The Spanish Tercio at the Battle of Gembloux 1578

In this episode of The Story of Spain, Lucas and Luna explore the Battle of Gembloux (1578), a decisive Spanish victory in the Eighty Years' War. After the Pacification of Ghent united the Dutch provinces against Spanish rule, Don John of Austria—victor of Lepanto—led a campaign to restore Habsburg control. Using the feared tercio infantry, Spanish forces caught the rebel army off guard and routed them in a lightning strike. We discuss Don John's strategic brilliance, the role of the Duke of Parma (Alexander Farnese), and how the battle shifted momentum back to Spain. But Gembloux also sowed seeds of division: the Catholic south grew wary of Protestant influence, leading to the Union of Arras and the Union of Utrecht, which ultimately split the Netherlands. We also touch on the tercio's tactics—pike and shot—and how this victory contrasted with later setbacks like the Spanish Armada. A pivotal moment in Spain's European empire. #BattleOfGembloux #SpanishTercio #DonJohnOfAustria #AlexanderFarnese #EightyYearsWar #PacificationOfGhent #UnionOfArras #UnionOfUtrecht #PikeAndShot #HabsburgSpain #PhilipII #Netherlands #SpanishEmpire #History #FexingoHistory #MilitaryHistory #16thCentury #Europe Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo