Declaration of the Second Anglo-Dutch War

Timeline

1. 1664–1665North America and the West Indies · Atlantic OceanAfter England seized New Amsterdam (later renamed New York) in 1664, Anglo-Dutch friction over North American and Caribbean trade routes intensified. Enforcement of the Navigation Acts, conflicts of interest between the East and West India Companies, and incidents of Dutch merchant ship interception brought relations between the two countries to a freezing point in early 1665.
2. 1665London · LondonOn March 4, 1665, Charles II issued a formal declaration of war, accusing the Dutch Republic of disrupting trade order and supporting England's enemies. The English Parliament subsequently approved war funds, and the Royal Navy assembled and set sail under the command of James, Duke of York (later James II).
3. 1665Off Lowestoft · North SeaMonths after the declaration, the English and Dutch fleets engaged in a large-scale artillery battle off Lowestoft. England achieved a tactical victory, sinking several Dutch capital ships, but failed to completely destroy the Dutch navy; the war turned into a prolonged war of attrition and blockade, further complicated by the Great Plague of London in 1665.