The Anglo-Dutch Naval Wars, 1652-74

During the course of the 17th century, England and the Netherlands three times found themselves at war in the North Sea.

The first war, between 1652 and 1654, came about as a result of a mixture of causes: the rejection by the Dutch state of the English government's fledgling ideas of political union, the collusion of the Dutch Orangists with the exiled English royal family and the huge growth of English naval power during the Commonwealth; but perhaps, chiefly the competition over trade, not only in the North Sea, but across the whole world. The second and third Anglo-Dutch naval wars (1665-7 and 1672-4), in Charles II's reign, took place in greatly modified political circumstances.

Charles's relationship with Catholic France was a powerful catalyst, but the ostensible aim continued to be commercial domination of the sea. In this study of the wars the authors take the reader through the background, causes and courses of the wars, illuminating all the battles and political going-ons that lay behind them.

The tactics of battle and the famous naval heroics of such men as Robert Blake, Cornelis Tromp and Michiel de Ruyter are all explored in detail.