Siege of Rheinberg (1597) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Siege of Rheinberg (1597)
Part of the Eighty Years' War and the Anglo–Spanish War
Siege of Rheinberg in 1597 by Jan Janssonius
Date 9 up to 19 August 1597 Location Rheinberg (present-day Germany) Result Dutch and English victory
Belligerents
Dutch Republic England	Spanish Empire
Commanders and leaders
Maurice of Nassau Horace Vere	Camillo Sachino
Strength
8,200	850
Casualties and losses
Light	All captured

The Siege of Rheinberg happened from August 9 to 19, 1597. It was a battle during the Eighty Years' War and the Anglo–Spanish War. A combined Dutch and English army, led by Maurice of Orange, attacked the city. The siege ended when the Spanish soldiers gave up and left. This victory at Rheinberg was the start of Maurice's campaign of 1597. It was a very successful attack against the Spanish, part of a time known as the Ten Glory Years.

Maurice of Orange, a key leader in the Dutch army.

Why Rheinberg Was Important

Spanish Control of Rheinberg

The city of Rheinberg was a strong, walled town. It had been held by the Spanish army for seven years. Spanish forces had captured it in 1590 after a long four-year siege. This was part of the ongoing conflict in the region.

Planning the Attack

In mid-1597, the Dutch government in The Hague decided it was time to act. They had more money and ordered Maurice of Orange to start a new campaign. Maurice was the commander of the Dutch and English troops. His goal was to push the Spanish out of an area called Twente. The Spanish were busy fighting elsewhere, so it was a good time to attack.

Maurice planned to march along the Rhine river. He wanted to capture Rheinberg and Meurs first. Then, he would move into the eastern Netherlands. Strong Spanish cities like Grol and Oldenzaal were his next targets. Taking Rheinberg was very important for the region of Gelderland. It would help cut off Spanish bases in Overijssel.

Assembling the Army

On August 4, Maurice arrived at Arnhem. He was with his cousin, William Louis. Their army had 7,000 foot soldiers and 1,200 cavalry (soldiers on horseback). This included 13 groups of English troops. They were led by Colonel Horace Vere. There were also 10 groups of Scottish soldiers, led by Sir Henry Balfour. Horace's brother, Francis Vere, was a general for Queen Elizabeth I in the Netherlands. This meant Horace was in charge of the English soldiers during this battle.

The Siege and What Happened Next

Arrival at Rheinberg

After taking a smaller town and castle called Alphen, Maurice's army marched to Rheinberg. They arrived on August 10 and immediately began their attack. The Spanish soldiers defending Rheinberg numbered 850 men. Their commander was Camilo Sachino. He had been in charge of many places in the area for years. However, his soldiers were not ready to fight. Many had left because they weren't getting paid. Others simply didn't want to fight.

The Attack Begins

The Dutch and English army had many cannons. These cannons were brought by barges along the Rhine river. On August 11, 1597, soldiers began digging trenches towards the city walls. This was how the siege officially started. During the fighting, William Louis of Nassau was shot in the thigh. Maurice himself had a close call when a cannonball flew right over his head and into his tent! Once the cannons were in place, they fired heavily at the city. This made things even worse for the Spanish soldiers inside.

Spanish Surrender

After ten days of constant shelling, Sachino worried his soldiers might rebel. He asked to talk about surrendering. On August 20, the Spanish gave up. The Archbishop of Rheinberg begged Maurice to spare the city and its people from being looted. Maurice agreed to this. The Spanish soldiers were allowed to march out with honor. This meant they could keep their weapons, but they promised not to fight for a long time. Then, the Dutch and English armies marched in.

After the Victory

With Rheinberg captured, Maurice knew it would be easy to cross the Rhine river. The eastern part of the Netherlands was now open for his army. Maurice's troops continued their attacks. They went on to capture Meurs, Groenlo, Bredevoort, Enschede, and Oldenzaal. They ended the year and the campaign by capturing Lingen.

The Spanish did manage to take Rheinberg back later. Commander Don Luis Bernardo de Avila held it until 1601. But then Maurice again captured Rheinberg after another siege. Rheinberg was taken and retaken many times. Finally, in 1633, the city came back into Dutch hands for good.

More to Explore

• List of stadtholders in the Low Countries
• List of governors of the Spanish Netherlands
• Siege of Rheinberg (1586–1590)
• Siege of Meurs (1597)