Battle Of Texel

1673 '' by Willem Van De Velde, The Younger , painted 1683 . The ship at the centre is Dutch Admiral Cornelis Tromp 's flagship ''Gouden Leeuw'', 80 guns.]]

The naval Battle of Texel took place on 11 August 1673 (New Style) between the Dutch and the combined English and French fleets and was the last major battle of the Third Anglo-Dutch War , which was itself part of the Franco-Dutch War (1672-1678), during which Louis XIV Of France sought to establish control over the Spanish Netherlands and invaded the Republic. The English involvement came about because of treaty obligations (the secret Treaty Of Dover ) and was highly unpopular.

The overall commanders of the English and Dutch military forces were Lord High Admiral James, Duke of York, afterwards King James II Of England , and Admiral-General William III Of Orange , James' son-in-law and also a future King of England. Neither of them took part in the fight. The Battle of Texel was joined when a Dutch fleet sought to oppose the landing of troops by a combined Anglo-French fleet.

Prince Rupert Of The Rhine commanded the Allied fleet of about 92 ships and 30 fireships, taking control of the centre himself, with D'Estrées commanding the van, and Sir Edward Spragge the rear division. The Dutch fleet of 75 ships and 30 fireships was commanded by Lieutenant-Admiral-General Michiel De Ruyter , with Lieutenant-Admirals Adriaen Banckert in charge of the van and Cornelis Tromp the rear.

De Ruyter first decided not to leave his defensive position in the Schooneveld , from which he had successfully engaged the allied fleet in the double Battle Of Schooneveld , but was ordered to do so by Stadtholder William in order to save the Spice Fleet returning from the Indies.

Although outnumbered, De Ruyter gained the Weather Gauge and sent his van under Banckert in to separate the Allied van (under D'Estrées) from the main fleet. His ploy was effective, and the French ships were unable to play a significant part in the remainder of the battle, which became a gruelling encounter between the bulk of the Dutch fleet and the English centre and rear divisions. Both suffered badly during hours of fierce fighting.

Spragge and Tromp, commanding their respective rear divisions, clashed repeatedly - Spragge had publicly sworn an oath that this time he would either kill or capture his old enemy Tromp - each having their ships so damaged as to need to shift their flags to fresh ships three times. On the third occasion, Spragge drowned when his boat took a shot and sank. The fight then focused on an attempt by the Dutch to capture Spragge's abandoned flag ship, the ''Royal Prince'', which in the end failed.

With both fleets exhausted, the English eventually abandoned their attempt to land troops (the landing force was still waiting in England to be shipped), and both sides retired. No ship was sunk, but many were seriously damaged and about 3,000 men died: two-thirds of them English or French. After the battle Prince Rupert complained that the French had not done their share of the fighting, but historians ascribe the lack of French impact on the battle to de Ruyter's brilliant fleet handling. It's true however that Count d'Estrées had strict orders from Louis XIV not to endanger the French fleet, as he himself admitted after the battle. Despite its inconclusive finish, the battle was a clear strategic victory for the Dutch.

In the months following, the Netherlands formed an alliance with Spain and the French withdrew from the territory of the Republic. The Third Anglo-Dutch War came to an end with the signing of the Treaty Of Westminster between the English and the Dutch in 1674 . Only in 1781 would the Dutch and British fleets fight each other again.

Ships involved:

England

?

The Netherlands

''Admiralty of Amsterdam''

Ships of the line:

''Akerboom'' 62 (Jacob Teding van Berkhout)

''Stad Utrecht'' 66 (Jan Davidszoon Bondt)

''Prince te Paard'' 55 (Adam van Brederode)

''Wakende Kraan'' 44 (Pieter Claesz Dekker

''Zeelandia'' 44 (Daniël Elsevier)

''Steenbergen'' 68 (Jan Paulusz van Gelder, killed in battle)

''Hollandia'' 80 (Schout-bij-Nacht Jan de Haen)

''Gideon'' 62 (Barend Hals)

''Provincie van Utrecht'' 60 (Jan Janszoon de Jongh)

''Leeuwen'' 50 (Jan Gijsels van Lier)

''Spiegel'' 70 (Commandeur Jacob van Meeuwen)

''Komeetstar'' 68 (Pieter Middelandt)

''Essen'' 50 (Philips de Munnik)

''Wapen van Holland'' 44 (Matthijs Dirkszoon Pijl)

''Waesdorp'' 68 (Engel de Ruyterzoon)

''Tijdverdrijf'' 56 (Gilles Schey)

''Agatha'' 50 (Pieter Cornelisz de Sitter)

''Kalantsoog'' 68 (Volkert Hendrickszoon Swart, died from wounds)

''Beschermer'' 50 (David Swerius (Sweers), killed in battle)

''Oliphant'' 82 (Vice-Admiral Isaak Sweers, killed in battle)

''Geloof'' 56 (Cornelis Tijloos)

''Gouden Leeuw'' 82 (Lt-Admiral Cornelis Tromp, captain Thomas Tobiaszoon)

''Zuiderhuis'' 45 (Isaak Uitterwijk)

''Amsterdam'' 60 (Cornelis van der Zaan)

Frigates:

''Oudkarspel'' 34 (Jan van Abkoude)

''Bommel'' 24 (Jan Bogaart)

''Edam'' 36 (Willem van Ewijk)

''Haas'' 24 (Hans Hartwich)

''Damiaten'' 32 (Mattheus Megank)

''Popkensburg'' 24 (Jan Noirot)

''Middelburg'' 36 (Hendrik Span)

''Brak'' 22 (Roemer Vlack)

Advice yachts:

''Egmond'' 10 (Jan Kramer)

''Triton'' 10 (Nicolaas Portugaal)

''Kits'' 4 (Gilles Saloy

''Kater'' 10 (Abraham Taalman)

Fireships:

''Zaaier'' 4 (Wijbrand Barendszoon)

''Jacob en Anna'' (Jan Boomgaard)

''Leidster'' 4 (Pieter van Grootveld)

''Vrede'' 4 (Dirk Klaaszoon Harney)

''Wapen van Velsen'' 4 (Jan van Kampen)

''Zalm'' 4 (Cornelis Jelmertszoon Kok)

''Kasteel van Loon'' 4 (Pieter Hendrikszoon Pop)

''Melkschuit'' 4 (Jacob Schenk)

''Salvador'' 4 (Jacob Vroom)

''Draak'' 4 (Willem Willemszoon)

''Admiralty of the Maas''

Ships of the line:

''Zeven Provincien'' 80 (fleet flag, Lt-Admiral Michael de Ruyter, captains Gerard Callenburgh and Pieter de Liefde)

''Delft'' 62 (Philips van Almonde)

''Ridderschap'' 64 (Eland du Bois)

''Voorzichtigheid'' 84 (Jan van Brakel)

''Gelderland'' 63 (temporary Schout-bij-Nacht Cornelis de Liefde, died from wounds)

''Vrijheid'' 80 (Vice-Admiral Jan Evertszoon de Liefde, killed in battle)

''Eendracht'' 72 (Lt-Admiral Aert van Nes)

''Maagd van Dordrecht'' 68 (Vice-Admiral Jan Janszoon van Nes)

''Dordrecht'' 44 (Frans van Nijdek)

''Zeelandia'' 42 (Simon van Panhuis)

''Schieland'' 58 (Adriaan Poort)

''Wassenaer'' 59 (Barend Rees)

Frigates:

''Schiedam'' 20 (Cornelis van der Hoevensoon

''Utrecht'' 34 (Jan Snellensoon)

''Rotterdam'' 30 (Jacob Pieterszoon Swart

''Harderwijk'' 24 (MozesWichmansoon)

Advice yachts:

''Hoop'' 6 (Isaac Anteuniszoon van Anten)

''Rotterdam'' 6 (Wijnand van Meurs)

Fireships:

''Sint Pieter'' (Gerrit Halfkaag)

''Jisper Kerk'' 4 (Lens Harmenszoon)

''Blackmoor'' 4 (Abraham van Koperen)

''Maria'' 4 (Dirk de Munnik)

''Eenhoorn'' (Willem de Rave)

''Louise'' 4 (Jan Daniëlszoon van Rijn)

''Admiralty of the Noorderkwartier''

Ships of the line:

''Pacificatie'' 76 (Cornelis Bakker)

''Jupiter'' 42 (Pieter Bakker)

''Gelderland'' 45 (Maarten de Boer)

''Eenhoorn'' 70 (Schout-bij-Nacht Jan Janszoon Dick)

''Westfriesland'' 78 (Jan Heck)

''Wapen van Nassau'' 58 (Pieter Karseboom)

''Wapen van Alkmaar'' 63 (Jan Krook)

''Wapen van Enkhuizen'' 72 (Leendert Kuiper)

''Justina van Nassau'' 66 (Jan Gerritszoon van Muis)

''Noorderkwartier'' 60 (Jacob Roos)

''Prins van Oranje'' 64 (Claes Corneliszoon Valehaen)

''Wapen van Medemblik'' 44 (Hendrik Visscher, killed 21 August 1673)

''Caleb'' 50 (Claes Pietersz Wijnbergen)

Fireships:

''Vis'' (Harmen de Boer)

''Catharina'' 2 (Pieter Sievertszoon Bouckertsen)

''Witte Mol'' 4 (Hendrik Munt)

''Admiralty of Zealand''

Ships of the line:

''Walcheren'' 70 (Lt-admiral Adriaan van Trappen Banckert)

''Zierikzee'' 60 (vice-admiral Cornelis Evertsen de Jonge)

''Dordrecht'' 50 (Willem Hendrickszoon)

''Ter Veere'' 50 (Dirk Jobszoon Kiela, killed in battle)

''Utrecht'' 50 (Simon Loncke)

''Domburg'' 60 (Carel van der Putte)

''Vlissingen'' 48 (Salomon Le Sage)

Frigates:

''Delft'' 34 (Adriaan van Trappen Banckert de Jonge)

''Ter Goes'' 34 (Anteunis Matthijszoon)

Advice yachts:

''Hazewind'' 7 (Tobias Adriaanszoon)

''Goes'' 8 (David van Geerstdale)

''Waterhond'' 4 (Jacob Hamers)

''Zwaluw'' 6 (Matthijs Lauwerens)

''Jonge Maria'' 10 (Arnoud Leunissen)

''Tonijn'' 6 (Pieter de Moor)

''?'' (Hendrik Pieterszoon)

''Bruinvis'' 6 (Jan Corneliszoon Poot)

''Parel'' 6 (Teunis Post)

''Lapmande'' 8 (Schuyen)

Fireships:

''Samuel en Jacob'' 4 (Simon Arendszoon)

''Dadelboom'' 2 (Reinier Dirkszoon)

''Catharina'' 4 (Frederik Konvent)

''Sevellie'' 2 (Anteunis Janszoon Schalje)

''Burg'' 2 (Huibrecht Wolfertszoon)

''Admiralty of Frisia''

Ships of the line:

''Elf Steden'' 50 (Witzo Johannes Beima)

''Prins Hendrik Casimir'' 70 (Schout-bij-Nacht Hendrik Bruynsvelt)

''Groningen'' 70 (Vice-Admiral Enno Doedes Star)

''Oostergo'' 58 (Jan Janszoon Vijselaer)

Frigate:

''Windhond'' 30 (Jan Pieterszoon Vinckelbos)

Advice yachts:

''Hoop'' 6 (Cornelis Reindertszoon Eenarm)

''Liefde'' (Jochem Jansen)

Fireship:

''Welkomst'' (IJsbrand Albertszoon)

Information About

Battle Of Texel