Capture of Delfzijl
Capture of Delfzijl | |||||||
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Part of the Eighty Years' War & the Anglo–Spanish War | |||||||
![]() Siege of Delfzijl July 1591; from the workshop of Frans Hogenberg | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Strength | |||||||
9,000 | 300 10 guns[2] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Low | All surrendered[3] |
- v
- t
- e
Western Europe
- Beeldenstorm
- Valenciennes
- Wattrelos
- Lannoy
- Oosterweel
- Dahlen
- Heiligerlee
- Jemmingen
- Jodoigne
- Le Quesnoy
Western Europe
- Brielle
- Mons
- 1st Mechelen
- Goes
- Naarden
- Middelburg
- Haarlem
- IJsselmeer
- Alkmaar
- 1st Geertruidenberg
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- Mookerheyde
- Oudewater
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- Zierikzee
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- Flushing
- Borsele
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- Zuiderzee
- Reimerswaal
- Lillo
Western Europe
- 1st Antwerp
- Gembloux
- Rijmenam
- 1st Deventer
- Borgerhout
Western Europe
- 1st Maastricht
- 2nd Mechelen
- Diest
- 1st Steenwijk
- Kollum
- 1st Breda
- Noordhorn
- Niezijl
- Lochem
- 1st Lier
- 2nd Antwerp
- Eindhoven
- Steenbergen
- Ghent
- Aalst
- 3rd Antwerp
- Arnhem
- Empel
- Boksum
- 1st Grave
- 1st Venlo
- Axel
- Neuss
- 1st Rheinberg
- 1st Zutphen
- 1st Sluis
- European waters
- Ten Years, 1588–1598
Western Europe
- 1st Bergen op Zoom
- 2nd Geertruidenberg
- 2nd Breda
- 2nd Zutphen
- 2nd Deventer
- Delfzijl
- Knodsenburg
- 1st Hulst
- Nijmegen
- Rouen
- Caudebec
- 2nd Steenwijk
- 1st Coevorden
- 1st Luxemburg
- 3rd Geertruidenberg
- 2nd Coevorden
- Groningen
- 2nd Luxemburg
- Huy
- 1st Groenlo
- Lippe
- 2nd Lier
- Calais
- 2nd Hulst
- Turnhout
- 2nd Rheinberg
- 1st Meurs
- 2nd Groenlo
- Bredevoort
- Enschede
- Ootmarsum
- 1st Oldenzaal
- 1st Lingen
- European waters
Western Europe
- 1st Schenckenschans
- Zaltbommel
- Rees
- San Andreas
- Lekkerbeetje
- Nieuwpoort
- 3rd Rheinberg
- Ostend
- 1st 's-Hertogenbosch
- 2nd Grave
- Hoogstraaten
- 3rd Sluis
- 2nd Lingen
- 4th Rheinberg
- 3rd Groenlo
- European waters
- Dover Strait
- 2nd Sluis
- 1st Cape St. Vincent
- 1st Gibraltar
- Twelve Years' Truce, 1609–1621
Western Europe
- Aachen
East Indies
Western Europe
- Jülich
- 2nd Bergen op Zoom
- Fleurus
- 3rd Breda
- 2nd Oldenzaal
- 4th Groenlo
- 2nd 's-Hertogenbosch
- Meuse (2nd Maastricht, 2nd Venlo, 1st Roermond)
- 5th Rheinberg
- Leuven
- 2nd Schenkenschans
- 4th Breda
- 3rd Venlo
- 2nd Roermond
- Kallo
- 3rd Hulst
- 4th Hulst
European waters
- 2nd Gibraltar
- 2nd Cádiz
- Slaak
- Lizard Point
- Dunkirk
- 2nd English Channel
- The Downs
- 2nd Cape St. Vincent
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- 1st Salvador
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- Abrolhos
- Trujillo · Campeche
- 1st Saint Martin
- 2nd Salvador
- Itamaracá
- Southern Chile
- 2nd Saint Martin
East Indies
The Capture of Delfzijl took place during the Eighty Years' War and the Anglo–Spanish War by a Dutch and English army led by Maurice of Orange.[3] The siege commenced on 26 June and lasted until the Spanish troops surrendered the city of Delfzijl on 2 July 1591.[2][4]
Events
Background
In early 1591, Maurice had begun a campaign to push the Spanish out of the Netherlands - the States General of the Netherlands wanted Nijmegen to be taken, but complications arose of its capture, so surrounding towns and cities such as Zutphen and Deventer had to be taken before any siege took place. The strategy was to draw the Spanish troops and make them think the real objective was elsewhere. First Zutphen and then Deventer were both taken by Dutch troops under Maurice and English troops under Francis Vere respectively.[5] The next target was Groningen in the North as two years before William Louis, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, had captured a sconce at Zoutkamp, providing an initial impetus to eventually besiege Groningen. This was soon abandoned by Maurice as it was still considered too strong to besiege, and in addition the threatened approach of the Duke of Parma with his army.[2]
Capture
Maurice instead went directly to the North - his target was the town and fortress of Delfzijl which lay on the shores of the Dollart, a large inlet dividing the province of Groningen from the German district of Emden, a Spanish supply base.[4] On June 26, 1591, the Anglo-Dutch army came before the fortress - they had used 150 boats along the waterways to transport their heavy artillery.[1] The Spanish garrison in Delfzijl numbered only 300 troops and ten guns and both sides knew they were in for a short siege. Siege positions were established in front of the town and when the guns were all in position, they opened fire.[4] Sure enough after a heavy bombardment in the first few days of the siege the Spanish garrison, realising no relief was forthcoming, had had enough and began negotiations for surrender on 2 July.[2] Maurice eventually agreed and the Spanish garrison surrendered and was allowed to leave (except for the disloyal and defectors) under terms for Groningen.[1]
Aftermath
Francisco Verdugo, the Spanish governor in the province of Groningen, was enraged when they arrived there.[3] He ordered the captains beheaded and then humiliated the soldiers. Twelve soldiers were chosen by a lot to be imprisoned; five of these were also beheaded later.[3]
Maurice, after taking Delfzijl, reinforced the fortifications there according to the original plans of Johan van den Kornput and placed a small garrison of Dutch and English inside. In early 1594, the garrison was able to repel a Spanish attack led by Francisco Verdugo.[1]
Maruice then marched from Delfzil and advanced towards Hulst and Nijmegen. Maurice and the Dutch and English army instead had to come before Knodsenburg where they defeated the Duke of Parma attempting to besiege the place.[3][4]
References
- Citations
- ^ a b c d Wernham, Richard Bruce (1980). List and Analysis of State Papers, Foreign Series: June 1591-April 1592, Volume 1; Volumes 3-4. H.M. Stationery Office. ISBN 9783601002314.
- ^ a b c d Kuypers, F.H.W. (1871). Geschiedenis der Nederlandsche artillerie van af de vroegste tijden tot op heden, Volume 2 (Dutch). p. 233.
- ^ a b c d e Julsing pp 117-18
- ^ a b c d Markham 175
- ^ van der Hoeven p 40
- Bibliography
- Wernham, Richard Bruce (1980). List and Analysis of State Papers, Foreign Series: June 1591-April 1592, Volume 1; Volumes 3-4. H.M. Stationery Office. ISBN 9783601002314.
- Tracy Borman (1997). Sir Francis Vere in the Netherlands, 1589-1603: A Re-evaluation of His Career as Sergeant Major General of Elizabeth I's Troops. University of Hull.
- Julsing, Johan (2006). Het geheime dagboek van de Groninger stadssecretaris Johan Julsing 1589-1594 Volume 2 of Groninger bronnen reeks (Dutch). Uitgeverij Van Gorcum. ISBN 9789023242345.
- Markham, C. R (2007). The Fighting Veres: Lives Of Sir Francis Vere And Sir Horace Vere. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 978-1432549053.
- van der Hoeven, Marco (1997). Exercise of Arms: Warfare in the Netherlands, 1568-1648 Volume 1 of History of warfare. BRILL. ISBN 9789004107274.