Chapter 1
Sparks of rebellion in the Low Countries
Chapter 2
Water weapons and desperate sieges
Chapter 3
A global war on waves and oceans
Chapter 4
The division and the search for peace
YOUR GOAL
Master of The Eighty Years' War
Ch 2 · Water weapons and desperate sieges
schopenhauer The Dutch deliberately broke their own dikes to drown Spanish siege camps and save Leiden.
schopenhauer The defense of Haarlem proved how desperately the Dutch would fight for survival.
BETA
schopenhauer Breach the dikes to discover how the Dutch used floods to defeat Spanish sieges.
Fun Fact
Carrots turned orange: Dutch growers bred orange carrots in the 17th century to honor William of Orange, replacing the original purple ones.
Glossary
inundation (noun)
An overwhelming flooding of water, especially on land that is normally dry. During the 1574 siege of Leiden, Dutch forces used this tactic to drive away Spanish invaders.
An overwhelming flooding of water, especially on land that is normally dry. During the 1574 siege of Leiden, Dutch forces used this tactic to drive away Spanish invaders.
Quiz
Who was the legendary female leader who helped defend Haarlem during its 1572-1573 siege?
Quiz
What traditional food is still eaten in Leiden today to celebrate its 1574 relief?
Quiz
What weapon was used by Balthasar Gérard to assassinate William of Orange in 1584?