Siege of Haarlem (1572–73)

Siege of Haarlem

Stained glass window in St. Bavochurch by Friso ten Holt (1980), commemorating the siege of Haarlem.

Date	1572–1573
Location	Haarlem (present-day Netherlands)
Result	Spanish victory

Belligerents

Dutch Rebels

England

Spain

Commanders and leaders

Wigbolt Ripperda

William the Silent

Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo

Strength

2,550 infantry and 225 cavalry (Haarlem)
5,000 soldiers
(William the Silent)

17,000–18,000 troops

Casualties and losses

2,000 dead or wounded
(Haarlem)
700 - 5,000 dead or wounded
(William the Silent)

1,700 dead

The siege of Haarlem was an episode of the Eighty Years' War. From 11 December 1572 to 13 July 1573 an army of Philip II of Spain laid bloody siege to the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands, whose loyalties had begun wavering during the previous summer. After the naval battle of Haarlemmermeer and the defeat of a land relief force, the starving city surrendered and the garrison was massacred. The resistance nonetheless was taken as an heroic example by the Orangists at the sieges of Alkmaar and Leiden.

The city of Haarlem initially held a moderate view in the religious war that was going on in the Netherlands. It managed to escape from the Reformed iconoclasm in 1566 that affected other cities in the Netherlands. When the city of Brielle was conquered by the Geuzen revolutionary army on 1 April, Haarlem did not initially support the Geuzen. Most city administrators—unlike many citizens—did not favor open revolution against Philip II of Spain, who had inherited rule of the Netherlands from his father, the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. However, after much political debate the city officially turned against Philip II on 4 July 1572.

The ruler of Spain was not pleased, and sent an army north under command of Don Fadrique (Don Frederick in Dutch), son of the Duke of Alva. On 17 November 1572 all citizens of the city of Zutphen were murdered by the Spanish army, and on 1 December the city of Naarden suffered the same fate.

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