page_title: Battle of Gembloux (1578)
section_title: Aftermath
hierarchical_section_title: Battle of Gembloux (1578) / Aftermath
caption_attribution_description: Español: Retrato de Don Juan de Austria († 1578), que fue hijo ilegítimo del emperador Carlos I de España y de la noble alemana Bárbara Blomberg, así como hermanastro del rey Felipe II de España.
context_page_description: The Battle of Gembloux took place at Gembloux, near Namur, Low Countries, between the Spanish forces led by Don John of Austria, Governor-General of the Spanish Netherlands, and a rebel army composed of Dutch, Flemish, English, Scottish, German, French, and Walloon soldiers under Antoine de Goignies, during the Eighty Years' War and the Anglo-Spanish War. On 31 January 1578 the Spanish cavalry commanded by John's nephew, Don Alexander Farnese, Prince of Parma, after pushing back the Netherlandish cavalry, attacked the Netherlandish army, causing an enormous panic amongst the rebel troops. The result was a crushing victory for the Spanish forces. The battle hastened the disintegration of the unity of the rebel provinces, and meant the end of the Union of Brussels.
context_section_description: The defeat at Gembloux forced Prince William of Orange, the leader of the revolt, to leave Brussels, along with its nominal governor, Matthias of Austria (the future Holy Roman Emperor), who had accepted the position of governor-general by the states-general, although he was not recognized by his uncle, Philip II of Spain. The victory of John also meant the end of the Union of Brussels, and hastened the disintegration of the unity of the rebel provinces.
  John died nine months after the battle (probably from typhus), on 1 October 1578, and was succeeded by Farnese as governor-general (last desire of John that Philip II confirmed), who at the head of the Spanish army reconquered large parts of the Low Countries in the following years.
  On 6 January 1579 the provinces loyal to the Spanish Monarchy signed the defensive Union of Arras, expressed their loyalty to Philip II and recognized Farnese as Governor-General of the Netherlands. In contrast, the provinces loyal to the Protestant cause signed the defensive Union of Utrecht.
caption: Portrait of Don John of Austria, Governor-General of the Spanish Netherlands.
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