Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: October 29, 2025
The aged but still vigorous statesman, ripe with half a century of political lore, and the high-born, brilliant, and scientific soldier, with the laurels of Turnhout and Nieuwpoort and of a hundred famous sieges upon his helmet, reformer of military science, and no mean proficient in the art of politics and government, were the representatives and leaders of the two great parties into which the Commonwealth had now unhappily divided itself.
The lesson first taught at Turnhout had now been impressed with crushing force. The Spaniards were no longer invincible; they had been twice signally defeated in an open field by greatly inferior forces.
Quadruple Alliance General Peace of Europe Wise Conduct of the Republic Great Danger from the bad State of the Dikes Death of the Emperor Charles VI. Maria Theresa Empress Her heroic Conduct Battle of Dettingen Louis XV. invades the Netherlands Conferences for Peace at Breda Battle of Fontenoy William IV. Stadtholder and Captain-General Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle Death of the Stadtholder, who is succeeded by his Son William V. War of Seven Years State of the Republic William V. Stadtholder Dismemberment of Poland Joseph II. Emperor His attempted Reforms in Religion War with England Sea-Fight on the Doggerbank Peace with England, 1784 Progress of Public Opinion in Europe, in Belgium, and Holland Violent Opposition to the Stadtholder Arrest of the Princess of Orange Invasion of Holland by the Prussian Army Agitation in Belgium Vander Noot Prince Albert of Saxe-Teschen and the Archduchess Maria Theresa joint Governors-General Succeeded by Count Murray Riots Meetings of the Provisional States General Insurrection Vonckists Vander Mersch Takes the Command of the Insurgents His Skilful Conduct He gains the Battle of Turnhout Takes Possession of Flanders Confederation of the Belgian Provinces Death of Joseph II. Leopold Emperor Arrest of Vander Mersch Arrogance of the States-General of Belgium The Austrians overrun the Country Convention at The Hague Death of Leopold Battle of Jemmappes General Dumouriez Conquest of Belgium by the French Recovered by the Austrians The Archduke Charles Governor-General War in the Netherlands Duke of York The Emperor Francis The Battle of Fleurus Incorporation of Belgium with the French Republic Peace of Leoben Treaty of Campo-Formio.
Assembling his well-seasoned and veteran troopers in force, he divided them into two formidable bands, one under the charge of his young brother Frederic Henry, the other under that most brilliant of cavalry officers, Marcellus Bax, hero of Turnhout and many another well-fought field. The river Ruhr was a wide but desultory stream, easily fordable in many places.
The stadholder reached the bank of that fatal stream only to witness this maddening spectacle, instead of the swift and brilliant triumph which he was justified in expecting. He did his best to stem the retreating tide. He called upon the veterans, by the memory of Turnhout and Nieuport, and so many other victories, to pause and redeem their name before it was too late.
A stream of water, the Neethe, one of the tributaries of the Scheld, separated Ravels from Turnhout, and was crossed by a stone bridge. It was an anxious moment. Maurice discovered by his scouts that he was almost within cannon-shot of several of the most famous regiments in the Spanish army lying fresh, securely posted, and capable of making an attack at any moment.
Nevertheless, it was possible; so the stout Hollanders, Zeelanders, and Englishmen struggled on manfully, shoulder to shoulder, through the mist and the mire. By nightfall the expedition had reached Ravels, at less than a league's distance from Turnhout, having accomplished, under the circumstances, a very remarkable march of over twenty miles.
Meantime the envoy had the honour of walking about the castle with the stadholder, and, in the course of their promenade, Maurice pointed to the thirty-eight standards taken at the battle of Turnhout, which hung from the cedarn rafters of the ancient banquetting hall.
The former had detached the count of Varas, with about six thousand men, for the purpose of invading the province of Holland; but Maurice, with equal energy and superior talent, followed big movements, came up with him near Turnhout, on the 24th of January, 1597; and after a sharp action, of which the Dutch cavalry bore the whole brunt, Varas was killed, and his troops defeated with considerable loss.
But the shock of mighty armies, the manoeuvring of vast masses in one magnificent combination, by which the fate of empires, the happiness or the misery of the peoples for generations, may perhaps be decided in a few hours, undoubtedly require a higher constructive genius than could be displayed in any such hand-to-hand encounter as that of Turnhout, scientifically managed as it unquestionably was.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking