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Updated: June 12, 2025
He was anxious to emulate that general's success, and as the veteran leaders, Mondragon and Verdugo, had both died, he gave the command to the Seigneur de Rosne, a French refugee. This man was a commander of skill and enterprise, and special circumstances enabled him by two brilliant offensive strokes to capture first Calais and afterwards Hulst.
Young William Lewis Nassau, already a soldier of marked abilities, was fully occupied in Friesland, where he was stadholder, and where he had quite enough to do in making head against the Spanish governor and general, the veteran Verdugo: Military operations against Zutphen distracted the attention of the States, which should have been fixed upon Antwerp.
Early in the following spring, Verdugo again appeared before Coeworden in force. It was obvious that the great city of Groningen, the mistress of all the north-eastern provinces, would soon be attacked, and Coeworden was the necessary base of any operations against the place.
By the beginning of September he had got beneath the principal fort, which, in the course of three or four days, he expected to blow into the air. The rainy weather had impeded his operations and the march of the relieving army. Nevertheless that army was at last approaching. The regiments of Mondragon, Charles Mansfeld, Gonzaga, Berlaymont, and Arenberg had been despatched to reinforce Verdugo.
An intercepted letter from Verdugo, who had been foiled in his efforts to arrest the career of Maurice, indicated great respect for his prowess. "I have been informed," said the veteran, "that Count Maurice of Nassau wishes to fight me.
The property of Verdugo, royal stadholder of the province, was to be respected, and to remain in the city, or to be taken thence under safe conduct, as might be preferred. Ten thousand cannon-shot had been fired against the city. The cost of powder and shot consumed was estimated at a hundred thousand florins. Four hundred of the besiegers had been killed, and a much larger number wounded.
He then moved along the Nyenoort through the Seven Wolds and Drenthe to Steenwyk, before which strongly fortified city he arrived on the 15th July. Meantime, he received intercepted letters from Verdugo to the Duke of Parma, dated 19th June from Groningen.
The bussiness on which Carvajal was engaged was of too great importance to admit of pursuing Verdugo; wherefore, after having got possession of as much money as possible under pretence of a loan, he went on to Lima, always collecting all the soldiers he could procure. He gave no money to his recruits, only supplying them with horses and arms, which he took wherever they could be found.
He was determined, at every hazard, to relieve that important city; and although, after leaving necessary detachments on the way; he had but five thousand men under his command, besides fifteen hundred under Verdugo making sixty-five hundred in all he had decided that the necessity of the case, and his own honour; required him to seek the enemy, and to leave, as he said, the issue with the God of battles, whose cause it was.
Prince Maurice lays siege to Gertruydenberg Advantages of the new system of warfare Progress of the besieging operations Superiority of Maurice's manoeuvres Adventure of Count Philip of Nassau Capitulation of Gertruydenberg Mutiny among the Spanish troops Attempt of Verdugo to retake Coeworden Suspicions of treason in the English garrison at Ostend Letter of Queen Elizabeth to Sir Edward Norris on the subject Second attempt on Coeworden Assault on Groningen by Maurice Second adventure of Philip of Nassau Narrow escape of Prince Maurice Surrender of Groningen Particulars of the siege Question of religious toleration Progress of the United Netherlands Condition of the "obedient" Netherlands Incompetency of Peter Mansfeld as Governor Archduke Ernest, the successor of Farnese Difficulties of his position His unpopularity Great achievements of the republicans Triumphal entry of Ernest into Brussels and Antwerp Magnificence of the spectacle Disaffection of the Spanish troops Great military rebellion Philip's proposal to destroy the English fleet His assassination plans Plot to poison Queen Elizabeth Conspiracies against Prince Maurice Futile attempts at negotiation Proposal of a marriage between Henry and the Infanta Secret mission from Henry to the King of Spain Special dispatch to England and the Staten Henry obtains further aid from Queen Elizabeth and the States Council Anxiety of the Protestant countries to bring about a war with Spain Aspect of affairs at the close of the year 1594.
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