A Dutch rebel army with the support of the English laid siege to Middelburg, which was being held by Spanish forces under Cristóbal de Mondragón, on 4 November 1572.

The Dutch rebels hoped to expel Alba and his Spanish troops from the country and as a result hostilities increased, leading to the Eighty Years' War.

In April 1572, the Sea Beggars, Dutch rebels captured Brielle which caused a sensation, and a chain reaction of events took place especially on Walcheren island.

[2][5] During the uprising Middelburg still had a strong Spanish garrison and at the end of April 1572 an attempted assault was made consisting of around 1100 Dutch rebels led by Jerome Tseraerts.

Led by Bernard Nicholas the storming attempt was successful as the outer defenses were seized but soon after a sortie by the garrison managed to drive the Dutch out.

On 4 November nearly 1500 Dutch and English under Jerome Tseraerts and Bartholt Entens van Mentheda [nl], who just returned from the failed siege of Goes, arrived on the island of Walcheren and then made plans to besiege Middelburg.

The rebels soon appeared at the castle of Westhoven, located on the east of the city, Tseraerts led an assault which it captured, then plundered an abbey and then set it on fire.

[3] On 5 August the nearby Fort Rammekens [nl] was assaulted and captured by the Dutch and English led by Jacobus Schotte and gradually the strong points were being conquered one by one.

[3] The situation was desperate in January 1574 with Middelburg still besieged, the Duke of Alba was recalled by the Spanish king and was replaced by Don Luis de Requesens.

[3] Mondragón was now concerned about the inhabitants given the light of recent events of which he was fully aware of the Spanish massacres of the populaces of Haarlem, Naarden, and Zutphen ordered by the Duke of Alba.

Observing the capitulation Gascoigne wrote a poem:[11] ‘And when Mountdragon might no more endure He came to talk and rendred all at last, With whom I was within the Citie sure, Before he went, and on his promisse past, So trust I had to thinke his fayth was fast I dinde, and supt, and laye within the towne A daye before he was from thence ybowne.’