The second Anglo-Dutch war (1665-1667) : international raison d'état, mercantilism and maritime strife

Abstract

In 1665 England and the Dutch Republic finally declared war after hostility had grown because of maritime and commercial rivalry. The English and Dutch had been at each other's throats for years competing for colonial and European markets. The war was not only a bilateral affair but also influenced the delicate and dangerous arena of European international politics. This book studies the political and diplomatic developments that preceded the actual declaration of war. The processes of political decision-making in both England and the Dutch Republic are analysed because this explains how economic rivalry could erupt into actual war. The course and outcome of the naval confrontation had serious implications for both states and for the broader European powerplay.