Siege of Calais ( 1596 ) The Siege of Calais of 1596 , also known as the Spanish conquest of Calais , took place between 8 April and 24 April 1596 , as part of the Franco - Spanish War ( 1595 - 1598 ) , in the context of the French Wars of Religion , the Anglo - Spanish War ( 1585 – 1604 ) , and the Eighty Years ' War . < ref name = " Walters / Wagner p . 57 " > Walters / Wagner p . 194 < / ref > The city fell into Spanish hands after a short siege by the Spanish forces commanded by Albert VII , Archduke of Austria and Governor - General of the Spanish Netherlands . The citadel of Calais resisted few days more , but finally the Spanish troops , led by Don Luis de Velasco y Velasco , Count of Salazar , captured the strength by storm . The Spanish success was the first action of the first campaign of Archduke Albert . Background . Since 1562 , France was in the grip of the French Wars of Religion in which Spain had regularly intervened in favour of the Catholic League of France , most notably in the sieges of Paris or Rouen , and other battles as Craon in 1592 , or Blaye in 1593 . But only , in 1595 , the war was officially declared between the two countries by the new King Henry IV of France , who had the year before converted to Catholicism and been received into Paris to be crowned . Henry IV was attempting to reconquer large parts of northern France from hostile Spanish - French Catholic forces . In 1595 , the Spanish army led by Don Pedro Henríquez de Acevedo , Count of Fuentes , took the initiative , conquering a great number of French towns , castles and villages , including Doullens . In the spring of 1596 , the French army led by Henry IV laid siege to La Fère , under control of the Catholic League of France . < ref name = " " Siege of Calais " by RutgerVelpius " > " Siege of Calais " by Rutger Velpius < / ref > After the death at Brussels of the Archduke Ernest of Austria , on 20 February 1595 , Albert was sent by Philip II of Spain , to succeed his elder brother as Governor - General of the Spanish Netherlands , charge assigned to the Count of Fuentes , until the arrival of Albert to the Low Countries . He made his entry in Brussels on 11 February 1596 , and his first priority was the conflict with Henry IV of France . On 29 March , Albert left Brussels , and went to Valenciennes , where met the forces of the Spanish Army of Flanders , and advanced over France in late March , but instead of sending it to relieve La Fère , it turned towards Calais , where it arrived on 8 April . < ref name = " " Siege of Calais " by RutgerVelpius " / > Capture of Calais . Siege . The French troops at Calais , composed in part by Huguenots , and English mercenaries sent by Elizabeth I of England to support Henry IV , < ref name = " The Eighty Years War ( 1568 - 1648 ) " / > were taken completely by surprise . < ref name = " " Siege of Calais " by RutgerVelpius " / > Henry , was on the point of capturing La Fère , after a long and costly siege , and couldn ' t spare any troops to relieve the port city , and his English and Dutch allies reacted too slowly . < ref name = " " Siege of Calais " by RutgerVelpius " / > Queen Elizabeth of England sent Sir Robert Devereux , Earl of Essex , with 6 , 000 soldiers to support the Anglo - French defenders , but Elizabeth demanded to Henry that Calais should return to English rule after her intervention . However , while the two monarchs dickered , the excellent work of the Spanish troops was crucial , and made it impossible the English help . Moreover , Maurice of Nassau , Prince of Orange , on hearing the news , hurried to Zeeland to prepare a fleet to relieve Calais , but the city fell the day in that the first Dutch ships took to the sea . < ref name = " " Siege of Calais " by RutgerVelpius " / > Relief . The city fell after ten days of siege , after which only the citadel remained in French hands . François d ' Orléans - Longueville , Duke of Château - Thierry , tried to break the siege by sea , and help the city with supplies and fresh troops , but was stopped by the Spanish artillery . < ref name = " " Siege of Calais " by RutgerVelpius " / > Henry IV finally also tried to relieve the city , and with a great part of his troops , abandoned the siege of La Fère , and advanced towards Calais . Citadel of Calais . On Wednesday , 24 April , the Spanish troops led by Don Luis de Velasco stormed the citadel . All fought with great courage but the French forces could not match the skill and experience of the professional Spanish and Walloon assault force . The French lost thousands of men in the assault , and a great part were taken prisoners . The Spanish lost around 200 dead and wounded . The Governor of Calais , Seigneur de Widessan , and some of his captains , were executed . With the capture of the citadel , the whole city was under Spanish control , and the hopes of Henry IV to retain the city under his control vanished . Into the citadel , the Spaniards took a valuable treasure , composed , among other things , by a large amount of gold and silver coins , horses , and a great quantities of gunpowder and supplies . Consequences . The conquest of the city by the Spanish Army of Flanders , led by Archduke Albert , was a resounding victory , and a severe blow to Henry IV of France , and his Protestant allies . Calais was of strategic importance , for it gave Spain an excellent port to controlling the English Channel , along with Dunkirk . Having left behind a strong garrison , Albert advanced with the army over the nearby stronghold of Ardres . The defenders offered stiff resistance , but were forced to surrender on 23 May . The day before , La Fère finally fell to Henry IV ' s troops . The next target of Albert was Hulst . In the middle of July , the assault on the town was launched , and little more than a month later , Hulst capitulated to the Spaniards . Calais was under Spanish control during two years , when it was ceded by Spain to French control after the Peace of Vervins in 1598 .