The Battle of Lekkerbeetje was a cavalry duel akin to the famous Combat of the Thirty. The cause for this duel was the boasting of a french cuirassier commander,Pierre de Bréauté, in service of the Dutch Republic, that his men were worth twice that of their counterparts in the service of Spain. A brabantine cuirassier commander, Gerard Abrahams - known as “Lekkerbekje” (meaning sweet tooth), in spanish service heard of this claim and challenged de Bréauté to a duel with equal numbers. Each side fieled 22 men, including their commanders, and met on the choosen field: Abrahams was the first casulty, being shot through the neck during the initial charge. De Bréauté in return was captured after being wounded and having his horse shot from under him. He was killed as an act of revange for the death of Abrahams (an act that was controversial at that time). The duel/skirmish achieved nothing in the grand scheme of things - the cuirassiers in dutch service suffered 14 losses, while the cuirassiers in spanish service suffered only 5 casulties.
He was known as Lekkerbeetje. Lekkerbekje is fried fish originating from Ijmuiden.
In the winter of 1599–1600, a lull in the campaigning season, the Dutch cuirassiers garrisoned in 's-Hertogenbosch brought in a French prisoner, a cavalry lieutenant in the service of the Republic. When the prisoner wrote to his captain, Pierre de Bréauté, asking that money be sent to ransom him, Bréauté replied that he should be ashamed at having been captured, since any one of his men should be worth two of the enemy. Abrahams, hearing of the letter’s content, challenged Bréauté to meet him on Vught Heath with equal numbers to put his boast to the test.
The two officers obtained permission from their commanders, and the combat took place on 5 February 1600. Abrahams was the first casualty, being shot through the neck in the first charge.
