Louis of Nassau

Louis was a key figure in the revolt of the Netherlands against Spain and a strongly convinced Calvinist, unlike his brother William, whom he helped in various ways, including by arranging the marriage between him and his second wife Anna of Saxony.

[1] The Compromise was an open letter, in the form of a petition, to King Philip II of Spain stating that he should withdraw the Inquisition in the Netherlands.

Louis entered Friesland on April 24, to which Alva responded by sending an army under the command of Jean de Ligne, Duke of Aremberg.

The Spaniards had an inferior force, and Aremburg wanted to wait for reinforcements from the Count of Meghem, but he was late in coming and Aremberg's men were mutinous and pressured him to offer battle.

[4] After Jemmingen, Louis re-joined his brother William and went back to France where they joined up with Huguenot leader Admiral Coligny.

At the latter action, he was given command of the right wing of the Huguenot army and, after Coligny was wounded and left the field, he took control of the whole force.

William tried to relieve his brother at Mons but after an attempt on his life from which he barely managed to escape, he was unable to come to Louis's aid.

That spring, Louis, along with his youngest Nassau brother Henry and the Elector Palatine’s son Christopher of Bavaria, crossed the Meuse with their army.

They hoped to be a decent diversion but found themselves outmaneuvered by the Spanish troops under an experienced leader, Sancho d'Avila.