 In the absence of William Louis, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, a nephew of William of Orange and the stadtholder of Frisia, the Spanish commander Francisco Verdugo, who was based in Groningen hoped to reclaim the territory for Spain.Because of freezing weather, the Frisian lakes were no obstacles to the invasion and the Spanish artillery could move easily over the hard roads.After looting part of Frisia, Verdugo decided to retreat because thawing weather threatened to cut him off from his base in Groningen.