ENCYCLOPAEDIA of Rebellions

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Watergeuzen revolt 1572

Synopsis
In the spring of 1572 began a second phase of the revolt of the Spanish Low Countries, after the Iconoclastic Fury of 1566. The movement started on April 1, when a rebel group known as the “Watergeuzen” (Dutch word for “Beggars of the Sea”) led by William van der Marck, Lord of Lumey, took the strategic port of Brielle destroying their churches and killing all opponents. After this triumph, the revolt spread to a number of cities in the regions of Holland and Zeeland, including Flesingua, Rotterdam, Gouda and others. In July, the first assembly of the northern Netherlands provinces met in Dordrecht (another one of the captured cities) to organize their fight for independence from Spain. Besides political reasons, the incidents have now acquired an important economic explanation due to the fiscal pressure of the Spanish monarchy, exemplified with the alcabala tax. However, due to the absence of French support and the scarcity of resources to continue the attacks, Duke of Alba’s troops recovered the places that had been taken by the rebels and carried out a bloody repression.
Additional info

Starting date: . Ending: . Duration: 2 months . Name in sources: Revuelta de los mendigos del mar. Location: Provinces of Holland and Zeeland Country (current): Netherlands. Monarchy: Spanish. Main participants: Local elites, Others. Number of participants: >500. Main reasons & motivations: Fiscal, Political, Religion. Leadership: William of Lumey and others. Relevance: high.

Further reading
JANSSENS, Gustaaf (2002). “Ciudades brabanzonas. Oposición o rebelión en contra de Felipe II (1559-1585)”, in J. Bravo Lozano (ed.), Espacios de poder: cortes, ciudades y villas (s. XVI-XVIII). Madrid: Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, vol. 2, 325-334. LIMM, Peter (2013). The Dutch Revolt, 1559-1648. Oxon and New York: Routledge, 35-40. PARKER, Geoffrey (1989). España y la rebelión de Flandes. Madrid: Nerea, 125-141.
Cite this entry

(2023) "Watergeuzen revolt 1572", in J. V. Serrão and M. S. Cunha (coord), Rebellions in the Early Modern Iberian World. (accessed on ).