Battle of Delft (1573) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Delft (1573)
Part of the Eighty Years' War & the Anglo-Spanish War (1585)
A 1580 map of Delft by Georg Braun & Frans Hogenberg
Date October 1573 Location Delft (Present day Netherlands) Result Dutch and English victory
Belligerents
United Provinces England	Spain
Commanders and leaders
William of Orange Thomas Morgan	Francisco de Valdez Julian Romero
Strength
6,000 (1,000 in Delft)	4,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown but low	700 casualties

The Battle of Delft, also known as the Defence of Delft, was an important fight in October 1573. It happened in and around the city of Delft in what is now the Netherlands. This battle was part of two bigger wars: the Eighty Years' War and the Anglo–Spanish War.

A small group of Dutch and English soldiers, led by Thomas Morgan, defended Delft. They faced a Spanish army led by Francisco de Valdez. The Spanish attack failed, and they were forced to leave. This victory was a big boost for the Dutch side.

Why the Battle Happened

The Spanish army, led by the Duke of Alba, was trying to take control of the Netherlands. They had tried to capture the city of Alkmaar in August but failed. Soon after, in early October, they started to attack Leiden. However, Leiden had strong defenses and many soldiers ready to fight.

The Duke of Alba then sent a general named Francisco de Valdez with about 4,000 experienced Spanish soldiers. These soldiers were called Tercios, and they were very famous and feared. Their goal was to capture towns and villages between Leiden, Delft, and the sea. This would cut off supplies and help for Leiden. Valdez quickly took over The Hague without a fight.

Defending Delft

Meanwhile, English soldiers led by Thomas Morgan were stationed near Delft. They were joined by Scottish, French, and Dutch troops. These soldiers were positioned behind large dykes (walls of earth) that protected the roads.

One group of English soldiers, led by Roger Williams, held a key position. Another English group, led by Captain Edward Chester, was in a fortified area called the Polderwaert, between Delft and Rotterdam. These troops were ready to defend Delft, Rotterdam, and Delfshaven if the Spanish attacked.

The Spanish Attack

The Dutch forces knew the Spanish were coming towards Delft. Spanish soldiers, led by Julián Romero, set up camp at a stone bridge between The Hague and Delft. This blocked the road between Delft and Leiden. The Dutch burned houses on the outskirts of Delft to stop the Spanish from finding shelter.

The Prince of Orange, who was leading the Dutch side, had about 6,000 troops. But most of them were not as experienced as the Spanish Tercios. Valdez tried to trick his way into Delft.

Trying to Sneak In

Valdez used small boats, called peat boats, to try and sneak nearly a thousand soldiers into Delft at night. A French spy helped some boats get past the city's entrance. However, the soldiers defending Delft were ready. They either killed or captured all the Spanish attackers who tried to sneak in.

At the Polderwaert, outside Delft, Captain Chester and his 200 English soldiers bravely fought off another Spanish attack. They caused many losses for the Spanish.

Delft's Strong Defenses

After these failed attempts, Valdez planned a big attack on the city. At the same time, the defenders in Delft found out who the traitors were among the townspeople and dealt with them. More soldiers arrived from nearby villages, bringing the total defenders in Delft to over 1,000. They even loaded cannons with anything they could find, like nails and musket balls, to use as ammunition.

However, the main attack never happened. Valdez realized that Delft's defenses were much stronger than he thought. He knew a major assault would be too difficult and costly. So, he gave up on trying to take Delft, and the Spanish army left.

What Happened Next

The attack on Delft failed, and the Spanish lost about 700 men, mostly in the fighting outside the city. Delft was saved, which gave the city of Leiden more hope for help and relief from its own siege.

Valdez told the Duke of Alba about his defeat. He explained that they couldn't win without more soldiers and powerful cannons. He asked for more troops or permission to leave the area. Alba chose the latter, refusing to send more men or guns.

Meanwhile, Romero managed to capture a town called Maassluis. But another attempt to take Delfshaven was stopped. No more major attacks happened for the rest of that year.

For his brave actions in defending Delft, Captain Chester was promoted to lieutenant colonel by the Prince of Orange. The Duke of Alba, after these failures, asked to be called back to Spain. He left the Netherlands in 1574.