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Friso-Hollandic Wars
Date 1272-1524 Location The Netherlands Result Holland invades west Frisia and later Frisia which revolts and gets independent later
Belligerents
Holland Zeeland	Frisia
Commanders
Arnulf Count Floris V Count William IV† Count Albert I† Count of Nychlenborch	Pier Gerlofs Donia and the Arumer Black Heap

The Friso-Hollandic Wars, or Frisian-Hollandic Wars (Dutch:Fries-Hollandse oorlogen), were a series of short mediæval wars (ranging from single battles to entire campaigns) fought in Frisia between the counts of Holland, their allies, and the Frisians.

[edit] Hollandic conquest of West Frisia

The conflicts between the counts of Holland and the Frisians have a long history. Arnulf (died September 18, 993) was the first Hollandic count to wage war on the Frisians.

Count Floris V is known to have organised various campaigns against the West Frisians. The first began in 1272 but failed. A second would follow in 1282 , in which he conquered various small regions. He subjected the whole of West Frisia during a flood between 1287 and 1288 and thus ended the independence of that territory.

After the death of Floris in 1296 , however, a large portion of West Frisia revolted, especially around Westflinge. On March 27, 1297, at a battle near Vroonen (close to present day Sint Pancras) the army of Holland and Zeeland defeated the West Frisians; the village was destroyed during the battle. From 1299 , the County of Holland is known as the County of Holland and West Frisia.

[edit] Hollandic conquest of Frisia

After the Hollandic counts completed their conquest of West Frisia, they planned the conquest of Middle Frisia, most of the present province of Friesland.

In 1345, Count William IV prepared a military action to conquer Middle Frisia, crossing the Zuiderzee with a large fleet and with the help of French and Flemish knights. He set sail in Enkhuizen, together with his uncle John, Duke of Beaumont, and landed near Stavoren and Laaxum. He was, however, ambushed and killed, in a battle known as the Battle of Warns.

In 1396, Count Albert I landed with an army near Kuinre and defeated the Frisians near Schoterzeil. In 1398 , during Albert's second campaign, the entire region of Frisia was subjected to Hollandic rule.

In 1413 , the last Frisian city, Stavoren, rejected Hollandic rule and Frisa was independent once again. After this civil war broke out amongst the Frisians once again: like those of the Schieringers and Vetkopers.

[edit] Donia's peasant rebellion

Between 1515 and 1524 , another war took place between Frisia and Holland. The Frisian farmers tried, for the last time in Frisian history, to establish an independent Frisia. In the series of battles that took place, the legendary 7,5 feet tall Frisian freedom fighter Pier Gerlofs Donia played a major role. A small group of highly specialised Frisian warriors, the Arumer Black Heap, lead by Grote Pier, fought a small guerilla war against Holland, and won several battles despite being grossly outnumbered; in the end, however, Frisia recognised the Emperor Charles V as overlord, though with no small measure of hidden anger and hurt pride.