The Eighty Years War explores the military puzzle of the Dutch Republic. When a revolt broke out in the Low Countries against the rule of the King of Spain, no one could foresee that it would ultimately lead to the partition of the provinces.

Only the northern provinces succeeded in holding their own militarily. They formed an independent republic that was increasingly able to withstand the might of Spain. How did they do it? To answer that question this study examines the operations of the in...