Siege of San Andreas (1600)

Maurice laid siege to the fort in late January 1600 and set up a tight blockade on land as well as the nearby rivers. The garrison of San Andreas however refused all negotiations which Maurice used to induce those at Crevecoeur to surrender.^[4] The garrison opposed the Anglo-Dutch in a vigorous and spirited defence for nearly six weeks whilst the besiegers fortified themselves around the dykes which they used to submerge the whole of the surrounding country.^[11]

Mendoza considered the place of vital importance both on account of the strength of the fortifications and the great advantage which it afforded him for invading the Dutch Republic.^[10] He was therefore extremely eager to preserve it and for this purpose he assembled a force together at 's-Hertogenbosch. Nearly 4,000 men were thus put in place and in Mendoza's opinion this number was deemed sufficient to raise the siege.^[5] Of these troops Mendoza gave the command to Luis de Velasco who had overseen the construction of Fort San Andreas. Dutch strategy then classed the Spanish fort as the 'key to Holland'.^[4]

Velasco having heard of the siege wasted no time and set out from 's-Hertogenbosch. His attempts however at marching to the forts relief were rendered ineffectual because of the fortification of the Anglo-Dutch camp.^[5] In addition all the approaches to it were under water from the dykes from the Maas to all the low grounds of 's-Hertogenbosch. A small portion of his force managed to get through but were blocked by the besiegers and a column was ambushed. On hearing of these reports and seeing the difficulties, Velasco thus retreated.^[10]

The Spanish garrison were soon reduced to a state of extreme sickness and hunger and with the relief from Velasco not forthcoming many of the soldiers began to mutiny.^[1] Hearing of this Maurice made the offer of a payment of 125,000 guilders (£22,500) for the forts along with all of the ordnance and munitions.^[3] The Spanish officers refused but the German and Walloon soldiers thought otherwise - they disarmed the officers, took over the garrison, and accepted the offer.^[10]

The fort of San Andreas was thus delivered into the hands of the Anglo-Dutch and thus the last Spanish stronghold in the Seven Provinces had fallen.^[9]

The Spanish officers already captured by the mutineers were taken prisoner but released soon after under parole.^[10] The vast majority of the Spanish garrison entered into the service of the States; they were formed into a separate regiment to which the soldiers gave them the name New Beggars because of their ragged appearance they made coming out of the fort.^[11] They were placed under the command of the young Prince Frederic Henry.^[2]

News of the fall of San Andreas was received in Brussels soon after and a potential peace with the Dutch Republic was then broken off. Archduke Albert vented his frustration to the Duke of Lerma and was eager to wage war.^[9]

With their capture of Fort San Andreas and with their frontiers free from danger, the Dutch Republic then resolved upon an offensive war in Catholic Flanders the following year. As a result Archduke Albert blockaded Ostend in a four year bloody siege.^[12]

Citations

• Dalton, Charles (2012). Life and Times of General Sir Edward Cecil, Viscount Wimbledon, Colonel of an English Regiment in the Dutch Service, 1605-1631, and One of His Majesty. HardPress. ISBN 9781407753157.
• Duerloo, Luc (2012). Dynasty and Piety: Archduke Albert (1598-1621) and Habsburg Political Culture in an Age of Religious Wars. shgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 9781409443759.
• 't Hart, Marjolein (2014). The Dutch Wars of Independence: Warfare and Commerce in the Netherlands 1570-1680. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-73422-6.
• Markham, Clement (2007). The Fighting Veres: Lives Of Sir Francis Vere And Sir Horace Vere. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 978-1432549053.
• van Nimwegen, Olaf (2010). The Dutch Army and the Military Revolutions, 1588-1688 Volume 31 of Warfare in History Series. Boydell & Brewer. ISBN 9781843835752.
• Geoffrey Parker (1979). Spain and the Netherlands, 1559-1659. Enslow Publishers. ISBN 9780894900297.
• Sandler, Stanley (2002). Ground Warfare: An International Encyclopaedia, Volume 1. ABC Clio. ISBN 9781576073445.
• van der Hoeven, Marco (1997). Exercise of Arms: Warfare in the Netherlands, 1568-1648 Volume 1 of History of warfare. BRILL. ISBN 9789004107274.