The Netherlands, tired of the Spanish domination, made the false
step of getting rid of one evil by adopting another quite as bad,
and elected as their sovereign Francis of France, who, known as the
duke d’Alençon, had recently assumed the title of duke d’Anjou. The
worthy brother of Francis II., Charles IX., and Henry III.--the son of
Catherine de Medici--the duke of Anjou, might have been thought the
last prince to be selected for the purpose of reigning over a people so
situated as the Netherlanders were; but France was the enemy of Spain,
was the most powerful neighbour they had, and the wily Catherine and
wicked Henry III. were liberal in their promises.
Very little satisfied with the name of leader and a limited authority,
the duke of Anjou soon made an effort to throw off the yoke of
the States, and to reign as monarch. His first design was to gain
possession of the citadel of Antwerp. On the 17th of January, 1583, he
left his palace early in the morning, followed by several Frenchmen on
horseback, and passed out of the city, by the gate of St. James. He
had scarcely left the city, when those who accompanied him pretended
to quarrel among themselves, and fell sword in hand upon the _corps
de garde_, the soldiers of which they massacred, or put to flight,
and, at the same time, seized upon that gate. All the citizens of
that quarter hastened to the spot, whilst the French took possession
of the Emperor’s gate, and of the curtain which was between those
two entrances. The troops who had been left in the city, ran through
the streets, exclaiming: “The city is won! the city is won! Vive la
Messe! Vive la Messe!” which was their rallying cry. Fifteen ensigns
of foot and ten cornets of horse came to their assistance. The Swiss
were approaching likewise. But an accident they might have prevented,
disconcerted the enterprise. They had forgotten to take possession of
the portcullis of the St. James gate; and the citizens, on perceiving
this omission, rushed to the top of it, let it down, and thus impeded
the entrance of the French. The whole people took up arms, every man
became a soldier. The enraged citizens combined instantly to drive
out an enemy who aimed at their property and their lives. So much in
earnest were they, that they took the money from their purses, and
moulded or cut it into bullets with their teeth, and loaded their
guns with it. The women disputed with the men the glory of defending
their country. The disconcerted French were surrounded, pursued, and
completely routed. In vain the duke endeavoured to withdraw them from
the rage of the Flemings: they were all killed, wounded, or taken
prisoners. Fifteen hundred were left on the field of battle; among whom
were persons of the most illustrious houses in France: the Flemings did
not lose a hundred men.