Spanish Fury at Mechelen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Spanish Fury at Mechelen
Part of Eighty Years' War
Date October 2, 1572 Location Mechelen, modern Belgium Result All the rebellious towns of Brabant surrender
Belligerents
Spain	People of Mechelen
Commanders and leaders
Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo	Bernard van Merode

The Spanish Fury at Mechelen was a terrible event during the Eighty Years' War. On October 2, 1572, the city of Mechelen in what is now Belgium was attacked by the Spanish army. The soldiers brutally took over and looted the city. This event is sometimes called the "Sack of Mechelen."

Why Mechelen Was Attacked

In the spring and summer of 1572, many cities in the Low Countries (modern-day Netherlands and Belgium) started to support William of Orange. William was a leader fighting against Spanish rule. Mechelen opened its gates to William's troops on August 31. William then moved on, leaving a small group of soldiers in Mechelen led by Bernard van Merode.

However, on September 21, a large Spanish army arrived. This army was led by the Duke of Alba. He forced William of Orange to retreat. The Duke of Alba then wanted to take back all the cities that had supported William. He decided to make an example of Mechelen.

The Duke's Plan for Mechelen

The Duke of Alba ordered his son, Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo, to punish Mechelen. The city was being punished for letting rebel soldiers stay there. Also, the Spanish soldiers had not been paid in a long time. Looting a rich city like Mechelen would give them money and keep them happy.

The Attack on Mechelen

When Bernard van Merode heard that a much stronger Spanish army was coming, he and his soldiers left Mechelen. Most people in Mechelen were Catholic. They hoped to avoid a fight. They welcomed the Spanish soldiers by singing religious songs as a sign of surrender.

City Plundered by Spanish Troops

Even though the people surrendered, Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo let his troops attack the city. For three days, the Spanish soldiers killed people and stole everything they could find. The Duke of Alba later told King Philip II that "no nail was left in the wall." This meant the city was completely destroyed and looted.

A historian named Jean Leclerc wrote about the event in 1728. He said that the small group of soldiers in Mechelen could not stop the Spanish. He also mentioned that Fadrique de Toledo was hurt during the attack. This made the Duke of Alba even angrier. Leclerc wrote that the city was completely plundered. The stolen goods were worth a huge amount of money.

What Happened Next

The attack on Mechelen had a quick effect. All the other cities in the Duke of Alba's path surrendered without fighting. They did not want to suffer the same fate as Mechelen. The next city to be punished was Zutphen on November 15. This event was called the Spanish Fury at Zutphen.

It's important to know that the "Spanish Furies" in 1572 were ordered by military leaders. However, the Spanish Fury at Antwerp in 1576 was different. That attack was done by Spanish soldiers who had not been paid and were rebelling against their own commanders.

See also

In Spanish: Saqueo de Malinas para niños