Siege of Zierikzee (1576)

Siege of Zierikzee Part of the Eighty Years' War The Siege of Zierikzee Date October 1575 – July 29, 1576 Location Zierikzee (present-day Zeeland) Result Spanish victory Belligerents Dutch Rebels Spain Commanders and leaders Arend van der Dorp Cristóbal de Mondragón Strength 1,200 3,000 infantry, 400 cavalry

Dutch Revolt (Eighty Years' War) Western Europe Oosterweel Dahlen Heiligerlee Jemmingen Jodoigne Brielle Mons Goes 1st Mechelen Middelburg Haarlem Alkmaar 1st Geertruidenberg Leiden Valkenburg Mookerheyde Schoonhoven Zierikzee 1st Antwerp Gembloux Rijmenam 1st Deventer Borgerhout 1st Maastricht 2nd Mechelen 1st Steenwijk Kollum 1st Breda Noordhorn Niezijl Lochem Lier Eindhoven Steenbergen Aalst 2nd Antwerp Arnhem Empel Boksum 1st Grave 1st Venlo Axel Neuss 1st Rheinberg 1st Zutphen 1st Sluis 1st Bergen op Zoom 2nd Geertruidenberg 2nd Breda 2nd Zutphen 2nd Deventer Rouen 2nd Steenwijk Huy 1st Groenlo Lippe Calais 1st Hulst Turnhout 2nd Rheinberg Meurs 2nd Groenlo Bredevoort Enschede Ootmarsum Oldenzaal 1st Lingen Rees Nieuwpoort Ostend 1st 's-Hertogenbosch 2nd Grave Hoogstraaten Ardenburg • Oostberg • 3rd Sluis 2nd Lingen 3rd Groenlo Aachen Jülich 2nd Bergen op Zoom 3rd Breda 4th Groenlo 2nd 's-Hertogenbosch Slaak 2nd Maastricht Leuven Schenkenschans 3rd Breda 2nd Venlo Kallo 2nd Hulst European Waters Flushing Borsele Haarlemmermeer Zuiderzee Reimerswaal Lillo Ponta Delgada Gravelines Corunna • Lisbon Bayona Islands Gulf of Almería 1st Cádiz Ferrol • Azores Dover Strait 2nd Sluis 1st Gibraltar 2nd Gibraltar 2nd Cadiz Lizard Point Dunkirk Calais The Downs Cape St. Vincent Americas Bahia Bay of Matanzas 1st Saint Martin Puerto Rico Albrolhos 2nd Saint Martin Action of 12–17 January 1640 Southern Chile East Indies Playa-Honda La Naval de Manila Puerto de Cavite Dutch Formosa Spanish Formosa

The Siege of Zierikzee was a siege in the Eighty Years' War between October 1575 – and July 1576.

When Modragón lay siege to the city, Zierikzee had had enough time to prepare their defenses, because the preceding siege of Bommenede, had taken Modragón 20 days, which was a long time for a relative small city.
The Spanish couldn't storm Zierikzee, and therefore tried to cut off all supplies to the city. Until February 1576, despite heavy fire, small Dutch vessels were able to reach and supply the city. the defenders also did several sorties which inflicted casualties and damage on the Spanish. But by March, the Spanish had sealed all access to the city.

The Dutch under Admiral Lodewijk van Boisot and William the Silent did 3 attempts to break the siege. On April 11 a major sea battle was fought, but ended indecisively. A second attack on May 27 failed because the Spanish had been warned. Furthermore, Admiral Boisot was killed. After a third failed attempt, the Dutch withdrew on June 13.

Hunger now forced the defenders to start negotiations, which were concluded on July 29.
The garrison was allowed to leave the city, but Zierikzee had to pay 100,000 gulden. The city was occupied by the Spanish. But on July 12 a mutiny broke out under the Spanish troops, which didn't receive their long overdue and promised pay. They extorted money and goods from the population and abandoned Zierikzee on November 3. They headed to Brabant, and Modragón had no option, but to follow his troops.

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  The Low Countries in 1576 just after the taking of Zierikzee

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  The Low Countries one year later after the mutinies

Sources

• VAN OPSTAND TOT OORLOG (in Dutch) (p107-p 110)
• The Spanish Fury