Siege of Steenwijk (1580–1581): Difference between revisions

|conflict=Siege of Steenwijk (1580–811580–1581)

|result=Anglo-Dutch victory<ref name=autogenerated>Jacques p. 969</ref><ref name=autogenerated0>Tracy pg&nbsp;83–84</ref>

|combatant1={{flagicon|Dutch Republic}} Dutch RebelsRepublic<br />{{flagicon|Kingdom of England}} [[Kingdom of England|England]]

|commander1= {{flagicon|Dutch Republic}} [[Johan van den Kornput]]<br />{{flagicon|Kingdom of England}} [[John Norris (soldier)|John Norreys]]

The '''Siegesiege of Steenwijk''' took place from October 18, 1580 – February 23, 1581 during the [[Eighty Years' War]] and the [[Anglo–Spanish War (1585)|Anglo–Spanish War]], between a besieging [[Spain|Spanish]] force under [[turncoat]] [[George van Lalaing]] against a [[Netherlands|Dutch rebel]] garrison at [[Steenwijk]] under [[Johan van den Kornput]]. An English and Dutch rebelRepublican force under [[John Norris (soldier)|John Norreys]] successfully relieved the town on January 24, and the Spanish in addition to ill-health and lack of supplies subsequently lifted the siege in February.<ref name=autogenerated />

In March 1577, the Spanish brought a contingent of soldiers from [[Wallonia]] to maintain their rule in the rebellious province of [[Overijssel]]. In March 1580, amidst outrage amongst the Protestant Dutch over the betrayal of [[George van Lalaing]] (Count of RennebergRennenberg and former Stadholder of [[Groningen]]) - who had turned to be in the service of Spain - the occupation force, their wages overdue, went over to the side of the Dutch rebelsforces.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

The province of Overijssel only had a small number of Dutch rebel troops—a company of soldiers led by Captain Olthof—but in October a second company led by Johan van den Kornput and consisting of 600 soldiers arrived at Steenwijk. In 1578, Kornput had provided vital strategic assistance to Lalaing (before his betrayal) during the [[siege of Deventer (1578)|siege of Deventer]]. Subsequently, the city was forced to surrender and came into [[States-General of the Netherlands|States]] hands.<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite book|last=Buisman|first=Jan|title= Duizend jaar weer, wind en water in de Lage Landen. Deel 4: 1575–1675|year=1998|publisher=Franeker: Van Wijnen|isbn=90-5194-143-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P7LKv2fv1EMC}} (Dutch)</ref>

A bombardment in November destroyed about seventy houses, testing the city residents, who were already suffering because the harvest that year had been poor. Two relief attempts by the rebel Dutch were frustrated by the besiegers in late November. The Dutch rebelRepublican forces then asked [[John Norris (soldier)|John Norreys]], who was in [[Duchy of Brabant|Brabant]], to help relieve the beleaguered garrison. Promoted to the rank of general officer, Norreys marched to Steenwijk with two thousand men.<ref name=autogenerated3>Knight, Charles Raleigh: ''Historical records of The Buffs, East Kent Regiment (3rd Foot) formerly designated the Holland Regiment and Prince George of Denmark's Regiment''. Vol I. London, Gale & Polden, 1905, [https://archive.org/stream/historicalrecor00kniggoog#page/n42/mode/2up p. 17]</ref>

Norreys arrived before Steenwijk on December 15, but the relief column was immediately attacked by the Spanish. In a general engagement along the banks of the [[Vledder Aa]], the English and Dutch rebels repelled the attackers. The defeated Spanish fled, leaving behind much armor and other equipment. Seizing the advantage, Norreys then broke through the besiegerbesiegers's entrenchments and supplied and reinforced the town.<ref name=autogenerated3/> This relief, albeit temporary, was the turning point.<ref name=autogenerated0 />

On February 23, 1581, the situation for the besiegedbesiegers was desperate. Many, including Lalaing, were ill from exposure. With supplies and ammunition running low, Lalaing could not sit out the winter months or gain ground. He gave up the siege and retreated with his men.<ref name=autogenerated /><ref name=autogenerated1 />

* {{cite book |last= Davies |first= Charles Maurice|title=History of Holland, from the beginning of the tenth to the end of the eighteenth century|volume=1 |year=1841 |publisher=J.W. Parker |location=London, UK|isbn=}}

* {{cite book |last= Jaques|first= Tony |authorlink= |title= Dictionary of Battles and Sieges: A Guide to 8500 Battles from Antiquity Through the Twenty-first Century |volume= |year= 2006|publisher= Greenwood Press|location= |isbn= 978-0-313-33536-5}}

* {{cite book |last= Motley|first= John Lothrop|title=The Rise of the Dutch Republic, Entire 1566–74|location=|isbn=|url=https://archive.org/details/jm23v}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Steenwijk1Siege of Steenwijk (1580-811581)}}

[[Category:SiegesConflicts ofin the Eighty Years' War1580|Steenwijk]]

[[Category:SiegesConflicts involvingin Spain1581|Steenwijk]]

[[Category:Sieges1580 involvingin the Dutch Republic]]

[[Category:Sieges1581 involvingin Englandthe Dutch Republic]]

[[Category:1580 in Europethe Habsburg Netherlands]]

[[Category:1581 in Europethe Habsburg Netherlands]]

[[Category:Conflicts16th-century inmilitary 1580history of the Kingdom of England]]

[[Category:Conflicts16th-century inmilitary 1581history of Spain]]

[[Category:Steenwijkerland|SiegeBattles of the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604)|Steenwijk (1580-15811580–81)]]

[[Category:HistoryEighty ofYears' Overijssel|Siege of SteenwijkWar (1580-15811566–1609)]]