War of Holland - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

The war of Holland was held 1672 with 1678. She opposed the France and her allies (England, Münster, Liege, Bavaria, Sweden) to the Quadruple Alliance including/understanding the United Provinces, the Holy roman Empire, the Brandebourg and the Spain.

Causes of the war

After the War of Devolution (1667 - 1668), Louis XIV understands that it must get rid of the Triple alliance of $the Hague of 1668, and especially of the United Provinces if it wants to continue to assert the Spanish territories (heritage of sound beautiful father Philippe IV). Moreover, in spite of the French customs tariffs very protectionist of 1664 and 1667, the Dutchmen are frightening competitors for the French merchants and manufacturers. A victory over Holland would make it possible to reduce the problem. Also Colbert, person in charge of the economic policy, pushes with the war. It is the same of Louvois, which since 1670, directs the secretariat of State to the war. The war against the United Provinces must enable him to show to the king his talents of organizer, to even impose itself vis-a-vis the brilliances war leaders like Condé and Turenne.

Diplomatic preparation of the war

It is a question of breaking the Triple alliance of $the Hague between the United Provinces, the England and the Sweden. Louis XIV sends to London his/her sister-in-law Henriette of England which negotiates with his/her brother Charles II. With the help of an annual pension of three million books Charles II promises to help France (Dealt with Dover of June 1670 and London in December).

In 1671, the French ambassador Arnauld de Pomponne, is sent in Sweden. In November Louis XIV obtains the neutrality of the emperor Léopold Ier. On the other hand, in December, the Spain, which has the Netherlands of the south (current territories of the Région Nord-Pas-de-Calais, the Belgium and the Luxembourg), concludes a treaty from mutual assistance with the United Provinces. In April 1672, the king de Suède, against an annual pension of 600.000 ecus, is committed intervening in Germany, if the German princes help the United Provinces with which, is combined the voter Brandebourg, Frederic Guillaume Ier.

The war in 1672

The March 28th 1672, Charles II of England declared the war with the United Provinces the April 6th Louis XIV makes some in the same way. On sea, the June 7th, Franco-English alliance essuie a failure with the Battle of Solebay (with broad of the Suffolk) in front of the Dutch fleet of the admiral Ruyter who saves his country of the blockade thus.

On the contrary, the terrestrial countryside was crowned success for Louis XIV. Avoiding the Spanish Netherlands, the French enter the United Provinces. The king and Condé take Orsoy, Wesel, Rhinberg, Burick and the June 12th passes the the Rhine to the ford of Tolhuis. During this time the marshal of Luxembourg occupies Zwolle, and Bernhard von Galen, the Prince-bishop of Münster, begins the seat of Groningue, while Turenne takes Arnheim and Nimègue. But on the councils of Louvois, Louis XIV however does not go on Amsterdam to range.

Overflowed the Dutchmen, as of the June 16th, send negotiators who propose to yield the cities of the the Rhine, Maastricht, the the Brabant and the Dutch Flanders with in addition an allowance of ten million books. But Louis XIV requiring more ground and the re-establishment of the freedom of the catholic worship, it is the rupture. The June 20th the Dutchmen break the locks of Muyden and cause the flood of the country. The French cannot advance any more. The July 8th, Guillaume III of Orange, already general captain (chief of the armies Dutchwomen), is named Stathouder Holland, the July 16th stathouder of Zealand. The assassination the August 20th, of the Large-boarder Johan de Witt, chief of the Dutch diplomacy, and its Cornélius brother made of William of Orange the only chief, it will be the keenest adversary of Louis XIV during nearly thirty years.

At this point in time the emperor Léopold Ier decides to break promised neutrality with Louis XIV. It is combined with the voter Brandebourg the June 23rd and the July 25th with the United Provinces. To face and prevent the junction German-Dutchman, Turenne is sent in Westphalia and Condé in Alsace. In December benefitting from freezing, French is in front of $the Hague which is saved only by one sudden thaw.

The war in 1673

In Germany, the June 26th, Turenne beats the Électeur Brandebourg and the constrained one with neutrality. The June 29th, Louis XIV seizes Maastricht where of Artagnan finds death. On the other hand the admiral Ruyter beats the Franco-English fleet with Walcheren (7 - June 14th) then with the Bataille of Texel the August 20th. The August 30th, the United Provinces, the Austria, the Spain and the duke of Lorraine Charles IV form the Great alliance of $the Hague against France.

The war in 1674

In front of such a coalition, makes new provisions and establishes a face which goes from Holland to the Alsace, while passing by the the Rhineland. The French take Colmar, Sélestat and Landau. Nevertheless, these victories were seriously relativized by the arrival of Imperial, ordered by Montecuculli. Little by little, all the German princes initially favorable to France made defection, except for Bavaria.

Persuaded that Charles II sought to restore the Catholicisme, the English Parliament forced it to make peace with the United Provinces in February 1674. France must thus evacuate the United Provinces (except Maastricht)

Louis XIV continued nevertheless to attack in Franche-Comté which belongs to the Spaniards. The marshal of Luxembourg occupies Besancon (May 20th) and Dole (June 7th). Turenne crosses the the Rhine again the June 16th 1674. It plunders the Palatinat to terrorize the German princes.

The Voter of Brandebourg, Frederic-Guillaume, joined in war on July 1st 1674.

The August 11th with the Battle of Seneffe in Belgium, Condé bars the road with William of Orange, on the way towards Paris. With the end of the year, the Imperial ones and the Lorraine ones penetrate in Alsace. Turenne passes by the the Vosges in full winter and with the Bataille of Turckheim on January 5th 1675 crushes them. The Imperial ones are force to pass by again the the Rhine.

In June, the Dutchmen of the admiral Tromp vainly try to unload with Belle-Île.

The war in 1675

To the beginning of the year 1675, the Sweden enters in war, thorough by France. It attacks the Brandebourg but is pushed back close to Berlin in July. The French send troops to support Messine revolted against its sovereign the king of Spain.

In the Rhineland the war enlise in a drive out-continuation. Turenne is killed by a blow of gun the July 28th 1675 with the Bataille of Salzbach. French must beat a retreat and the Imperial ones penetrate again in Alsace. But Condé is able to drive back them in Germany and then decides to take his retirement. The marshal of Créquy is made prisoner with Trier. France must evacuate Philippsburg.

The war in 1676

In Flandres, Louis XIV seizes the towns of Cop (April) and of Bouchain (May) then Versailles regains.

In the Mediterranean Duquesne attacks a Dutch fleet, arrival to help Spanish, with Stomboli. April 22nd with Agosta, it fights a hollando-Spanish combined fleet, Ruyter finds death there. After a new naval battle, with Palermo, on June 2nd, the French control the Western Mediterranean.

Joined together in Nimègue (United Provinces) since June, the envoys of the belligerents negotiate the conditions of peace.

The war in 1677

Loan before united the marshal of Luxembourg seizes Valencian (March 17th) then of Cambrai (April 18th). During this time, Mister, brother of the king, beats Guillaume III of Orange to Noordpeene at the time of the Bataille of Peene (April 11th) and seizes Saint-Omer, as well as châtellenies of Cassel, Bailleul and Ypres. The Artois and part of the Flanders is with the hands of the French.

The king of Sweden takes his revenge on Brandebourg with Landskrona (July 24th). The marshal of Luxembourg obliges Guillaume III to raise the seat of Charleroi and the marshal of Créquy beats the duke of Lorraine to Kokersberg (October 9th) then seizes Freiburg-in-Brisgau (November 16th).

But in October 1677, Marie of York, niece of Charles II, and its heiress in the absence of descent, wife William of Orange, thus marking the bringing together enters the England and the United Provinces (alliance of January 10th, 1678).

The war in 1678

Louis XIV decides to avoid the threat of alliance anglo-Dutchwoman. Making converge its armies, it takes Ghent (March 9th) then Ypres (March 25th). The Dutchmen again are directly threatened. The negotiators of Nimègue are almost of agreement on the conditions of peace, but Louis XIV asks that its Swedish ally recover the territories lost in Germany. The emperor, the voter of Brandebourg and the king of Denmark, concerned with these territories refuse to return them. The war begins again. The marshal of Créquy beats the imperial ones on the Rhine in July.

From now on Louis XIV is able to impose a outcome on the war. It is the peace of Nimègue, signed the August 10th 1678 with the United Provinces. Spain makes peace, on September 17th. In 1679, peace is generalized with the emperor (February 5th), the voter of Brandebourg (June 20th), the king of Denmark (September 2nd) and Sweden (November 26th). The treaty of Nimègue is the triumph of Louis XIV: he is the referee of Europe.