Battle of Haarlemmermeer
52°22′33″N 4°40′59″E / 52.37583°N 4.68306°E
| Battle of Haarlemmermeer | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Eighty Years' War | |||||||
Battle of Haarlemmermeer circa 1621 by Hendrick Cornelisz Vroom, oil on canvas. Rijksmuseum. | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Dutch Republic Geuzen |
Spain Amsterdam | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Marinus Brandt | Count of Bossu | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 150 warships | 100 warships | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 21 ships captured | Low | ||||||
The Battle of Haarlemmermeer was a naval engagement fought on 26 May 1573, during the early stages of the Dutch War of Independence. It was fought on the waters of the Haarlemmermeer – a large lake which at the time was a prominent feature of North Holland (it would be drained in the 19th century).
A Spanish fleet and a fleet belonging to the city of Amsterdam (at the time still loyal to Spain), commanded by the Count of Bossu, fought a fleet of rebellious Dutch Geuzen, commanded by Marinus Brandt, who were trying to break the siege of Haarlem. After several hours of fighting, the Geuzen were forced to retreat.