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6 Orange’s Spanish mulatto and other side-changers

Narratives on Spanish defection during the Revolt in the Low Countries

Abstract

Defection is a considerably neglected topic in the context of the Dutch Revolt. This chapter concentrates on a selection of narrative fragments on Spanish defectors to the rebel side during the Revolt in the Low Countries. The analysis not only shows the importance of this rather unknown phenomenon, but also addresses the different ways of describing these side-changers. Especially striking is the fact that although Spanish chronicler and military man Alonso Vázquez criticizes all defectors, he does find positive words for some of them in his individual biographical descriptions. One of them, a mulatto soldier, decided to change sides after being the victim of racist comments from within his own army unit. The fact that rebel propaganda produced a strong and lasting image of all Spaniards as cruel and untrustworthy liars did not prevent the presence of Spaniards within the rebel army.

Abstract

Defection is a considerably neglected topic in the context of the Dutch Revolt. This chapter concentrates on a selection of narrative fragments on Spanish defectors to the rebel side during the Revolt in the Low Countries. The analysis not only shows the importance of this rather unknown phenomenon, but also addresses the different ways of describing these side-changers. Especially striking is the fact that although Spanish chronicler and military man Alonso Vázquez criticizes all defectors, he does find positive words for some of them in his individual biographical descriptions. One of them, a mulatto soldier, decided to change sides after being the victim of racist comments from within his own army unit. The fact that rebel propaganda produced a strong and lasting image of all Spaniards as cruel and untrustworthy liars did not prevent the presence of Spaniards within the rebel army.

Chapters in this book

  1. Front matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. List of figures vii
  4. List of contributors ix
  5. Preface xii
  6. List of abbreviations xiv
  7. Introduction 1
  8. 1 ‘Do not reveal that I wrote this’ 18
  9. 2 The fabrication of Francisco de Valdés 36
  10. 3 The year of the Furies 56
  11. 4 ‘Lode della nazione italiana’ 74
  12. 5 Narrating mutiny in the army of Flanders 89
  13. 6 Orange’s Spanish mulatto and other side-changers 107
  14. 7 How a defeat became a victory 125
  15. 8 North and south 146
  16. 9 Chaplains and soldiers 167
  17. 10 ‘Was bis daher gepassiert solt vergesse nund vergeben sein’ 183
  18. 11 Geoffrey Parker’s Universal Soldier revisited 201
  19. Bibliography 214
  20. Index 239
Early modern war narratives and the Revolt in the Low Countries
This chapter is in the book Early modern war narratives and the Revolt in the Low Countries
https://doi.org/10.7765/9781526140876.00013

Chapters in this book

  1. Front matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. List of figures vii
  4. List of contributors ix
  5. Preface xii
  6. List of abbreviations xiv
  7. Introduction 1
  8. 1 ‘Do not reveal that I wrote this’ 18
  9. 2 The fabrication of Francisco de Valdés 36
  10. 3 The year of the Furies 56
  11. 4 ‘Lode della nazione italiana’ 74
  12. 5 Narrating mutiny in the army of Flanders 89
  13. 6 Orange’s Spanish mulatto and other side-changers 107
  14. 7 How a defeat became a victory 125
  15. 8 North and south 146
  16. 9 Chaplains and soldiers 167
  17. 10 ‘Was bis daher gepassiert solt vergesse nund vergeben sein’ 183
  18. 11 Geoffrey Parker’s Universal Soldier revisited 201
  19. Bibliography 214
  20. Index 239
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