Title:  History of the United Netherlands, 1586

Author:  John Lothrop Motley

Release Date:  January, 2004 [EBook #4848] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on April 5, 2002]

Edition:  10

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

*** Start of the project gutenberg EBOOK history united Netherlands, 1586 ***

This eBook was produced by David Widger widger@cecomet.net

[Note:  There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of the file for those who may wish to sample the author’s ideas before making an entire meal of them.  D.W.]

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. 48

History of the United Netherlands, 1586

CHAPTER IX.

Military Plans in the Netherlands—­The Elector and Electorate of Cologne—­Martin Schenk—­His Career before serving the States—­ Franeker University founded—­Parma attempts Grave—­Battle on the Meuse—­Success and Vainglory of Leicester—­St. George’s Day triumphantly kept at Utrecht—­Parma not so much appalled as it was thought—­He besieges and reduces Grave—­And is Master of the Meuse—­ Leicester’s Rage at the Surrender of Grave—­His Revenge—­Parma on the Rhine—­He besieges aid assaults Neusz—­Horrible Fate of the Garrison and City—­Which Leicester was unable to relieve—­Asel surprised by Maurice and Sidney—­The Zeeland Regiment given to Sidney—­Condition of the Irish and English Troops—­Leicester takes the Field—­He reduces Doesburg—­He lays siege to Zutphen—­Which Parma prepares to relieve—­The English intercept the Convoy—­Battle of Warnsfeld—­Sir Philip Sidney wounded—­Results of the Encounter—­ Death of Sidney at Arnheim—­Gallantry of Edward Stanley.

Five great rivers hold the Netherland territory in their coils.  Three are but slightly separated—­the Yssel, Waal, and ancient Rhine, while the Scheldt and, Meuse are spread more widely asunder.  Along each of these streams were various fortified cities, the possession of which, in those days, when modern fortification was in its infancy, implied the control of the surrounding country.  The lower part of all the rivers, where they mingled with the sea and became wide estuaries, belonged to the Republic, for the coasts and the ocean were in the hands of the Hollanders and English.  Above, the various strong places were alternately in the hands of the Spaniards and of the patriots.  Thus Antwerp, with the other Scheldt cities, had fallen into Parma’s power,