[1] Schenkenschans was garrisoned largely by English troops and was besieged by a Spanish force led by Francisco de Mendoza.

In Gelderland a sconce, called Schenckenschanz, or Schenck's Fortification, was built at the confluence of the Waal and the Rhine.

[3] Francisco de Mendoza, the Admiral of Aragon, was stationed in Gelderland and was ordered by the Archduke of Austria to capture Schenkenschans—to the Spanish called "The Key to the islands".

On 17 April the Archduke left a section of troops to cover the Rhine and two days later Mendoza's force marched to Schenkenschans.

On the night of 1 May a Dutch force under Walloon Colonel Claude La Barlotte landed with an army of five thousand men upstream of the Mass in secrecy.

He disembarked at Hedel in the Bommelerwaard and when news of this approach was heard by Mendoza he thought it better to break off the siege and engage the force.