Why the Dutch are Different: A Journey into the Hidden Heart of the Netherlands

by Ben Coates

Five years after the Raid on the Medway, the conflict ignited yet again. Like a playground bully ganging up with others, the English had secured an important ally this time – the French. In 1672, Louis XIV of France invaded the Dutch Republic with support from the English navy. The French quickly seized control of much of the country, but the tables turned when the Dutch opened dikes around Amsterdam, flooding a huge area of land to create a ‘Water Line’ blocking the path of the invaders. The Dutch navy, meanwhile, fought fiercely to hold off the English ships that were attempting to attack from the sea. Further afield, the Dutch even managed to seize New York City briefly from the English, renaming it ‘New Orange’. A peace treaty returned it to English hands, and to its previous name, in 1674. After three wars in a little over twenty years, the English and the Dutch would remain at peace for another century.