History of the United Netherlands, 1600

History of the United
Netherlands, 1600

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1600
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Title: History of the United Netherlands, 1600
Author: John Lothrop Motley
Release Date: January, 2004 [EBook #4873] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on April 15,
2002]

Edition: 10
Language: English
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UNITED NETHERLANDS, 1600 ***

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HISTORY OF THE UNITED NETHERLANDS From the Death of
William the Silent to the Twelve Year's Truce--1609
By John Lothrop Motley

MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg
Edition, Vol. 73
History of the United Netherlands, 1600

CHAPTER, XXXVIII.
Military events--Aggressive movement of the Netherlanders--State of
the Archdukes provinces--Mutiny of the Spanish forces--Proposed
invasion of Flanders by the States-General--Disembarkation of the
troops on the Spanish coasts--Capture of Oudenburg and other places
--Surprise of Nieuport--Conduct of the Archduke--Oudenburg and the
other forts re-taken--Dilemma of the States' army--Attack of the
Archduke on Count Ernest's cavalry--Panic and total overthrow of the
advance-guard of the States' army--Battle of Nieuport--Details of the
action--Defeat of the Spanish army--Results of the whole expedition.
The effect produced in the republic by the defensive and uneventful
campaigning of the year 1599 had naturally been depressing. There was

murmuring at the vast amount of taxation, especially at the new
imposition of one-half per cent. upon all property, and two-and-a-half
per cent. on all sales, which seemed to produce so few results. The
successful protection of the Isle of Bommel and the judicious purchase
of the two forts of Crevecoeur and St. Andrew; early in the following
year, together with their garrisons, were not military events of the first
magnitude, and were hardly enough to efface the mortification felt at
the fact that the enemy had been able so lately to construct one of those
strongholds within the territory of the commonwealth.
It was now secretly determined to attempt an aggressive movement on
a considerable scale, and to carry the war once for all into the heart of
the obedient provinces. It was from Flanders that the Spanish armies
drew a great portion of their supplies. It was by the forts erected on the
coast of Flanders in the neighbourhood of Ostend that this important
possession of the States was rendered nearly valueless. It was by
privateers swarming from the ports of Flanders, especially from
Nieuport and Dunkirk, that the foreign trade of the republic was
crippled, and its intercommunications by river and estuary rendered
unsafe. Dunkirk was simply a robbers' cave, a station from which an
annual tax was levied upon the commerce of the Netherlands, almost
sufficient, had it been paid to the national treasury instead of to the
foreign freebooters, to support the expenses of a considerable army.
On the other hand the condition of the archdukes seemed deplorable.
Never had mutiny existed before in so well-organised and definite a
form even in the Spanish Netherlands.
Besides those branches of the "Italian republic," which had been
established in the two fortresses of Crevecoeur and St. Andrew, and
which had already sold themselves to the States, other organisations
quite as formidable existed in various other portions of the obedient
provinces. Especially at Diest and Thionville the rebellious Spaniards
and Italians were numbered by thousands, all veterans, well armed,
fortified in strong cities; and supplying themselves with perfect
regularity by contributions levied upon the peasantry, obeying their
Eletto and other officers with exemplary promptness; and paying no
more heed to the edicts or the solicitations of the archduke than if he
had been the Duke of Muscovy.
The opportunity seemed