Second Anglo‑Dutch War was a naval conflict between the Dutch Republic and the Kingdom of England that lasted from 1665 to 1667. The war featured major sea battles, including the Dutch victory at the Battle of Solebay 1667 and the daring Dutch raid on the River Thames in 1667, culminating in the capture of the English flagship Royal Charles.
Causes and course
Tensions over trade rivalry and colonial competition sparked the war. The Dutch navy, under admirals such as Michiel de Ruyter and Banekert, sought to protect Dutch merchant shipping, while the English aimed to challenge Dutch dominance in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Thames raid (1667)
In August 1667, a Dutch fleet sailed up the River Thames, seized the fort at Sheerness, and proceeded to the shipyards at Chatham and Rochester. The operation, coordinated by Cornelis de Witt and executed by marine officers including François Palm and Colonel Dolman, resulted in the capture of the Royal Charles and the destruction of numerous English warships.
Link to Aceh
The war’s outcome reinforced Dutch naval supremacy, allowing the Dutch East India Company to continue its aggressive expansion in the East Indies, where it was engaged in a protracted struggle with the Sultanate of Aceh (the 1659‑1660 Aceh campaign). The resources freed by the victory at Solebay enabled the VOC to maintain its fleet in the Indian Ocean.
See Also
Source
De geschiedenis van het Nederlandsche Korps Mariniers van 1665‑1945, OCR text, pp. 43‑46 (20260707_232246_DLP-55-De_geschiedenis_van_het_Nederlandsche_Korps_Mariniers_van_1665_1945_OCR.txt).