Siege of Mons (1572) | |||||||
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Part of the Eighty Years' War and the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604) | |||||||
Mons in 1572 by Frans Hogenberg | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Dutch Rebels England French Huguenot forces | Spain | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
William of Orange Louis of Nassau Jean de Hangest (POW) |
Duke of Alba Fadrique de Toledo Julián Romero Chiappino Vitelli | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Louis of Nassau: 6,000–6,500 men[8] Jean de Hangest: 10,000 men[9] William of Orange: 14,000 infantry and 3,000 cavalry[10] |
8,500[11] 36 cannons |
The siege of Mons of 1572 took place at Mons, capital of the County of Hainaut, Spanish Netherlands (present-day Belgium), between 23 June and 19 September 1572, as part of the Eighty Years' War, the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604), and the French Wars of Religion.[1][6] In the spring of 1572, after the capture of Valenciennes by a Protestant force under Louis of Nassau, the Dutch commander continued with his offensive and took Mons by surprise on 24 May.[6][12] After three months of siege, and the defeats of the armies of Jean de Hangest, seigneur d'Yvoy and Genlis, and William the Silent, Prince of Orange (Dutch: Willem van Oranje), by the Spanish army led by Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba ("The Iron Duke"), Governor-General of the Spanish Netherlands,[5] and his son, Don Fadrique de Toledo,[6] Louis of Nassau's forces, isolated and without any hope of help, surrendered Mons to the Duke of Alba on 19 September.[6][13][14]