Germany. Julich. 12 STUBE KLIPPE Weight 7.60g

Dutch-controlled fortress besieged by the Spanish under the ...

Germany. Julich. 12 STUBE KLIPPE Weight 7.60g

Dutch-controlled fortress besieged by the Spanish under the command of Ambrosio Spínola, Marqués de los Balbases, 5 September 1621 to 3 February 1622. AR 12 Stube Klippe. Dated 1621. Large FP monogram (for Friedrich Pithan, governor of Jülich); · I6 ZI · e · IN GVL=/ BE LE

When the last duke of Jülich-Kleves-Berg died in 1609, a controversy broke out over his territory. The Elector of Brandenburg and the Count of Neuburg signed an agreement in which they would divide the territory between themselves. Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II did not like these terms. He sent Archduke Leopold V, his cousin, to serve as administrator of the disputed duchy. Leopold established his headquarters in the Jülich fortress, which was given to him by Baron Johann von Reuschenberg. The fortress, now under the control of the Holy Roman Empire, was besieged in 1610 by a large force made up of nations hostile to the Habsburgs. This siege led Leopold and Johann von Reuschenberg to abandon Jülich. After the siege, the Count of Neuburg and Elector of Brandenburg put into practice his original plan to divide the territory of Jülich-Kleves-Berg. They placed the Dutchman Frederik Pithan in control of the Jülich fortress. In effect, this meant that the United Provinces controlled the fortress. In 1621, when the Dutch ceasefire with Spain expired, Spain invaded the United Provinces and besieged the fortress of Jülich. After a costly siege, Spain took the fortress.