Anglo-Dutch Wars

This article possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (February 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Anglo-Dutch Wars" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (November 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Anglo-Dutch Wars
The Four Days' Battle, by Abraham Storck
Date 1652–1654      First Anglo-Dutch War 1665–1667      Second Anglo-Dutch War 1672–1674      Third Anglo-Dutch War 1780–1784      Fourth Anglo-Dutch War Location English Channel, North Sea

The Anglo–Dutch Wars (Dutch: Engels–Nederlandse Oorlogen) were mainly fought between the Dutch Republic and England (later Kingdom of Great Britain) on the offshore island of Great Britain in the mid-17th and late 18th century. The first three wars occurred in the second half of the 17th century over trade and colonies, while the fourth conflict was fought a century later. Almost all the battles were naval engagements.

The English had minor successes in the first war, while the Dutch were successful in the second and third. However, in the century between the third and fourth war, the English / British Royal Navy had become the most powerful maritime force in the world for the next two hundred and fifty years, while the Dutch navy had fallen to fourth position, behind the navies of France and Spain.