Battle of Steenbergen ( 1583 ) The Battle of Steenbergen , also known as the Capture of Steenbergen of 1583 , took place on June 17 , 1583 , at Steenbergen , Duchy of Brabant , Spanish Netherlands ( present - day North Brabant , the Netherlands ) , and was an important victory of the Spanish Army of Flanders led by Don Alexander Farnese , Prince of Parma ( Spanish : " Alejandro Farnesio " ) , Governor - General of the Spanish Netherlands , over the French , English , and Dutch forces led by the French Marshal Armand de Gontaut , Baron de Biron , and the English commander Sir John Norreys , during the Eighty Years ' War , the Anglo - Spanish War ( 1585 – 1604 ) , and in the context of the French Wars of Religion . The victory of the Spaniards ended the Treaty of Plessis - les - Tours , and Francis , Duke of Anjou " ( French : François de France ) " , left the Netherlands in late June . Background . After the failure of the combined army of Dutch , French and English soldiers led by Marshal Armand de Gontaut , Baron de Biron , put in charge in the army by Prince William of Orange ( Dutch : " Willem van Oranje " ) , to relieve the city of Eindhoven , the French commander moved his army to the north of Roosendaal , between Breda and Bergen op Zoom , and after several days of siege , captured the castle of Wouw on 10 May . Meanwhile , the Prince of Parma , with the city of Eindhoven insured , continued his advance across North Brabant . Farnese moved with part of his army to Namur , while the rest of the Spanish troops , commanded by General Karl von Mansfeld , captured the towns of Turnhout and Hoogstraten , defeating the small Dutch garrisons , and finally , the city of Diest on May 27 . From his base at Namur , the Prince of Parma advanced to capture the town of Herentals , but the siege was finally abandoned , and Parma continued to advance to confront the forces of Marshal Biron located near Roosendaal . With the news of the Spanish advance , Biron moved his army to the outsides of Steenbergen , between the same town and Bergen op Zoom , and on June 17 , with the arrival of the forces of Parma the battle began . Battle and capture of Steenbergen . Despite their numerical superiority , the combined forces led by Biron and Sir John Norreys , who commanded the English infantry along with the Welsh Captain Roger Williams , the just officer who put some order in defending the Spanish attack , were literally swept away by the Spanish cavalry , and then by the infantry , suffering heavy losses , thanks also to the bombardment success of the guns of Don Hernando de Acosta , Lieutenant - General of the artillery of the Army of Flanders , who had a very important role in the battle . The forces of Biron and Norreys suffered at least 3 , 200 casualties , and almost all the baggage , barrels of gunpowder , 36 flags and 3 banners captured . On the Spanish side the casualties were 400 dead or wounded . The French Marshal himself , who tried to repel the attack of the Spaniards , he fell from his horse and broke his leg . The combined army , that was virtually destroyed , retreated in disarray to the fortress of Bergen op Zoom and other towns controlled by the Dutch rebels , and the Spanish troops took with little opposition Steenbergen . A few days later , the lack of pay , and the differences between the French soldiers ( mostly Catholics ) , and the Dutch and English Protestant troops ( even the differences between the Dutch and English commanders ) , ended with hundreds of desertions among Biron ' s troops . Consequences . The result of the battle was an overwhelming Spanish victory , not only in terms of casualties in favour to the Spaniards , also in terms of immediate strategic consequences . The position of Francis , Duke of Anjou , became impossible to hold with the States - General of the Netherlands , and he eventually left the Low Countries in late June . The defeat and the end of the Treaty of Plessis - les - Tours was a severe blow to the Dutch Protestants and discredited William of Orange , his main supporter . Moreover , the Spanish progress was unstoppable , and the Prince of Parma moved to Dunkirk , city blocked by the forces of the Spanish commander Don Cristóbal de Mondragón . On July 16 , the bombardment began , and a few days later , the city surrendered to the Spaniards , along with Nieuwpoort on July 23 . The Spanish army continued its advance , and after the possibility of put under siege the port city of Ostend , the plan was abandoned , and the bulk of the army advanced to Diksmuide , that capitulated on 1 August . Meanwhile , a Spanish detachment also captured Veurne and Menen .