Siege of Schenckenschans (1599)

Siege of Schenkenschans
Part of the Eighty Years' War & the Anglo–Spanish War
Siege of Schenkenschans - print by Frans Hogenberg
Date April 28 – May 2, 1599 Location Schenkenschanz (present-day Germany) Result Anglo-Dutch victory
Belligerents
England  Dutch Republic	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Maurice of Orange	Francesco de Mendoza Frederik van den Bergh
Strength
900 (Schenkenschans) 800 cavalry (relief)	17,000 troops 2,000 cavalry
Casualties and losses
light	400

The Siege of Schenkenschans was a siege that took place from 28 April to 2 May 1599 as part of the Eighty Years' War and the Anglo–Spanish War. Schenkenschans was garrisoned largely by English troops and was beseiged by a Spanish force led by Francesco de Mendoza. The Siege failed with losses and the Spanish were forced to retreat when a relief force arrived.

In 1586, Maartin Schenck and Roger Williams had been campaigning in the County of Westphalia raiding as far as Kaiserswerth. In Gelderland a sconce, called Schenckenschanz, or Schenck's Fortification was built, at the confluence of the Waal and the Rhine.Maurice of Orange strengthened the sconce later on; earthworks were built which formed two bastions. Bridges were built over the moats and a continuous series of posts where signals could be relayed. From this important strategic location, the sconce would inevitably be subjected to attack. By 1599, Maurice's army was stationed along the line of rivers ready to defend Schenckenschans, Nijmegen, Doesburg. Schenckenschans itself composed of eight hundred troops and one hundred pioneers almost all of them Englishmen who had served under Francis Vere (who was away in the Hague ).

Francesco de Mendoza, the Admiral of Aragon was stationed in Gelderland and was ordered by the Archduke of Austria to capture Schenkenschans—to the Spanish called "The Key to the islands". Once won, the Spanish would then be able to cut Holland off. On 17 April the Archduke left a section of troops to cover the Rhine and two days later Mendoza's force marched to Schenkenschans.

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