Battle of Empel
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Empel or Miracle of Empel (Milagro de Empel in Spanish) was a battle fought on December 7 and December 8, 1585, as part of the Eighty Years' War, in which a Spanish force miraculously escaped destruction. In Spain the battle is still remembered as it is believed that the army was saved due to intervention of Mary of the Immaculate Conception
.
decided to go into winter quarters on Dutch territory. The troops of Karl von Mansfeld
occupied the area around 's-Hertogenbosch. Some 4000 experienced troops, including Juan del Águila
,under Maestre de Campo Francisco de Bobadilla were stationed on Bommelerwaard
, which was supposed to be rich enough to support these troops through the winter. But all farmers had left the island, taking their livestock with them.
To make the situation of the hungry and wet Spanish troops even worst, Philip of Hohenlohe-Neuenstein
appeared with a strong force and 100 ships. He breached the dikes of Bommelwaard, forcing the Spanish back over the Rhine to Empel
. There they were unable to reach 's-Hertogenbosch, because the terrain was flooded and guarded by the fleet of Hohenlohe.
The situation for the Spanish looked desperate, until a Spanish soldier, while digging a trench around the church, found a painting representing Mary of the Immaculate Conception.
Bobadilla saw the find on the eve of the name-day of Mary of the Immaculate Conception as a sign from God, and had the painting put in the church for worship.
The next day the wind turned, and an intense cold made the water freeze. The Dutch fleet had to withdraw, to avoid being caught in the ice, and the exhausted Spanish could escape over the ice to the safety of 's-Hertogenbosch. Several hundreds Spanish didn't survive these hardships, but the force escaped annihilation.
The same day, Mary of the Immaculate Conception was proclaimed patroness of the Tercios of Flanders and Italy.
defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies
, Queen Regent of Spain, proclaimed Mary of the Immaculate Conception patroness of the entire Spanish Infantry.
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...
.
The Battle
After the campaign of 1585, Alexander Farnese, Duke of ParmaAlexander Farnese, Duke of Parma
Alexander Farnese was Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1586 to 1592, and Governor of the Spanish Netherlands from 1578 to 1592.-Biography:...
decided to go into winter quarters on Dutch territory. The troops of Karl von Mansfeld
Karl von Mansfeld
Karl von Mansfeld was a German general during the Cologne War and the Ottoman-Habsburg wars.Von Mansfeld was the son of Count Peter Ernst I von Mansfeld-Vorderort, born in present day Luxembourg, and was educated in France. He entered the military of Philip II of Spain, and was appointed a general...
occupied the area around 's-Hertogenbosch. Some 4000 experienced troops, including Juan del Águila
Juan del Águila
Frey Juan Del Águila y Arellano was a Spanish general. He commanded the Spanish expeditionary Tercio troops in Sicily then in Brittany , before serving as general of the Spanish armies in the invasion of Ireland ....
,under Maestre de Campo Francisco de Bobadilla were stationed on Bommelerwaard
Bommelerwaard
Bommelerwaard is a district in Gelderland, Netherlands.The Bommelerwaard is situated among three rivers: the Maas in the south, the Waal in the north and the Afgedamde Maas in the west. It is formed by the area of two municipalities: Zaltbommel and Maasdriel....
, which was supposed to be rich enough to support these troops through the winter. But all farmers had left the island, taking their livestock with them.
To make the situation of the hungry and wet Spanish troops even worst, Philip of Hohenlohe-Neuenstein
Philip of Hohenlohe-Neuenstein
Philip of Hohenlohe-Neuenstein ; buried at Öhringen, 5 november 1606, Count of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, was a Dutch army commander. Philip was the son of Ludwig Kasimir von Hohenlohe-Waldenburg and Anna zu Solms-Lich. On 7 february 1595 he married Maria of Nassau at Buren...
appeared with a strong force and 100 ships. He breached the dikes of Bommelwaard, forcing the Spanish back over the Rhine to Empel
Empel
Empel is a town in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of 's-Hertogenbosch.Empel was a separate municipality until 1971, when it was merged with 's-Hertogenbosch. The complete name of the municipality was Empel en Meerwijk.-Points of interest:Empel was the ancient...
. There they were unable to reach 's-Hertogenbosch, because the terrain was flooded and guarded by the fleet of Hohenlohe.
The situation for the Spanish looked desperate, until a Spanish soldier, while digging a trench around the church, found a painting representing Mary of the Immaculate Conception.
Bobadilla saw the find on the eve of the name-day of Mary of the Immaculate Conception as a sign from God, and had the painting put in the church for worship.
The next day the wind turned, and an intense cold made the water freeze. The Dutch fleet had to withdraw, to avoid being caught in the ice, and the exhausted Spanish could escape over the ice to the safety of 's-Hertogenbosch. Several hundreds Spanish didn't survive these hardships, but the force escaped annihilation.
The same day, Mary of the Immaculate Conception was proclaimed patroness of the Tercios of Flanders and Italy.
In the 19th century
On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IXPope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
defined the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies
Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies
Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies was Queen consort of Spain and Regent of Spain .-Early years and first marriage:...
, Queen Regent of Spain, proclaimed Mary of the Immaculate Conception patroness of the entire Spanish Infantry.
Links
- Article on the site of the Army Museum of The NetherlandsLegermuseumthumb|right|250px|The museumThe Koninklijk Nederlands Legermuseum is the national museum of the Dutch Army. It is currently based in the Armamentarium in Delft...
(in Dutch)