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Third Dutch War

Third Anglo-Dutch War
Part of the Franco-Dutch War
BattleOfTexel.jpg
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:
Belligerents
 Dutch Republic  England
 France
Münster
Cologne
Commanders and leaders
Dutch Republic Michiel de Ruyter
Dutch Republic Adriaen Banckert
Dutch Republic Willem Joseph van Ghent
England Duke of York
England Earl of Sandwich
Kingdom of France Louis XIV
Kingdom of France 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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