Battle of Rijmenam ( 1578 ) The Battle of Rijmenam was a battle fought in the early stages of the Eighty Years ' War between the forces of the States - General of the Netherlands and those of the Spanish Governor - General of the Habsburg Netherlands , Don Juan de Austria , on 31 July 1578 , near Rijmenam in present - day Belgium . The Spanish forces were dealt a strategic defeat . Background . After the Pacification of Ghent the entire Habsburg Netherlands had risen against Philip II of Spain . When the new Governor - General , Philip ' s half - brother Don Juan , arrived in the country in November , 1576 , he initially feigned readiness to cooperate with the States - General , but soon there was a rupture , and the war was resumed . From January , 1578 on , the reinforcements that were sent to Don Juan by way of the Spanish Road had made him strong enough to go on the offensive . Almost immediately , he gained a stunning victory in the Battle of Gembloux . This motivated foreign powers to intervene on behalf of the States - General . Queen Elizabeth of England sent money and troops , as did the Duke of Anjou . These reinforcements formed the backbone of a reconstituted States Army that took up formation in a reinforced encampment at Rijmenam during July , 1578 . The nominal commander of this force was the Count of Boussu . It consisted mainly of English mercenaries under Sir John Norris and Sir Richard Bingham , Scottish mercenaries under Robert Stuart , and French Huguenots under François de la Noue . On the eve of the battle it was waiting for further reinforcements from the Count Palatine , who was waiting near Zutphen for the arrival of a subsidy that Queen Elizabeth had promised , but not yet paid . Without those considerable reinforcements it counted about 18 , 000 - foot and 2 , 000 horse . Don Juan , on the other hand , could free no more than 12 , 000 - foot and 5 , 000 horse . This inferiority of forces motivated him to seek battle before the forces of the Count Palatine could unite with those of the army at Rijmenam . However , during a council of war before the battle his second - in - command , the Duke of Parma and the experienced commander Gabrio Serbelloni opposed the plan as they thought the risk too great . Nevertheless , Don Juan decided to attack . The battle . After having spent the night opposite the enemy , Don Juan ' s army attacked early in the morning of 31 July 1578 . The States Army was drawn up in front of the village of Rijmenam , with its flanks anchored in forests on both sides . In front of the army a system of entrenchments had been dug . Don Juan approached these trenches in the hope that Boussu would come out and engage him in the open , but Boussu refused to be drawn . After a wait of three hours , Don Juan ordered a company of musketeer s under Alonso de Leyva and three troops of cuirassier s under the Marquis del Monte , to make a feint to the rear of the village on the Spanish left wing . This time Boussu took the bait and ordered Norris to head him off . A skirmish ensued but neither Norris , nor Leyva followed through However , a few English soldiers had become lost between the lines and this drew in reinforcements from both sides . Both the Scots under Stuart and Spanish infantry under Fernando de Toledo came forward . At the same time the entire Spanish infantry started an advance on the trenches , led by Parma who went ahead on foot , pike in hand . Meanwhile , Toledo pushed Norris back inside the village . Norris directly counterattacked after having set fire to a few houses in the village . This was misinterpreted by the Spanish commanders as an attempt by Boussu to burn his baggage train . Thinking that the States Army was retreating , they now pressed the attack , despite attempts from Don Juan and Parma to stop them . When Leyva and Toledo had reached the center of the village , they discovered they had been lured into a well - laid trap . It now turned out that the apparent deployment of the States Army " in front of " the village had been a ruse to draw the Spaniards in . In reality , the reinforced camp of Boussu was located " behind " the village and his artillery was drawn up in front of the real line . Five hundred Spanish musketeers and six hundred cavalry now found themselves in very perilous circumstances . The Scottish soldiers stripped to the waist , while singing psalms , and attacked the astounded Spaniards . At the same time the States ' s artillery opened fire . The Spanish troops were in danger of being annihilated . However , Parma personally extricated them by way of a covered path through the village , while executing one of his famous cavalry manoeuvres . This ended the battle , as Boussu did not follow through . As usual , the reports of casualties differ . According to Dutch historians a loss of 1 , 000 dead was suffered by the Spanish forces . On the Spanish side no more than 400 dead are admitted and the same number on the other side claimed . Spanish historians admit to more wounded and prisoners lost , however . Aftermath . After the battle Don Juan first withdrew to Tienen , but soon had to retreat to Namur . He thus relinquished most of the territorial gains after Gembloux . While encamped near Namur he died from a sudden illness ( probably typhus ) on 1 October 1578 .