Fall of Antwerp

Fall of Antwerp
Part of the Eighty Years' War
Parma's bridge over the Scheldt in 1585, built of ships.
Date July 1584 – 17 August 1585 Location Antwerp (present-day Belgium) Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
Estates General	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Philips van Marnix	Alessandro Farnese
Strength
80,000 men (inhabitants)	10,000 infantrymen, 1,700 cavalrymen
Casualties and losses
8,000	~1,800

The fall of Antwerp (Dutch: val van Antwerpen [vɑl vɑn ˈɑntʋɛrpə(n)]) on 17 August 1585 took place during the Eighty Years' War, after a siege lasting over a year from July 1584 until August 1585. The city of Antwerp was the focal point of the Protestant-dominated Dutch Revolt, but was forced to surrender to the Spanish forces under the command of Alessandro Farnese. Under the terms agreed, all the Protestants of Antwerp were given four years to settle their affairs and leave the city. Many migrated north, especially to Amsterdam, which became the capital of the Dutch Republic. Apart from losing a high proportion of its middle class and mercantile population, Antwerp's trade suffered for two centuries afterwards as Dutch forts blockaded the River Scheldt until 1795.