Archaeologists and military veterans are conducting the first scientific investigation of the Battle of Ane, a 1227 conflict in the Netherlands between the Bishop of Utrecht’s army and local Drenthe farmers. The Drenthe farmers unexpectedly won the battle, a victory still celebrated locally, but many details surrounding the event remain unknown, including the precise location of the fighting’s start. Previous amateur archaeological finds in the Holthone area suggest the battle took place there. The research, a joint effort between the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed (RCE) and the Overstichtse Oorlogen Foundation, is timed to coincide with the 800th anniversary of the battle next year. Historians believe the Drenthe victory was due to the terrain – a deceptively boggy landscape that trapped the bishop’s heavily armored knights, allowing the lightly armed farmers to prevail. This marks the first time a medieval battlefield will be systematically analyzed in the Netherlands.