Battle of Veere facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Veere |
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| Part of Hook and Cod wars | |||||||||
 Map of Veere in about 1570 |
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| Hook faction England |
Cod faction | ||||||||
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William V of Holland | ||||||||
The Battle of Veere was a small naval battle that happened in May 1351. It was part of the Hook and Cod wars, a big civil war in the County of Holland and County of Zeeland. This battle helped Margaret, Countess of Hainaut gain more control in Zeeland.
Contents
What Caused the Battle of Veere?
The Hook and Cod wars were a long fight over who should rule Holland and Zeeland. After Count William IV died, his sister Margaret, Countess of Hainaut and her son William of Bavaria both wanted to rule.
A Family Disagreement
In 1349, William of Bavaria tried to take control. But his mother, Margaret, disagreed with his plans. In 1350, a big fight started. Some cities and nobles formed an alliance called the Cod faction. They refused to follow Margaret's rules.
Margaret was supported by the Hook faction. This group included other cities and many powerful nobles.
Who Controlled What?
William of Bavaria, leading the Cod faction, had control over most cities in Holland. Cities like Delft and Haarlem strongly supported him. But Margaret's Hook faction had strong castles and many noble supporters.
In Zeeland, Margaret controlled Zierikzee. She also had support from powerful families like the Van Haamstedes. However, a strong lord named Wolfert van Borselen, who lived near Veere, supported William. This made the city of Middelburg switch to William's side.
Margaret Asks for Help
Margaret knew she needed more help. She went to Calais (which was English at the time) to meet with Edward III of England. Edward III was married to Margaret's sister, Philippa of Hainault. He was interested in Zeeland because it was good for trade with Flanders. Edward III promised to help Margaret.
The Battle of Veere
After getting help from England, Margaret hurried back to Zeeland. She met her son Louis at a city called Reimerswaal. They learned that Wolfert van Borselen was gathering an army near Middelburg.
The Fight Begins
Not many details are known about the battle itself. An English fleet joined Margaret's army. William also sent his own fleet. The battle happened near Veere.
An old story from 1517 describes it like this: Margaret gathered a strong army. The Queen of England also sent a skilled army to help her sister. Margaret's fleet, full of ships ready for battle, arrived near Veere.
Count William also brought many soldiers from Holland on ships. When the two forces met, there was fierce fighting. Many people were hurt or drowned. In the end, Margaret won the battle. William managed to escape back to Holland. This happened in 1351.
Wolfert van Borselen, the lord of Veere who supported William, died soon after the battle.
When Did It Happen?
Historians believe the battle took place between May 26 and May 30, 1351.
What Happened After the Battle?
Margaret's victory at Veere meant that Middelburg and most of Zeeland came under her control. This was a big win for her.
However, her victory was not complete. When Margaret sent people to Middelburg to ask the city to surrender, the angry citizens refused. They only wanted to recognize Count William as their ruler.
So, while Margaret won the battle, she still couldn't take full control of Middelburg right away. But she did stop William from taking over all of Walcheren, which would have put her position in Zierikzee in danger. She also gained some new allies.
Even with this victory, Margaret still needed to act quickly to help her allies in Holland. This led to another big battle later, the Battle of Zwartewaal, where she faced a defeat.
Images for kids
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A map from 1573 showing Zeeland.
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The Abbey of Middelburg.
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