Capture of Axel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Capture of Axel
Siege of Axel 1586
Date July 17, 1586 Location Axel, Zeeland (Present day Netherlands) Result Dutch and English victory
Belligerents
United Provinces England	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Maurice of Nassau Philip Sidney	Unknown
Strength
2,000	600
Casualties and losses
30 wounded	All killed, wounded, or captured

The Capture of Axel was an important military event in 1586. It happened during the Dutch Revolt and the Anglo–Spanish War. In this event, a town called Axel, which was controlled by the Spanish, was taken over. An army of Dutch and English soldiers, led by Sir Philip Sidney, captured the town. This was also the first big success for Maurice of Nassau.

Maurice of Nassau became a leader, called a stadtholder, for the regions of Holland and Zeeland. He was appointed on his eighteenth birthday in 1585. The very next year, he started to lead military actions.

Why Axel Was Important

Axel is a town in the County of Zeeland. It was a very important fortified city. It sat on the southwestern edge of the Scheldt river's mouth. Spanish forces had held Axel since 1583. Alexander Farnese, who later became the Duke of Parma, had captured it then. Taking Axel back would make other Dutch and English areas safer. Places like Ostend and Sluys would be more secure. It would also give them a good base to start new attacks from.

The Attack on Axel Begins

On June 17, 1586, everything was ready to capture Axel. New English forces had arrived. They were led by the Earl of Leicester and Sir Philip Sydney. These English troops joined Maurice's soldiers, who were from Zeeland. Together, they marched towards Axel.

When they arrived, they started to surround the town. Maurice had a clever plan. He opened the dykes, which are walls that hold back water. This flooded the towns around Terneuzen. This action cut Axel off from the main land. It also made it hard for anyone to send help or supplies to the Spanish inside Axel.

Capturing the Town

An attack began almost right away. A group of forty leading soldiers, led by Colonel Jan Pyrom, found a problem. The moat (a deep ditch filled with water around the town) was very deep. But they didn't give up! They swam across the moat. Then, they used ladders to climb over the ramparts (the defensive walls). They surprised and defeated the guards there.

Once inside, these brave soldiers opened the gates. This allowed the rest of the attacking army to rush in. Dutch companies were the first to enter. Then came the English soldiers, led by Sydney. Finally, Willoughby led the last wave of attackers. The Spanish soldiers inside were surprised. They tried to fight back bravely. However, they were greatly outnumbered. Soon, the entire Spanish force was overwhelmed. Most were captured or defeated, with very few escaping.

After the Capture

After the town was taken, Maurice ordered new small forts, called redoubts, to be built. These were to protect Axel and the areas around it. Axel itself was then guarded by over 800 soldiers. Colonel Pyrom, who had led the first brave assault, was put in charge. He was also rewarded for his important actions. New leaders were put in charge of the city.

Maurice, as a commander, went on to achieve many great things later in the Dutch campaigns. Sadly, Philip Sydney was badly wounded a year later. This happened during the siege of Zutphen. He later died from his injuries. The Earl of Leicester left soon after, due to disagreements with the Dutch and other English officers.