Siege of Haarlem

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Siege of Haarlem
Part of the Eighty Years' War
Romanticized historical painting of Kenau leading a group of 300 women in defense of Haarlem, by Barend Wijnveld and J.H. Egenberger, 1854
Date 11 December 1572–13 July 1573 Location Haarlem, County of Holland Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
Dutch Rebels England French Huguenots German Protestants	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Wigbolt Ripperda  William the Silent	Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo
Strength
2,550 infantry and 225 cavalry (Haarlem) 5,000 soldiers (William the Silent)	17,000–18,000 troops[1]
Casualties and losses
2,000 dead or wounded (Haarlem) 700 – 5,000 dead or wounded (William the Silent)	1,700 dead Thousands of casualties

The siege of Haarlem was an episode of the Eighty Years' War. From 11 December 1572 to 13 July 1573 an army of Philip II of Spain laid bloody siege to the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands, whose loyalties had begun wavering during the previous summer. After the naval battle of Haarlemmermeer and the defeat of a land relief force, the starving city surrendered and the garrison was massacred. The resistance nonetheless was taken as an heroic example by the Orangists at the sieges of Alkmaar and Leiden.