Siege of Niezijl
Part of theEighty Years' War
Commemorative coin of the siege of Niezijl in 1581
Date 3 to 24 October 1581 Location Niezijl,Province of Groningen (Present dayNetherlands) Result States-General victory[1][2]
Belligerents
States-General	Spain
Commanders and leaders
John Norreys William Louis	Francisco Verdugo

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Thesiege of Niezijl was a siege of the town ofNiezijl that took place between 3 and 24 October 1581 in theDutch States, during theEighty Years' War. The Spanish under ColonelFrancisco Verdugo laid siege to the place after his victory at thebattle of Noordhorn but the siege failed and Verdrugo retreated leaving the English and Dutch underJohn Norreys andWilliam Louis respectively the victors.

Count Rennenberg,Stadtholder of Friesland, had betrayed the cities ofGroningen,Oldenzaal,Coevorden, andDelfzijl to Spanish control and himself became aturncoat. As a result Catholics would no longer be trusted with high posts in the States army. The Spanish Army of Flanders led by Francisco Verdugo, was succeeded as governor of the Northern Provinces, advanced south of theLauwerszee to invade Friesland and to force the Republic into signing a negotiation.^[3] After their defeat at Noordhorn on 30 September the Dutch and English retreated to Niezijl where they established themselves behind the defensive fortifications. Verdugo's army, although delayed by mutinies, were in pursuit and then began to besiege Niezijl.^[2]

Niezijl was the only place barringFriesland and its capture would be important to the Catholic and Spanish cause. The Dutch and English resistance was much tougher than expected, repelling assaults and withstanding a heavy bombardment.^[3] After three weeks, Verdugo who was also dealing with mutinies in his ranks decided to give up the siege.^[4] The autumnalfloods made the Frisian land impassable for the armies, and thus Verdugo moved with his troops to the dry land ofDrenthe,^[2] while Norreys kept the remains of his army behind theIJssel river.^[1]

Niezijl remained the only place in theOmmelanden that the Dutch kept, thus giving the States forces a base to use. As a consequence from 1589 William Louis andMaurice of Nassau began a laborious reconquest of the Spanish territories which only ended with thecapture of Groningen on 22 July 1594.^[3]

• Nolan, John S. (1997).Sir John Norreys and the Elizabethan Military World. Exeter: University of Exeter Press.ISBN 0859895483.
• van den Broek, Jan (2009).Voor God en mijn koning. Gorcum.ISBN 9789023245131. (Dutch)
• Vázquez, Alonso (1879).Guerras de Flandes y Francia en tiempo de Alejandro Farnese. Madrid: Ginesta.OCLC 42661016. (Spanish)

• Conflicts in 1581
• 1580s in the Habsburg Netherlands
• 16th-century military history of Spain
• Eighty Years' War (1566–1609)
• Sieges of the Eighty Years' War
• Sieges involving Spain
• History of Groningen (province)
• Westerkwartier (municipality)

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