To enforce their demands they collected an army and took possession of several forts.

But the Spanish veterans never once thought of giving way.

Gathering at Antwerp where they were besieged by the soldiers of the States General, [Sidenote: November 4, 1576] they attacked and then scattered the bands sent against them and proceeded to sack Antwerp like a captured town.
In one dreadful day 7000 of the patriots, in part soldiers, in part noncombatants, perished.

The wealth of the city was looted.

The army of occupation boasted as of a victory of this deed of blood, known to the Netherlanders as "the Spanish fury." Naturally, such a blow only welded the provinces more firmly together and steeled their temper to an even harder resistance.