Sea battle at Scheveningen
.jpg)
Zeeslag bij Ter Heyde, 10 augustus 1653 ,
painted by Jan Abrahamszoon Beerstrats (before 1666)
| date | August 10, 1653 |
|---|---|
| place | Sea area in front of Scheveningen |
| output | Tactical victory for the English. Strategic victory for the Dutch |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
| Commander | |
| Troop strength | |
| 127 ships (with 27 de Withs ships ) |
120 ships |
| losses | |
|
12 ships |
|
Dover - Plymouth - Elba - Kentish Knock - Dungeness - Portland - Livorno - Gabbard - Scheveningen
In the sea battle near Scheveningen (called in Dutch sea battle near Texel or sea battle near Ter Heijde ), the last sea battle in the First Anglo-Dutch War , jul met on July 31 . / August 10, 1653 greg. the fleet of the United Provinces of the Netherlands to the fleet of the Commonwealth of England off the coast near the Dutch island of Texel .
prehistory
After their victory in the sea battle at Gabbard in June 1653, 120 ships of the English fleet under the command of George Monck blocked the Dutch coast and brought up numerous merchantmen. The Dutch economy collapsed quickly, mass unemployment spread and the population soon even went hungry. On August 3, the Dutch Lieutenant Admiral Maarten Tromp set sail with his flagship Brederode and 100 ships to break the blockade at Texel; there Vice Admiral Witte de With and 27 ships fell into a trap by the English. On August 8, the English sighted Tromp and headed south so that De With could escape and join Tromp the next day at Scheveningen , near the small town of Ter Heijde . Tromp had brought his fleet north of the English fleet in a skilful maneuver.
The battle
The English attacked the united Dutch fleet on the morning of August 10th. In fierce battles, the two fleets passed through the other four times. Tromp was killed early on by a sniper sitting in the rigging of William Penn's ship. His death was kept a secret so as not to endanger the will of the Dutch to fight.
In the late afternoon twelve Dutch ships had sunk or badly damaged. Eventually Dutch morale was broken and numerous ships under the command of merchant captains fled north. De With tried to stop them, but had to cover the retreat to Texel himself.
But the English fleet itself was badly damaged, had many wounded on board and had to go back home for repairs. The English blockade could not be maintained.
consequences
Both sides claimed victory for themselves: the English because of their tactical superiority, the Dutch because of the strategic goal of their attack. Tromp's death was a severe blow to her. Few believed in a victory over the English and the Orangists lost political influence. Johan de Witt was now ready to give Cromwell guarantees that William III. of Orange would never become governor and the Netherlands would never become a bastion of the Stuarts. Negotiations led to the Peace of Westminster on May 8, 1654 .
