Back Sitio de Lier (1582) Spanish Surprise de Lierre French Assedio di Lier (1582) Italian Verraad van Lier Dutch

Siege of Lier (1582)

Siege of Lier (1582)
Part of the Eighty Years' War and the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604)
Date1-2 August 1582
Location
Lier (present-day Belgium)
Result Spanish victory[1][2]
Belligerents
Dutch Republic United Provinces
 England		  Spain
Commanders and leaders
Kingdom of England William Semple
(Desertion)[3]		 Spain Alexander Farnese

The siege of Lier of 1582, also known as the capture of Lier or betrayal of Lier, took place between 1 and 2 August 1582 at Lier, near Antwerp (present-day in the Belgian province of Antwerp, Flemish Region, Belgium), during the Eighty Years' War and the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604).[1][4][5] On 2 August the Spanish army commanded by Governor-General Don Alexander Farnese, Prince of Parma (Spanish: Alejandro Farnesio), supported by part of the States garrison (a discontent group of Scottish troops led by Captain William Semple), captured and seized the town, defeating the rest of the Dutch, English and German troops under Governor of Lier.[3][4] The entire garrison was killed or captured.[6] The news of the Spanish victory at Lier was a shock to the States-General at Antwerp, where the sense of insecurity was obvious, and many of the Protestant citizens sold their houses and fled to northern Flanders.[7]

Equestrian statue of Don Alexander Farnese by Francesco Mochi.

The consequences of Semple's action were considerable because Liere was a strategic position, regarded as "the bulwark of Antwerp and the key of the Duchy of Brabant".[3] The betrayal of Bruges in the following year by Colonel Boyd was probably prompted by his countryman's example.[3][5] After a short visit to Prince Alexander Farnese at Namur, Semple was sent to Spain with a strong recommendation to King Philip II of Spain, who according to the Italian Jesuit Famiano Strada, handsomely rewarded him.[8]

The next Spanish success was on 17 November, when the Spaniards led by Johann Baptista von Taxis (Spanish: Juan Baptista de Taxis) captured Steenwijk (taken by Dutch States forces on 23 February 1581)[9] forcing the Protestant troops to surrender.[10]

  1. ^ a b Rebellion, Repression, Reinvention: Mutiny in Comparative Perspective. Jane Hathaway p.49
  2. ^ Scots in Habsburg Service: 1618 - 1648. D. C. Worthington p.68
  3. ^ a b c d Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 51. William Semple by Thomas Graves Law.
  4. ^ a b George Daniel Ramsay p.189
  5. ^ a b European Warfare 1494-1660. Jeremy Black p.110
  6. ^ The Road to Rocroi: Class, Culture and Command in the Spanish Army of Flanders 1567-1659. Fernando González de León p.115
  7. ^ Ramsay p.189
  8. ^ Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 51.
  9. ^ Tony Jaques p.969
  10. ^ Tracy pp.83–84

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