New Vanguard - 183: Warships of the Anglo-Dutch Wars 1652–74

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During the 17th century, England and Holland engaged in three wars over economic and naval supremacy in the North Sea and the English Channel. The First Anglo-Dutch War (1652-54) saw the Dutch face Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth Navy, which excelled at sea much like his New Model Army on land. After the Restoration in 1660, the Second Dutch War (1665-67) turned the tide in favor of the Dutch, who humiliated the English by burning their fleet in the Medway, forcing Charles II to seek peace. This peace was short-lived, leading to the Third Dutch War (1672-74), characterized by a fiercely contested naval struggle. Ultimately, the Royal Navy emerged victorious, establishing a legacy of naval dominance that would endure for two centuries. This era was revolutionary in warship design, armament, and tactics. The ships at the conflict's start were remnants of an earlier age, designed for chivalrous duels. By the end of the Third Dutch War, they had transformed into ships-of-the-line, which would dominate naval warfare until steam power emerged. This work explores the evolution of these warships during this pivotal period, highlighting how both sides developed their own design doctrines, but ultimately, it was the English who forged a battle-winning navy of sailing ships-of-war.