Battle of Haarlemmermeer

52°22′33″N 4°40′59″E / 52.37583°N 4.68306°E / 52.37583; 4.68306

Battle of Haarlemmermeer
Part of the Eighty Years' War
Battle of Haarlemmermeer circa 1621 by Hendrick Cornelisz Vroom, oil on canvas. Rijksmuseum.
Date 26 May 1573 Location Haarlemmermeer (present-day the Netherlands) Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
Dutch Republic Geuzen	Spain Amsterdam[1]
Commanders and leaders
Marinus Brandt	Count of Bossu
Strength
150 warships[2][3]	100 warships[2][3]
Casualties and losses
21 ships captured[2]	Low

The Battle of Haarlemmermeer was a naval engagement fought on 26 May 1573, during the early stages of the Dutch War of Independence. It was fought on the waters of the Haarlemmermeer – a large lake which at the time was a prominent feature of North Holland (it would be drained in the 19th century).

A Spanish fleet and a fleet belonging to the city of Amsterdam (at the time still loyal to Spain),^[1] commanded by the Count of Bossu, fought a fleet of rebellious Dutch Geuzen, commanded by Marinus Brandt, who were trying to break the siege of Haarlem. After several hours of fighting, the Geuzen were forced to retreat.