Editing Anglo–Dutch wars (section)

=== Third war: 1672–1674 ===
{{Main|Third Anglo-Dutch War}}
[[File:The Goulden Leeuw Engaging Royal Prince at the Battle of the Texel, 11 August 1673 RMG BHC0307.tiff|thumb|The [[Battle of Texel]], 21 August 1673.]]

Soon the Royal Navy was rebuilt. After the events of the previous war, English public opinion was unenthusiastic about starting a new one. However, as he was bound by the secret [[Treaty of Dover]], Charles II was obliged to assist [[Louis XIV]] in his attack on the Dutch Republic in the [[Franco-Dutch War]]. When the [[Royal French Army]] was halted by the [[Hollandic Water Line]] (a defence system involving strategic flooding), an attempt was made to invade the Dutch Republic by sea. De Ruyter won a series of strategic victories against the Anglo-French fleet and prevented an invasion of the Dutch Republic. After these failures, the English parliament forced Charles to make peace.{{sfn|Troost|2005|p=126}}