

The years 1599–1609 constituted a phase of in the Eighty Years' War between the Spanish Empire and the emerging Dutch Republic. It followed the Ten Years (1588–1598) that saw significant conquests by the Dutch States Army under the leadership of stadtholders Maurice of Nassau and William Louis of Nassau-Dillenburg, and ended with the conclusion of the Twelve Years' Truce (1609–1621) on 9 April 1609. The 1599–1609 period was generally marked by a stalemate; the well-known Battle of Nieuwpoort (1600) brought the Dutch a tactical victory without long-term gain, while Spanish conquests in the Siege of Ostend (1601–1604) and Spinola's 1605–1606 campaign were effectively balanced out by the Dutch naval triumph in the Battle of Gibraltar (1607) and the Spanish state bankruptcy that same year. Financial troubles were amongst the primary motives that prompted the Dutch, and even more so the Spanish, to head to the negotiating table for a ceasefire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eighty Years' War, 1576–1579</span> Third phase of the Eighty Years War

The period between the Pacification of Ghent, and the Unions of Arras and Utrecht constituted a crucial phase of the Eighty Years' War between the Spanish Empire and the rebelling United Provinces, which would become the independent Dutch Republic. Sometimes known as the "general revolt", the period marked the only time of the war where the States–General of all Seventeen Provinces of the Habsburg Netherlands, except Luxemburg, were in joint active political and military rebellion against the Spanish Imperial government through the Pacification of Ghent. The Pacification formulated several agreements amongst the rebellious provinces themselves, and laid down their demands – including the immediate withdrawal of foreign troops from the Netherlands, restitution of old rights and privileges, and self-rule – to king Philip II of Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eighty Years' War, 1579–1588</span> Fourth phase of the Eighty Years War

The years 1579–1588 constituted a phase of the Eighty Years' War between the Spanish Empire and the United Provinces in revolt after most of them concluded the Union of Utrecht on 23 January 1579, and proceeded to carve the independent Dutch Republic out of the Habsburg Netherlands. It followed the 1576–1579 period, in which a temporary alliance of 16 out of the Seventeen Provinces' States–General established the Pacification of Ghent as a joint Catholic–Protestant rebellion against the Spanish government, but internal conflicts as well as military and diplomatic successes of the Spanish Governors-General Don Juan of Austria and Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma split them apart, finally leading the Malcontent County of Artois, County of Hainaut and city of Douai to sign the Union of Arras on 6 January 1579, reverting to Catholicism and loyalty to the Spanish crown. In response, most of the remaining rebel provinces and cities would forge or later accede to the Union of Utrecht, a closer military alliance treaty that would go on to become the most important fundamental law of the United Provinces, who on 26 July 1581 proclaimed the Act of Abjuration, a de facto declaration of independence from Spain. While the nascent polity was struggling to find a new sovereign head of state, including Matthias of Austria, Francis of Anjou, William "the Silent" of Orange and Robert of Leicester, before giving up and deciding to become a republic by passing the Deduction of Vrancken on 12 April 1588, the Duke of Parma continued his successful military and diplomatic offensive, bringing ever more provinces and cities in the southern, eastern and northeastern parts of the Netherlands back into royalist hands. Parma's reconquests more or less stalled after the Fall of Antwerp (1585), and finally came to an end with the failure of the Spanish Armada and Philip II ordered him to intervene in the French Wars of Religion to prevent the Succession of Henry IV and France becoming a Protestant kingdom. These developments gave rise to a new phase, the Ten Years (1588–1598), that saw significant conquests by the Dutch States Army under the leadership of stadtholders Maurice of Nassau and William Louis of Nassau-Dillenburg, and the Dutch Republic's rise as a commercial great power.

The aftermath of the Eighty Years' War had far-reaching military, political, socio-economic, religious, and cultural effects on the Low Countries, the Spanish Empire, the Holy Roman Empire, as well as other regions of Europe and European colonies overseas. By the Peace of Münster, the Habsburg Netherlands were split in two, with the northern Protestant-dominated Netherlands becoming the Dutch Republic, independent of the Spanish and Holy Roman Empires, while the southern Catholic-dominated Spanish Netherlands remained under Spanish Habsburg sovereignty. Whereas the Spanish Empire and the Southern Netherlands along with it were financially and demographically ruined, declining politically and economically, the Dutch Republic became a global commercial power and achieved a high level of prosperity for its upper and middle classes known as the Dutch Golden Age, despite continued great socio-economic, geographic and religious inequalities and problems, as well as internal and external political, military and religious conflicts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eighty Years' War, 1572–1576</span> Second phase of the Eighty Years War

The period between the Capture of Brielle and the Pacification of Ghent was an early stage of the Eighty Years' War between the Spanish Empire and groups of rebels in the Habsburg Netherlands.

The historiography of the Eighty Years' War examines how the Eighty Years' War has been viewed or interpreted throughout the centuries. Some of the main issues of contention between scholars include the name of the war, the periodisation of the war, the origins or causes of the war and thus its nature, the meaning of its historical documents such as the Act of Abjuration, and the role of its central characters such as Philip II of Spain, William "the Silent" of Orange, Margaret of Parma, the Duke of Alba, the Duke of Parma, Maurice of Orange, and Johan van Oldenbarnevelt. It has been theorised that Protestant Reformation propaganda has given rise to the Spanish Black Legend in order to portray the actions of the Spanish Empire, the Army of Flanders and the Catholic Church in an exaggerated extremely negative light, while other scholars maintain that the atrocities committed by the Spanish military in order to preserve the Habsburg Netherlands for the Empire have historically been portrayed fairly accurately. Controversy also rages about the importance of the war for the emergence of the Dutch Republic as the predecessor of the current Kingdom of the Netherlands and the role of the House of Orange's stadtholders in it, as well as the development of Dutch and Belgian national identities as a result of the split of the Northern and Southern Netherlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eighty Years' War, 1566–1572</span> First phase of the Eighty Years War

The period between the start of the Beeldenstorm in August 1566 until early 1572 contained the first events of a series that would later be known as the Eighty Years' War between the Spanish Empire and disparate groups of rebels in the Habsburg Netherlands. Some of the first pitched battles and sieges between radical Calvinists and Habsburg governmental forces took place in the years 1566–1567, followed by the arrival and government takeover by Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba with an army of 10,000 Spanish and Italian soldiers. Next, an ill-fated invasion by the most powerful nobleman of the Low Countries, the exiled but still-Catholic William "the Silent" of Orange, failed to inspire a general anti-government revolt. Although the war seemed over before it got underway, in the years 1569–1571, Alba's repression grew severe, and opposition against his regime mounted to new heights and became susceptible to rebellion.

References

  1. de León 2009, p. 89–95.
  2. 1 2 de León 2009, p. 95–98.
  3. Van der Wee 1969, p. 15.
  4. Anton van der Lem. "Noircarmes, Filips van Sint-Aldegonde, heer van". dutchrevolt.leiden.edu (in Dutch). Leiden University. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  5. "Margaretha [Nederlanden] § Margaretha van Parma". Encarta Encyclopedie Winkler Prins (in Dutch). Microsoft Corporation/Het Spectrum. 1993–2002.
  6. van der Lem 1995, Chapter II.
  7. Swart 2006, p. 31–32.
  8. Swart 2006, p. 34.
  9. Swart 2006, p. 41.
  10. Groenveld & Leeuwenberg 2020, p. 423–424.
  11. Groenveld & Leeuwenberg 2020, p. 424–425.
  12. Groenveld & Leeuwenberg 2020, p. 425–426.
  13. 1 2 3 Tracy 2008, p. 82.
  14. van der Lem 1995, Jaartallen.
  15. 1 2 Tracy 2008, p. 157.
  16. Peter Hamish Wilson, The Thirty Years War: Europe's Tragedy (Penguin Group, 2010) p.210

Bibliography