Battle of the Scheldt (1574)

Battle of the Scheldt (1574)
Part of the Eighty Years' War
Battle in the Eastern Scheldt between the Spanish and the beggar fleet as portrayed by Frans Hogenberg
Date 29 January 1574 Location Eastern Scheldt, off Reimerswaal 51°28′N 4°8′E / 51.467°N 4.133°E / 51.467; 4.133 Result Dutch and English victory[1][2][3]
Belligerents
Dutch Rebels England Scotland	Spain
Commanders and leaders
Lodewijk van Boisot [nl] Joos de Moor Thomas Morgan	Julián Romero Gerard de Glymes  †
Strength
64 ships[4]	75 ships[5]
Casualties and losses
300 killed or wounded[6] 2 ships sunk[7]	15 ships sunk[8] 1,200 dead[4][9]

The Battle of the Scheldt also known as the Battle of Walcheren (known in Dutch as Slag bij Reimerswaal) was a naval battle that took place on 29 January 1574 during the Eighty Years' War and the Anglo–Spanish War.^[10][11][12] The battle was fought between a Dutch rebel Sea Beggar fleet (which included English and Scottish troops) under Lodewijk van Boisot [nl] and a Spanish fleet under Julián Romero.^[13] The Spanish fleet was attempting to relieve the Spanish held town of Middelburg which was under siege but the fleet under Boisot intercepted them and were victorious with the destruction or capture of nearly fifteen ships.^[14][15][16] Middelburg as a result then surrendered only nine days later along with Arnemuiden.^[12][17]