Chapter 32 – The First World War (1671-1674)
Anglo-Dutch Relations and the Calicut Incident
As the Dutch Empire rose in prominence, it was inevitable that it would come into conflict with the older European powers. Since the middle of the 16th Century, the premier superpower was unquestionably Great Britain. With the title of Holy Roman Emperor and control of the Canterbury Papacy, the British kings maintained hegemony over Catholic Europe. The Justifier states maintained their independence through good relations with the British and the unity of the League of Darmstadt. The Dutch and Swedish trading houses of the League brought wealth to the Holy Roman Empire, which helped increase the Emperor’s tax revenues.
The breakup of the League in 1618 upset the balance of power within the Empire. The loss of Sweden and Norway left the remaining Justifiers weakened, emboldening the Catholic Emperor to capitalize on the situation. In 1658 the newly crowned King George V imposed the Compensation Act on the Empire, increasing the amount of Imperial taxes paid by Justifier- and Adelerist-owned businesses. The Act was largely ignored within the United Provinces, leading to the Imperial seizure of Dutch properties in England. The Reichskammergericht refused to hear Dutch appeals, claiming that the seizures were well within the Emperor’s rights.
Dutch relations with Great Britain deteriorated even further as the British Parliament adopted increasingly protectionist stances against trade with the Netherlands. Starting with the Staple Act of 1642 banning Dutch fish and seafood, Parliament went on to ban Dutch coffee, barley, fruits, salt and metal goods. The government also attempted to assert fishing rights over the contested Dogger Bank and Iceland Sea, using the British navy to threaten Dutch fishing vessels. The States-General were able to force the British Parliament to back down by threatening similar embargos on British goods, which allowed Dutch goods back into Great Britain. However, the situation remained tense, with Dutch and British warships often coming into conflict in the North Sea.
The increasingly hostile climate of the mid-17th Century forced the Dutch government to undertake a massive reform of the military. A program of national conscription was put into place, increasing the army to 76 regular regiments. A new state military academy was built in Breda to train a professional officer corps, while exceptional service in the field was rewarded by battlefield commissions. The navy was expanded to 80 ships-of-the-line, and the experiences in the shallow waterways of Asia was put to use to develop new naval fighting techniques for coastal waters. The State-General also secretly approved a new espionage bureau under Maarten Hogarth, reporting directly to the Stadtholder and authorized to conduct covert activities both at home and abroad.
Maldivian pirates attack Dutch ships off Calicut
The turning point came with the Calicut Incident of 1669. Three merchant ships of the Ceylon-Frisia Tea Company were attacked by Maldivian pirates outside the British port of Calicut, in full view of two British frigates. Despite repeatedly signaling to the British for help the Dutch vessels were ignored, leading to the capture and enslavement of their crews. A few crewmen managed to escape in a longboat, delivering word of the attack to the Dutch embassy in Jaffa. As the Maldive Islands were British protectorates, the inaction of the British warships was seen as highly suspicious. Newsletters began circulating throughout the Netherlands, claiming that the British were using Muslim privateers to attack Dutch shipping in the Indian Ocean. The British government claimed that the frigates simply didn’t see the Dutch signals, but the excuse was widely disbelieved.
Crewmen escape Maldivian pirate attack
In retaliation for the attack, the Governor of the Dutch East Indies launched a raid on the Maldivian island of Malé. During a night attack on the island city, Dutch warships “accidentally” shelled the British consulate and East India Company offices. The Korps Mariniers gained control of the island and installed a military governor to prevent further pirate attacks. The Dutch actions infuriated King George, who demanded immediate reparations from the States-General. In response, the Seventeen Provinces unanimously voted to leave the Holy Roman Empire, throwing the European community into chaos. Seeing an opportunity to further humiliate the British Emperor, the French followed suit and renounced Imperial claims on its German territories.
As the situation quickly spiraled out of control, the Dutch and British embassies were removed from London and Breda, while both sides mobilized their militaries. Portugal and Castille began preparations to assist their allies, turning the approaching conflict into a potential world war, unparalleled in history. On the eve of war, Hogarth managed to obtain deployment plans from the British and Castillian governments, allowing Stadtholder Schouten to see the distribution of his enemies’ forces.
Distribution of Forces, 1671
Great Britain
Britain – 62 regiments, 22 warships
Ireland – 14 regiments
Continent – 44 regiments
Africa – 25 regiments, 8 warships
North America – 44 regiments
South America – 23 regiments
Asia – 4 regiments
Castille
Continent – 59 regiments, 11 warships
Africa – 14 regiments
North America – 30 regiments, 8 warships
South America – 10 regiments, 4 warships
Asia – 3 regiments, 3 warships
The Netherlands
Continent – 50 regiments, 45 warships
Africa – 4 regiments, 3 warships
North America – 16 regiments, 18 warships
Asia – 6 regiments, 15 warships
Portugal
Continent – 16 regiments, 29 warships
Africa – 28 regiments, 11 warships
North America – 30 regiments, 11 warships
South America – 17 regiments, 4 warships