Siege of Rouen (1591)


The Siege of Rouen was an unsuccessful attempt by Henry IV of France to capture Rouen, the historical capital city of Normandy. The battle took place as part of the French Wars of Religion, the Eighty Years' War, and the Anglo–Spanish War. Although he had claimed the throne in 1589, Henry, a Huguenot, was not recognized by many of his Catholic subjects, and he was forced to fight against a Catholic League determined to resist his rule, and which was aided by Spain.
At Rouen the combined French, English, and Dutch forces of Henry IV battled the troops of the Catholic League, commanded by André de Brancas, Amiral de Villars, and the Spanish forces led by Don Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma . The city resisted until the arrival of the Spanish troops, which defeated and forced the Protestant forces to lift the siege.