Destruction of Neuss

51°12′1″N 6°41′38″E / 51.20028°N 6.69389°E / 51.20028; 6.69389

Destruction of Neuss
Part of the Cologne War
Great city fire after the siege of Neuss.
Date July 1586, concluded 26 July 1586 Location Neuss Result Victory for Ernest of Bavaria
Belligerents
Pro-Gebhard Truchsess Cologne Dutch States Army	Pro-Ernest of Bavaria Cologne Army of Flanders
Commanders and leaders
Hermann Friedrich Cloedt †	Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma
Strength
Garrison: 1,600 Dutch and German Artillery: none	Troops: 8,000 infantry, 2,000 cavalry Artillery: 45
Casualties and losses
Garrison: no known survivors Civilian and military dead: 4,000+	<500

The Destruction of Neuss occurred in July 1586, during the Cologne War. Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma's troops surrounded the city of Neuss, an important Protestant garrison in the Electorate of Cologne. After the city refused to capitulate, Parma's army reduced the city to rubble through a combination of artillery fire, destructive house-to-house fighting, and plundering; during the battle, a fire started that destroyed most of the rest of the city. Approximately 3,000 civilians died, out of a population of around 4,500, and the entire garrison was killed.