page_title: Anglo-Dutch Wars
section_title: Dutch Republic
hierarchical_section_title: Anglo-Dutch Wars / Background / Dutch Republic
caption_attribution_description: English: A view of the Dutch factory at Amboina (Ambon), early to mid-17th century. The Portuguese-built fort ("Kasteel Victoria") is seen on the left. Dutch and English flags visible. The island was the scene of the infamous Amboyna Massacre of 1623 that put an abrupt end to the spice trade ambitions of the English East India Company in the Malay Archipelago. Engraving 35 cm x 28 cm
context_page_description: The Anglo-Dutch wars were a series of conflicts mainly fought between the Dutch Republic and England. The first three occurred in the second half of the 17th century over trade and overseas colonies, while the fourth was fought a century later. Almost all the battles were naval engagements.
  The Dutch were successful in the second and third clashes and maintained their mastery of the seas. However, by the time of the fourth war, the British Royal Navy had become the most powerful maritime force in the world.
  There would be more battles in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, mainly won by the British, but these are generally considered to be separate conflicts.
context_section_description: In the early 1600s, the Dutch, while continuing to fight the Eighty Years' War with the Catholic Habsburgs, also began to carry out long-distance exploration by sea. The Dutch innovation in the trading of shares in a joint-stock company allowed them to finance expeditions with stock subscriptions sold in the United Provinces and in London. They founded colonies in North America, India, and Indonesia (the Spice Islands). They also enjoyed continued success in privateering – in 1628 Admiral Piet Heyn became the only commander to successfully capture a large Spanish treasure fleet. With the many long voyages by Dutch East India men, their society built an officer class and institutional knowledge that would later be replicated in England, principally by the East India Company.
  By the middle of the 17th century, the Dutch had largely replaced the Portuguese as the main European traders in Asia. In particular, by taking over most of Portugal's trading posts in the East Indies, the Dutch gained control over the hugely profitable trade in spices. This coincided with the enormous growth of the Dutch merchant fleet, made possible by the cheap mass production of the fluyt sailing ship types. Soon the Dutch had Europe's largest mercantile fleet, with more merchant ships than all other nations combined, and possessed a dominant position in European (especially Baltic) trade, as well as further afield.
  In 1648 the United Provinces concluded the Peace of Münster with Spain. Due to the division of powers in the Dutch Republic, the army and navy were the main base of power of the Stadtholder, although the budget allocated to them was set by the States General. With the arrival of peace, the States General decided to decommission most of the Dutch military. This led to conflict between the major Dutch cities and the new Stadtholder, William II of Orange, bringing the Republic to the brink of civil war. The Stadtholder's unexpected death in 1650 only added to the political tensions.
caption: Dutch factory at Ambon, early to mid-17th century
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