Battle of Zwartewaal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Zwartewaal |
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| Part of Hook and Cod wars | |||||||||
 Naval war in the 14th century |
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| Hook faction England |
Cod faction | ||||||||
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William V of Holland | ||||||||
The Battle of Zwartewaal was a very important naval battle. It happened between July 3 and 5, 1351. This battle was a big part of the Hook and Cod wars. These wars were a long fight in the County of Holland during the Middle Ages. The battle took place near Zwartewaal, a town in what is now the Netherlands. It helped decide who would control Holland and Zeeland.
Contents
The Hook and Cod Wars
The Hook and Cod wars were a series of fights in the 14th century. They were about who would rule the counties of Holland and Zeeland. The main people fighting were William I, Duke of Bavaria and his mother, Margaret, Countess of Hainaut.
Who Was Fighting?
William was known as William of Bavaria. Later, he became William V of Holland. He was supported by the Cod party. His mother, Margaret, was the Countess of Holland and Zeeland. She was supported by the Hook party. William was supposed to inherit these lands from his mother.
The Start of the Conflict
William first tried to take power from his mother. But he was captured and held in Hainault. In February 1351, some Cod nobles helped William escape. He then officially joined the Cod party. They recognized him as their count. He also made an alliance with the Bishop of Utrecht.
Cities Take Sides
Some important cities chose sides. Dordrecht, Middelburg, and Zierikzee supported Margaret. But William was recognized by Kennemerland and West-Friesland. In April 1351, Margaret went to Calais to ask for help from England. William then captured Dordrecht, which was a very important city in Holland. The Cod party, led by William, controlled most of the cities. They then started attacking castles held by the Hook party.
England Joins the Fight
Edward III of England had strong business interests in the Low Countries. Margaret offered to make him a temporary 'guardian' of Holland and Zeeland. This was in exchange for his help. Towns in Zeeland, like Middelburg and Zierikzee, wanted close ties with England. They had many trade connections.
Edward III had a very strong navy. His fleet had won big battles before, like the 1340 Battle of Sluys and the 1350 Battle of Winchelsea. England sent a fleet to Zeeland to help Margaret. In May 1351, this English fleet defeated William's fleet in the Battle of Veere. After this, Margaret and the English controlled all of Zeeland.
The Battle at Zwartewaal
After his defeat at Veere, William prepared carefully for the next battle. He gathered an army from Holland, Kennemerland, and West-Friesland. Many lords and soldiers from other areas also joined him.
Margaret's forces included soldiers from England, Hainault, Zeeland, and Walcheren. Many lords, knights, and squires were among them.
Where the Battle Happened
Zwartewaal is a town on the Oude Maas river. In the 1300s, much of the Meuse river flowed into the sea through the Oude Maas. William himself called the battle: "the battle that we won on the Meuse near Zwartewaal."
Margaret's fleet sailed to the mouth of the Meuse river. On July 4, 1351, the two fleets met near Brielle, west of Zwartewaal. The Cod party, led by William, won the battle. Margaret managed to escape with some of her ships.
The Hook side suffered heavy losses. The English admiral was killed. Many Hook lords, like Kostyn of Renesse and Floris of Haamstede, also died. Dirk van Brederode and many others were taken prisoner.
What Happened Next
The Battle of Zwartewaal was a turning point. Zeeland then submitted to William's control. Margaret hoped England would help make peace. But by December 1351, she had lost almost all her lands in Holland. William then made peace with England. Margaret was left with only Hainault.
