Siege of Alkmaar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Siege of Alkmaar
Part of the Eighty Years' War
The siege of Alkmaar by Frans Hogenberg
Date 21 August – 8 October 1573 Location Alkmaar (present-day Holland) Result Dutch victory Spanish advance through Holland is halted
Belligerents
Dutch Rebels	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Jacob Cabeliau	Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo
Strength
800 Geuzen, ca.1,300 civilians	6,500 to 16,000 troops
Casualties and losses
24+ geuzen, 13 civilians	over 500

The Siege of Alkmaar happened in 1573. It was a very important event during the Eighty Years' War. This war was when the Netherlands fought for their freedom from Spain. The people of Alkmaar, a city in the Netherlands, bravely defended their home. They stopped the powerful Spanish army from taking their city.

What Was the Eighty Years' War?

The Eighty Years' War (1568–1648) was a long fight. It was between the Seventeen Provinces (which became the Netherlands and Belgium) and the Spanish king. The Dutch wanted to be independent. They also wanted to practice their own religion, Protestantism, freely. Spain was a Catholic country and wanted to control them.

The City of Alkmaar Under Attack

The Spanish army, led by Don Fadrique, attacked Alkmaar. Don Fadrique was the son of the Duke of Alva, a very strict Spanish leader. The siege started on August 21, 1573. The Spanish soldiers set up their camp near the city in a place called Oudorp.

The citizens of Alkmaar, called burghers, were ready to fight. They used boiling tar and burning tree branches to defend their city walls. They fought hard against the Spanish soldiers.

A Clever Plan: Flooding the Land

As the siege continued, the people of Alkmaar needed help. Their leader, Jacob Cabeliau, asked William the Silent for a special plan. William the Silent was a key leader for the Dutch rebels.

On September 23, William the Silent gave a brave order. He told the Dutch to break the dikes around Alkmaar. Dikes are walls that keep water out of low-lying land called polders. When the dikes were broken, water from the sea flooded the polders. The Spanish army's camp was in these polders.

The water made it impossible for the Spanish soldiers to stay. Their camp became a muddy mess. They could not fight effectively in the flooded land.

The Spanish Retreat

Because of the flooding, the Spanish commander Don Fadrique had to give up. His army could not continue the siege. The last Spanish soldiers left Alkmaar on October 8, 1573.

Why Was Alkmaar So Important?

The end of the Siege of Alkmaar was a big turning point. Alkmaar was the very first city to successfully defend itself against the Spanish army. The Spanish had seemed unbeatable before this.

This victory showed that the Dutch could stand up to Spain. It gave hope to other Dutch cities. It proved that with clever tactics, even a smaller city could defeat a powerful army. The saying "Bij Alkmaar begint de victorie" (Victory begins at Alkmaar) comes from this event.

Images for kids

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  A painting showing unfinished fortifications

See also

In Spanish: Asedio de Alkmaar para niños