Louis of Nassau - Battle of Heiligerlee, Battle of Jemmingen, Mons, Battle of Mookerheyde

Dutch soldier, born in Dillenburg, WC Germany, the third son of William the Rich and Juliana of Stolberg, and brother of William I of Orange. In 1557–9 he fought the French under Egmont and his brother William. As a Lutheran he represented the non-Calvinist interest in the Compromise. On Alva's arrival in The Netherlands he fled to Germany with Orange. He was very active in the Eighty Years' War, leading the invasion of Groningen in 1568, where he was victorious at Heiligerlee over Aremberg, but was later defeated at Jemmingen by Alva. He fought against the French with the Huguenots, met Theodore Beza and the Swiss Calvinists, and became a Calvinist himself. With Philip of Marnix he organized the theological debate at Dillenburg, which resulted in the whole Orange family turning Calvinist. In 1572 he captured Mons, only for it to be retaken later the same year by Alva. He was killed with his brother Henry at the Battle of Mookerheide. Of William the Rich's five sons he was the best soldier.

Louis of Nassau (January 10, 1538 – April 14, 1574) was the third son of William, Count of Nassau, and Juliana of Stolberg and the younger brother of Prince William of Orange Nassau. Louis was a key figure in the revolt of the Netherlands against Spain, unlike his brother William, he was a strongly convinced Calvinist.

Battle of Heiligerlee

With the coming of Alva, Louis and his brother William withdrew from the Netherlands. From outside they gather an army and in 1568, with the help of French Huguenots, they were able to invade from three sides. Louis and his younger brother Adolf would enter the northern Netherlands through Friesland, Jean de Villers enterd the southern provinces between the Rhine and the Meuse and the Huguenots would invade Artois.

The Army under Louis’s command would eventually be the only one to gain a victory, Jean de Villers and his troops where captured two days after they crossed the Meuse while the Huguenots where attacked and defeated by French royal troops at St. Valery.

Louis entered Friesland on April 24, Alva responded by sending an army under the command of Jean de Ligne, Duke of Aremberg. The two armies met at Heiligerlee on May 23 where Louis ambushed the Spanish troops. Louis won the army won the Battle of Heiligerlee but lost his brother Adolf in the battle.

Battle of Jemmingen

Although William wanted Louis to retreat to Delfzijl, Louis remained in Groningen where he met the larger, stronger and better equipped army led by Alva himself. Louis fell back towards Jemmingen where, on July 21, 1568, the battle raged for three hours until Alvas army drove them over the bridges of the Ems and eventually into the Ems itself. Many drowned trying to cross the river, Louis stripped himself of his heavy armor and was able to swim across to safety.

Mons

After Jemmingen Louis rejoined his brother William and went back to France where they joined up with Huguenot leader Admiral Coligny.

Louis quickly raised a small force in France, and entered Hainaut on May 23, capturing Mons. William tried to relieve his brother at Mons but after an attempt on his life of which he but barely escaped was unable to come to Louis’s aid. Alva was now able to bring the surrender of Mons on good terms and on September 19 Louis and his army left Mons with the honors of war.

Battle of Mookerheyde

In 1574 funds were running low and the Spanish were closing in on Middelburg and Leiden. Hoping for a diversion in the south William wrote to Louis asking for help. That spring, Louis, along with the youngest Nassau brother Henry and the Elector Palatine’s son Christopher, crossed the Meuse with their army. Leading the charge on the Spanish Louis was shot in the arm. Louis was never seen again, neither alive nor dead. Both Henry and Christopher were also lost in the Battle of Mookerheyde