Turnhout 1597 + 1789

Category: Battle

Battle of Turnhout, 1597 occurred during the Eighty Years' War where Turnhout was in the border area between the Northern and Southern Netherlands. Though the town had not been walled, Turnhout was an important strategic town. On January 24, 1597 on the 'Tielenheide' (this battle is also called 'The battle on Tielenheide') in a neighbouring village (Tielen), Dutch cavalry under command of Prince Maurice met and defeated a greater sized Spanish cavalry army under Varax. The Spanish cavalry was driven off, after which the Dutch troops burnt parts of the local castle. The ever prudent Maurice failed to follow up and turn the tactical victory into a strategic one.
1789 saw Austrians fighting Brabantine rebels here