History of the United Netherlands, 1595



CHAPTER XXXI.

Formal declaration of war against Spain--Marriage festivities--Death
of Archduke Ernest--His year of government--Fuentes declared
governor-general--Disaffection of the Duke of Arschot and Count
Arenberg--Death of the Duke of Arschot----Fuentes besieges Le
Catelet--The fortress of Ham, sold to the Spanish by De Gomeron,
besieged and taken by the Duke of Bouillon--Execution of De
Gomeron--Death of Colonel Verdugo--Siege of Dourlens by Fuentes--
Death of La Motte--Death of Charles Mansfeld--Total defeat of the
French--Murder of Admiral De Pillars--Dourlens captured, and the
garrison and citizens put to the sword--Military operations in
eastern Netherlands and on the Rhine--Maurice lays siege to Groento
--Mondragon hastening to its relief, Prince Maurice raises the
siege--Skirmish between Maurice and Mondragon--Death of Philip of
Nassau--Death of Mondragon--Bombardment and surrender of Weerd
Castle--Maurice retires into winter quarters--Campaign of Henry Iv.-
--He besieges Dijon--Surrender of Dijon--Absolution granted to Henry
by the pope--Career of Balagny at Cambray--Progress of the siege--
Capitulation of the town--Suicide of the Princess of Cambray, wife
of Balagny

The year 1595 Opened with a formal declaration of war by the King of
France against the King of Spain. It would be difficult to say for
exactly how many years the war now declared had already been waged,
but it was a considerable advantage to the United Netherlands that the