Abraham Verhoeven (1575-1652): The Battle at the Blokkersdijk near Antwerp, 1605
Hand coloured engraving, 37,2 x 45,2 cm
Museum Plantin-Moretus/Print room

Abraham Verhoeven was the first in Europe to publish a newspaper about the most important events at home and abroad. This newspaper appeared every other week in Antwerp. Here an episode is relayed about the longstanding battle between, on the one hand, the Spanish troops, which had Antwerp and the Southern Netherlands in their grip, and on the other hand the Northern Netherlands, which had separated themselves from the Spanish domination. In 1605 the Spanish troops succeeded in driving back an attack by the rebellious Northern Netherlands near the Blokkersdijk to the North of Antwerp.