Siege of Venlo (1586) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Siege of Venlo (1586) |
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| Part of the Eighty Years' War and the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604) | |||||||
 Engraving Siege of Venlo of 1586 by Simon Frisius. Collection Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Provinces England |
 Spain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Maarten Schenck Roger Williams |
 Alexander Farnese |
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The Siege of Venlo in 1586 was an important battle during the Eighty Years' War and the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604). It happened on June 28, 1586, in the city of Venlo, which is now in the Limburg province of the Netherlands. Spanish forces, led by Prince Alexander Farnese, fought against the Dutch soldiers defending Venlo. The Dutch were also helped by troops led by Maarten Schenck van Nydeggen and Sir Roger Williams.
After two tries to help the city failed, the Dutch soldiers in Venlo gave up. This meant the Spanish army won the siege.
Contents
What Happened at Venlo?
The city of Venlo was located in a key area. It was important for controlling parts of the Low Countries. The Spanish army wanted to take it over. This was part of a bigger conflict where the Dutch were fighting for their independence from Spain. England also joined the fight against Spain.
A Daring Night Raid
During the siege, something very brave happened. About 170 Dutch and English soldiers, led by Maarten Schenck and Roger Williams, tried to help Venlo. They secretly moved through the Spanish army's lines at night. They surprised some Spanish soldiers and even got close to Prince Farnese's tent.
They managed to kill Farnese's secretary and his personal guard. But then, the Spanish camp woke up! Schenck's troops had to run away quickly towards a place called Wachtendonk. About 2,000 Spanish soldiers chased them. Sadly, nearly half of Schenck's brave soldiers were killed or captured during this chase.
What Happened After Venlo?
After taking Venlo, the Spanish army, still led by Prince Alexander Farnese, moved on. In July 1586, they surrounded the city of Neuss. Neuss was a strong Protestant city in the Electorate of Cologne. Spain was helping Ernest of Bavaria in the Cologne War.
Neuss refused to give up. Because of this, Prince Farnese's army almost completely destroyed the city. The soldiers defending Neuss, including their commander Hermann Friedrich Cloedt, were all killed or captured.
Later Attempts to Take Venlo
Venlo remained important. Years later, others tried to capture it from the Spanish. On May 21, 1597, Maurice of Nassau tried to surprise the city. But the Spanish soldiers and the people of Venlo defended it well, and Maurice's plan failed. In 1606, Frederick Henry also tried to take Venlo, but he failed too.
See also
In Spanish: Sitio de Venlo (1586) para niños
