During the Eighty Years WarTurnhout was in the border area between the Northern and Southern Netherlands. Though the town had not been walled, Turnhout was an important strategic town. On January 24, 1597 on the 'Tielenheide', Dutch cavalry under command of Prince Maurice met and defeated an equal sized Spanish cavalry army under Varax. The Spanish cavalry was driven off, after which the Dutch troops burnt part of the local castle. The ever prudent Maurice failed to follow up and turn the tactical victory into a strategic one.
Turnhout is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of Antwerp.
Turnhout, is famous as the world center of the playing card and is both legally and administratively the capital of the Kempen region and of the local district.
Turnhout originated on the crossroads of two major trade routes and in the protection of the hunting castle of the Dukes of Brabant that seems to have existed since 1110 or earlier.
During the Eighty Years War Turnhout was in the border area between the Northern and Southern Netherlands.
Though the town had not been walled, Turnhout was an important strategic town.
On January 24, 1597 on the 'Tielenheide', Dutch cavalry under command of Prince Maurice met and defeated an equal sized Spanish cavalry army under Varax.