Siege of Huy (1595)

Siege of Huy (1595)
Part of the Eighty Years' War and the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604)

Engraving of the Siege of Huy in 1595 by Frans Hogenberg. Collection Rijksmuseum Amsterdam.
DateMarch 7–20, 1595
LocationHuy, Archbishopric of Liège
(present-day Belgium)
Result Spanish victory[1][2]
Belligerents
Dutch Republic United Provinces
 England
Huguenots		  Spain
Commanders and leaders
Charles de Héraugière Baron de la Motte
Strength
1,800[3] Unknown

The Siege of Huy of 1595, also known as the Assault of Huy, was a Spanish victory that took place between 7 and 20 March 1595, at Huy, Archbishopric of Liège, Low Countries, as part of the Eighty Years' War, the French Wars of Religion, and the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604).[1][2] Despite the promises of Prince Maurice of Orange to relieve Huy, the forces of the new Governor-General of the Spanish Netherlands, Don Pedro Henríquez de Acevedo, Count of Fuentes (Spanish: Conde de Fuentes), led by Don Valentín Pardieu de la Motte, after a short siege and low resistance, captured the town and the citadel from the combined Protestant troops of Charles de Héraugière.[1][2] Thirteen days later, on March 20, Héraugière, unable to keep the defense, agreed the terms of the capitulation between the Protestant forces and the Spaniards.[4]

The Spanish forces were composed by two Spanish tercios led by Don Luis de Velasco and Don Antonio de Zúñiga, two German regiments, three Walloon regiments, and some pieces of artillery.[5] The majority of the Protestant forces were composed by Dutch troops, about 1,800 infantry and cavalry, which included a regiment of Scots commanded by General Barthold Balfour, and a contingent of Huguenots.[3][6]

Although Huy was declared neutral in the war, during the occupation by the forces of Héraugière, the population endured great abuses by the Protestant soldiers, and several churches and lots of houses were looted.[4] The Spanish forces retired on March 23, leaving the citadel of Huy in the hands of Captain Juan de Zornoza, with 150 Spanish soldiers, until repair the batteries and the return of the garrison of the Prince-Elector Ernest of Bavaria.[5]

The occupation of Huy by the United Provinces, and consequently the violation of the rights of neutral zones, was the failure of a plan of Philip of Nassau for controlled an advantageous position from which to open a short route and aid the operations of the French troops commanded by the Duke of Bouillon in the borders of Luxembourg.[7]

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