Battle of Heiligerlee (1568)

Part of the Eighty Years' War
53°9′25″N 7°0′10″E / 53.15694°N 7.00278°E / 53.15694; 7.00278Result Dutch rebel victory[1]Belligerents Dutch rebels Spain Spanish EmpireCommanders and leaders Louis of Nassau
Adolf of Nassau †[2] Spain Johan de Ligne †[3]Strength 3,900 infantry
200 cavalry 3,200 infantry
20 cavalryCasualties and losses 50 dead or wounded 460 Spanish dead
  • v
  • t
  • e
Eighty Years' War
Origins – List of battles
1566–1572

Western Europe

  • Beeldenstorm
  • Valenciennes
  • Wattrelos
  • Lannoy
  • Oosterweel
  • Dahlen
  • Heiligerlee
  • Jemmingen
  • Jodoigne
  • Le Quesnoy
1572–1576

Western Europe

European waters
1576–1579

Western Europe

1579–1588

Western Europe

European waters
Ten Years, 1588–1598

Western Europe

  • 1st Bergen op Zoom
  • 2nd Geertruidenberg
  • 2nd Breda
  • 2nd Zutphen
  • 2nd Deventer
  • Delfzijl
  • Knodsenburg
  • 1st Hulst
  • Nijmegen
  • Rouen
  • Caudebec
  • 2nd Steenwijk
  • 1st Coevorden
  • 1st Luxemburg
  • 3rd Geertruidenberg
  • 2nd Coevorden
  • Groningen
  • 2nd Luxemburg
  • Huy
  • 1st Groenlo
  • Lippe
  • 2nd Lier
  • Calais
  • 2nd Hulst
  • Turnhout
  • 2nd Rheinberg
  • 1st Meurs
  • 2nd Groenlo
  • Bredevoort
  • Enschede
  • Ootmarsum
  • 1st Oldenzaal
  • 1st Lingen
European waters
  • 1st English Channel · Flanders
  • Bayona Islands
  • Gulf of Almería
  • 1st Cádiz
  • Azores
1599–1609

Western Europe

European waters
Twelve Years' Truce, 1609–1621

Western Europe

  • Aachen

East Indies

1621–1648

Western Europe

European waters

Americas

East Indies

Peace – Aftermath – Historiography

The Battle of Heiligerlee (Heiligerlee, Groningen, 23 May 1568)[4] was fought between Dutch rebels and the Spanish army of Friesland. It was the first Dutch victory during the Eighty Years' War.

The Groningen province of the Spanish Netherlands was invaded by an army consisting of 3,900 infantry, led by Louis of Nassau, and 200 cavalry, led by Adolf of Nassau. Both of them were brothers of William I of Orange. The intention was to begin an armed uprising against the Spanish rulers of the Netherlands.

Battle of Heiligerlee 1568

The Stadtholder of Friesland and also Duke of Aremberg, Johan de Ligne, had an army of 3,200 infantry and 20 cavalry.

Aremberg initially avoided confrontation and awaited reinforcements from the Count of Meghem. However, on 23 May, Adolf's cavalry lured him to an ambush at the monastery of Heiligerlee. Louis's infantry made up the bulk of the army and defeated the Spanish force which lost 460 men, and the invading force lost 50, including Adolf. The rebels captured seven cannons.

The invading force, however, did not capture any cities and was soon defeated at the Battle of Jemmingen.

The death of Adolf of Nassau is mentioned in the Dutch national anthem (fourth verse):

Graef Adolff is ghebleven, In Vriesland in den slaech,
"Count Adolf has died, in Friesland, in the battle"

Notes

  1. ^ Dupuy, R. Ernest and Trevor N. Dupuy, Harper Encyclopedia of Military History, (HarperCollins Publishers, 1993), 528.
  2. ^ Menzel, Wolfgang, The history of Germany: from the earliest period to 1842, Vol.2, (George Bell & sons, 1908), 293.
  3. ^ Laffin, John, Brassey's Dictionary of Battles, (Barnes & Noble Inc., 1995), 194.
  4. ^ Laffin, 194.

References

  • Dupuy, R. Ernest and Trevor N. Dupuy, The Harper Encyclopedia of Military History, (HarperCollins Publishers, 1993.
  • Laffin, John, Brassey's Dictionary of Battles, Barnes & Noble Inc., 1995.
  • Menzel, Wolfgang, The history of Germany: from the earliest period to 1842, Vol. 2, George Bell & sons, 1908.
  • https://www.elcaminoespañol.com/la-epoca/232-efemerides-los-holandeses-invanden-holanda-o-la-batalla-de-heiligerlee/
Authority control databases: National Edit this at Wikidata
  • United States
  • Israel