Siege of Steenwijk ( 1580 – 1581 ) The Siege of Steenwijk took place from October 18 , 1580 – February 23 , 1581 during the Eighty Years ' War and the Anglo – Spanish War between a besieging Spanish force under turncoat George van Lalaing against a States garrison at Steenwijk under Johan van den Kornputand . An English and States force under John Norreys successfully relieved the town and the Spanish subsequently lifted the siege in February leaving the Dutch and English victorious . Background . From March 1577 the Spanish had bought a contingent of soldiers from Wallonia to maintain their rule . The States of Overijssel however knew that payment of wages was overdue as a result this occupation force in March 1580 chose the side of the insurgents , despite the offers and pleas from the Count of Renneberg . The Overijssel States had ensured the presence of a company of soldiers led by Captain Olthof . In October , a second company led by Johan van den Kornput arrived at Steenwijk . Van den Berg in 1578 being ahead of Kornput had yet to still provide assistance to the siege of Deventer , after which the city could be forced to surrender and came into States ' hands . Siege . The day after the arrival of Van den Kornput in Steenwijk , on October 18 , 1580 , the Spanish under George Lalang , Count of Renneberg , with an army of over 6 , 000 soldiers and another 1200 riders laid siege to Steenwijk . The inhabitants of Steenwijk could not use the crop fields because they were too dry and the water in the rivers were too low . The bombardment in November that year destroyed about seventy houses and formed a true test for the city residents and a small defense force of only 600 soldiers . It took until December before help came from the English and States soldiers led by the English captain John Norreys . With fresh supplies this relief albeit temporary was the turning point . As the siege took place in the winter , the besiegers and besieged suffered severely from the cold weather . The city canal and Vledder Aa both froze over several times causing problems such as soldiers and guns falling through the ice . The decisive moment of the siege came when Norreys and his men launched a surprise sally on January 24 which broke up many of the Spanish siege guns and inflicted casualties and capturing numerous equipment and men – total losses for the Spanish were nearly 400 men ( most of whom were captured ) . More was to come when Norreys got Steenwijk supplied by a ruse ; engaging Rennenberg ' s men in a skirmish line which enabled a hundred men with food and clothing to supply the garrison . On February 23 , 1581 the situation for the besieged was desperate with many falling ill due to exposure and soon Count Renneberg , himself succumbed . Eventually seeing the impossibility of gaining ground , sitting out the winter months and supplies running low on ammunition , Rennenburg gave up the siege and his men retreated . Aftermath . Steenwijk had persisted during the four - month siege due to the decisive action by captain Johan van den Kornput and the relief by Captain Norreys as well as having fought off the threat of disease . The Spanish force would suffer another defeat at Kollum when they were pursued and defeated by Norry ' s troops in July of the same year leading to the death of Count of Renneberg . He was buried in the Martini Church in Groningen . The Spaniards would return however crossing the Al in November 1582 . Led by Juan Baptista van Taxis the city was soon overcome , in which the remaining Protestants fled the city . Steenwijk was a Spanish stronghold , with only fifty of the original inhabitants . Only Zeeland , Utrecht and Friesland were not in Spanish hands . In a short time the Spaniards did much to make major improvements and the army was expanded to over 1 , 000 men consisting of Spaniards , Italians , Walloons and Burgundians led by Anthonie de Coquele . On May 28 , 1592 Prince Maurice and William Louis with his reconquest of much of the States , amassed an army of 8 , 000 men and closed all roads to and from Steenwijk which again had to undergo a siege . On July 5 , 1592 after a fierce battle that lasted 44 days , the Spaniards surrendered . Steenwijk in this time though was almost entirely ruined . It was not until 1597 , after a failed attack by the Spanish under Count Frederik van den Bergh ; the Council of State , saw the resources available for reconstruction of the defenses as well as the city itself .