The Anglo-Dutch Naval Wars 1652-1674

by David Roger Hainsworth, Christine Churches

During the course of the seventeenth century, England and the Netherlands three times found themselves at war in the North Sea. In this study of the wars, Roger Hainsworth and Christine Churches take us through the background, causes and the course of the wars, illuminating all the battles and the political goings-on that lay behind them. The tactics of battle and the famous naval heroics of such men as Robert Blake, Cornelis Tromp and Michiel de Ruyter are all explored in absorbing detail. This fascinating book will be of interest to anyone wishing to learn more about naval history, the seventeenth century or the history of warfare generally.

212 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1998

About the author

David Roger Hainsworth (born 1931) is a retired academic who taught at Adelaide University from 1965 until his retirement in 1993.

Reviews

['Aussie Rick' · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, `The Anglo-Dutch Naval Wars, 1652-1674' by Roger Hainsworth and Christine Churches is a very enjoyable account of the naval wars fought between England and the Netherlands. The many battles fought took place from the period of Cromwell's Commonwealth through to the reign of Charles II. The book is broken up into two main sections; `The First Dutch War' and then `The Later Wars'.

The narrative flows smoothly and the story is well told, we come across many of the names we have all heard at school. Captains like Robert Blake, Prince Rupert, Cornelis Tromp and Michiel de Ruyter, plus many more naval commanders, some famous some infamous. The sections covering the fighting are well told and a number of first-hand accounts are used throughout the narrative to give you a better feeling of the terrors of naval fighting at that time.

The book is well researched and presented and I enjoyed the story a great deal. I have only read bits and pieces about these conflicts in other books covering this period; this is the first book that I have come across that has covered these naval wars in such detail.

Overall I think most people would enjoy the story as much as I did. The book is 212 pages in length and is full of lovely plates and paintings taken from the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich in London (sadly all in black and white). A number of maps are also supplied in the book but are of a basic nature.