Draft:Second Münster War

Second Münster War
Part of the Franco-Dutch War
The Siege of Groningen was the most important conflict and the turning point of the war
Date 1672-1674 Location The Eastern and the Northern Netherlands Result Dutch victory Retreat of the Münster troops Treaty of Cologne
Belligerents
Dutch Republic Brandenburg-Prussia	Münster France Cologne
Commanders and leaders
Carl von Rabenhaupt Hans Willem van Aylva Nassau-Siegen Henry Casimir II	Bernhard von Galen Maximilian Henry
Strength
unknown	30.000

The Second Münster War was a 2 year long conflicted between the Dutch Republic, backed by Brandenburg-Prussia, and the Prince-Bishopric of Münster, backed by the Electorate of Cologne and France.

The war is mostly known for the failed attempt by Bernhard von Galen to Capture Groningen, this event was a turning point of the war which eventually lead to a Dutch victory due to the troops lead by Bernhard von Galen being expulsed from the Dutch Republic. The siege of Groningen earned Bernhard the nickname 'Bommen Berend' and is still celebrated as a holiday in the Netherlands.

Background

Bernhard von Galen led a invasion of the Dutch Republic 7 years prior to this war, although it was not as major as the second war. But after the Battle of Jipsinghuizen, Bernhard von Galen lost 300 of his men, he eventually was forced to accept the humiliating Peace of Kleve, in which he had to reduce his army to 3.000 men, and promised 'eternal' peace between him and the Dutch Republic. Although the war was considered as a 'minor incident', it did show that the Dutch States Army had a lack of power and needed to be improved.

But the eternal peace promised in 1666 would not last as Bernhard von Galen would become allied with Louis XIV to invade the Dutch Republic in 1672. Because on the 26th of may, 2 days after Louis XIV attacked Maastricht in 1672, Louis was able to bribe Bernhard von Galen to become allies with him, even though Bernhard was officially neutral during the war of Devolution.

Before the siege of Groningen

Main articles: Siege of Groenlo (1672) and Siege of Bredevoort (1672)

With Bernhard von Galen joining the Franco-Dutch War on the side of Louis XIV, he immediately took action and invaded the Eastern Provinces of the Dutch Republic, and with the support of France and Cologne, he was able to capture a lot of cities in the Eastern provinces and was able to quickly advance into the North.

The first skirmishes began on 1 June, in which Bernhard von Galen, with the help of Maximilian Henry, invaded and took Lingen with an army of 30,000 men. Bernhard von Galen would then capture Overdinkel which allowed him to invade Twente, afterwards, Bernhard von Galen would capture Enschede.

After capturing Enschede, Bernhard von Galen would move towards Groenlo, in which he was able to capture the city with 100,000 soldiers against a garrison defended by 600 men. The siege began in 3 June and ended in 9 June. The cities of Doesburg and Nijmegen would then also be captured by the French forces, led by Turenne and Louis XIV, Bernhard von Galen would then take action himself and besiege and capture Bredevoort with an army of 2000 men against a garrison of 500 men, which surrendered after 6 days of fighting.

The siege of Groningen

Main article: Siege of Groningen (1672)

On 21 July, Bernhard von Galen arrived before the city of Groningen. The soldiers who defended the city, led by Carl von Rabenhaupt and Hans Willem van Aylva were also backed by refugees who fled from Drenthe after it was conquered by Münster.

The siege itself lasted for 4 weeks, which saw Bernhard von Galen giving up the siege, which meant that Groningen was successfully defended. The siege of Groningen is considered as the most important conflict of the war and the turning point. Since the siege meant that Bernhard von Galen could not advance further North into the Dutch Republic, which saved Friesland and the rest of Groningen of an invasion by Bernhard von Galen.

And because Friesland was saved after the siege, this would also mean that that the trade route of Amsterdam would subsequently also be saved, because if Friesland fell into the hands of Bernhard von Galen, that would mean that the trade route would be endangered, because it revolved around the Zuiderzee.

Sources

• Panhuysen, Luc (2009). Rampjaar 1672: Hoe de Republiek aan de ondergang ontsnapte. Uitgeverij Atlas. ISBN 9789045013282.
• Roorda, D.J (1971). Het rampjaar 1672. Fibula-Van Dishoeck, Bussum. ISBN 9022830640.
• van Weduwen, Arthur (2024). State Communication and Public Politics in the Dutch Golden Age (E-book ed.). OUP/British Academy. ISBN 9780198926627.
• Fruin, Robert (1972). De oorlog van 1672 (E-book ed.). Wolters-Noordhof. ISBN 9789001324155.
• "Groningens Ontzet en Bommen Berend (1672)". Historiek.