Situation in 1586 Destruction of Neuss

neuss had been seized supporters of protestant prince-elector gebhard truchsess von waldburg in february 1586. adolf, count of moers , neuenahr, reinforced , supplied city , took of troops north, moers , venlo, leaving young friedrich cloedt in command of city. cloedt had garrison of 1600 men, germans , dutch soldiers; had military experience, many recent recruits. 1 hundred years earlier had resisted lengthy siege charles bold of burgundy, , efforts, emperor had granted neuss right mint own coins , incorporate imperial arms in own coat of arms. in june, duke of parma approached city , surrounded landed fortifications; supported karl von mansfeld, francisco verdugo, , salentin vii of isenburg-grenzau.

engraved map of city of neuss

parma had impressive force @ command; in addition mansfeld s 2000 troops, had 6000 or foot , tercios, plus 2000 mounted, experienced italian, spanish , german soldiers, plus 45 cannons, parma distributed on redoubt across river, , on heights short distance city walls. prior cannonade, parma requested capitulation of city, declined, officially great politeness, parma s emissary returned spanish camp, followed jeers , insults townsmen. next day, being feast of st. james, , patron day spanish, battle not joined, reports circulated in spanish camp 2 soldiers, captured in previous days sorties, had been roasted alive in market square desecrate holy day.

the electorate of cologne, circa 1580. city of cologne, although part of archdiocese, not part of electorate.