Third Anglo-Dutch War

Third Anglo-Dutch War
Part of the Franco-Dutch War
Painting of the Battle of Texel of 1673 by Willem van de Velde, the younger
Date 1672–1674 Location North Sea, New York, Saint Helena Result Dutch victory; Status quo ante bellum: Treaty of Westminster (1674)
Belligerents
Dutch Republic Denmark-Norway	England  France Münster Cologne
Commanders and leaders
Michiel de Ruyter Adriaen Banckert Willem Joseph van Ghent	Duke of York Earl of Sandwich Louis XIV Jean II d'Estrées
Strength
120 warships	150 warships
Casualties and losses
About 2,000 dead 2 warships lost 2 ships captured	About 2,000 dead 1 warship lost 12 ships captured

The Third Anglo-Dutch War or the Third English War (Dutch: Derde Engelse Oorlog or Derde Engelse Zeeoorlog) was a military conflict between the Kingdom of England and the Dutch Republic, that lasted between April 1672 and early 1674. It was part of the larger Franco-Dutch War.

In 1670, Charles II of England and Louis XIV of France concluded the secret Treaty of Dover, intending to subjugate the Dutch state. England's Royal Navy joined France in its attack on the Republic in 1672, but was frustrated in its attempts to blockade the Dutch coast by four strategic victories of Lieutenant-Admiral Michiel de Ruyter. An attempt to make the province of Holland an English protectorate rump state likewise failed. The Parliament of England, fearful that the alliance with France was part of a plot to make England Roman Catholic, forced the king to abandon the costly and fruitless war.

Although England, the Dutch Republic and Sweden had signed a Triple Alliance against France in 1668 to prevent that country from occupying the Spanish Netherlands, Charles II of England signed the secret Treaty of Dover with France in 1670, entailing that England would join Louis XIV of France in a punitive campaign against the United Provinces. Charles, feeling personally humiliated by the events of the Second Anglo-Dutch War, especially the Raid on the Medway, had engaged in the Triple Alliance only to create a rift between the Dutch and the French, two former allies. While publicly trying to appease tensions between France and the Republic, making ambassador William Temple avow friendship to Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt, he secretly schemed to seduce Louis to a campaign against the Dutch. He was promised that after a French victory, he would be rewarded strategic coastal key positions to take as Crown possession. Walcheren, Cadzand and Sluys were noted explicitly, but Charles also desired Brill, Texel, Terschelling and Delfzijl, to control the seaways towards the main Dutch ports, including Rotterdam and Amsterdam, the latter of which was the richest city in Europe.

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