First Anglo-Dutch War

The First Anglo-Dutch War (1652-54) (called the First Dutch War in England, and the First English War in the Netherlands) was the first of the four Anglo-Dutch Wars. It was fought entirely at sea between the navies of the Commonwealth of England and the United Provinces of the Netherlands. Caused by disputes over trade, the war began with attacks on merchant shipping, but expanded to vast fleet actions. The English navy gained control of the seas around England, and forced the Dutch to accept an English monopoly on trade with English colonies.

Aftermath

Peace negotiations ended on April 5, 1654 with the signing of the Treaty of Westminster, in which the Dutch recognised the Commonwealth and agreed to respect the Navigation Acts. The treaty had a secret annex, the Act of Exclusion, forbidding the Dutch ever to appoint the son of the late stadtholder, the later William III of England to the position of his father. In fact this clause was inserted on the wish of the leading Dutch politician, the republican Johan de Witt.

Related Topics:
April 5 - 1654 - Treaty of Westminster - Navigation Acts - Stadtholder - William III of England - Johan de Witt

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However, the commercial rivalry between the two nations was not resolved. Especially in the vast overseas empires hostilities continued between Dutch and English trading companies, which had warships and troops of their own. The Dutch had started on a major ship-building program to remedy the lack of ships of the line that they had lacked at the fleet battles of the Kentish Knock, the Gabbard, and Scheveningen. The admiralties were now forbidden by law to sell off these 60 new ships. The Second Anglo-Dutch War was in the making.

Related Topics:
Commercial - Ships of the line - Second Anglo-Dutch War

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