Editing Maarten Tromp (section)

===First Anglo-Dutch War===
[[file:Abraham Willaerts, First Dutch War.jpeg|thumb|upright=1.2|{{center|&nbsp;&nbsp;Ships in the [[First Anglo-Dutch War]], 1652,<br><small>by  [[Abraham Willaerts]]</small>&nbsp;&nbsp;}} ]]
In the [[First Anglo-Dutch War]] of 1652 to 1653, Tromp commanded the Dutch fleet in the battles of [[Battle of Dover (1652)|Dover]], [[Battle of Dungeness|Dungeness]], [[Battle of Portland|Portland]], [[Battle of the Gabbard|the Gabbard]] and [[Battle of Scheveningen|Scheveningen]].<ref name=bcw1>[[#bcw2010|BCW, 2010]], Essay</ref>

Prior to the war,  [[Oliver Cromwell]] and the [[Rump Parliament]] had [[Navigation Acts|issued an ordinance]] prohibiting foreign trade and requiring all foreign fleets in the North Sea or the Channel to lower their flag in salute and as a sign of compliance. A Dutch embassy was in London trying to negotiate a lifting of the [[Navigation Acts]], but without much success.<ref>[[#jones1966|Jones, 1966]], pp. 48-49</ref>
On 19 May 1652, Tromp was cruising in the English Channel with a fleet of forty ships between [[Nieuwpoort, Belgium|Nieuport]] and the mouth of the [[Meuse|Meuse River]], with general orders to protect Holland's commerce, while keeping watch over the English fleet who were searching and seizing Dutch merchant ships prior.<ref name=hannay77-78>[[#hannay1886|Hannay, 1886]], pp. 77-78</ref> British Admiral [[Robert Blake (admiral)|Robert Blake]] had recently seized seven richly laden Dutch merchant ships, off the coast of [[Fairlight, East Sussex|Fairlight]].<ref>[[#gardiner2|Gardiner, 1897]], v. II, p. 117</ref> Blake was now lying in [[Dover]] Roads with fifteen ships, while eight others were anchored in Bourne in the Downs.<ref name=hannay77-78/> When Tromp failed to lower his flag in salute, Blake, aboard his flagship the ''James'', believing Tromp had just received orders from a dispatch ketch to commence battle, fired two warning shots, without ball. The [[Battle of Dover]] was begun when Tromp refused to strike his flag and instead hoisted a red battle flag in defiance,<ref>[[#lambert2008|Lambert, 2008]], p. 52</ref> which prompted Blake to fire a third gun, hitting Tromp's ship and wounding some crew members. This was followed with Tromp returning fire with a warning broadside from his flagship [[Dutch ship Brederode (1644)|''Brederode'']]. Blake in turn fired a broadside and a five-hour battle ensued.<ref>[[#dixon1852|Dixon, 1852]], pp. 191-192</ref> The fighting continued until nightfall, where both sides withdrew, the battle having no distinct victor.<ref name=low36>[[#low1872|Low, 1872]], p. 36</ref><ref>[[#claredon3b|Hyde, Edward, Earl of Clarendon, 1717]], pp. 459-460</ref> Shortly after the battle a board of commissioners, which included Cromwell, after questioning witnesses, had concluded that Tromp had deliberately provoked hostilities. Subsequently Holland withdrew its three ambassadors from Westminster,<ref>[[#gardiner2|Gardiner, 1897]], v. ii, pp. 118-119</ref> and on 8 July 1652 England declared war against Holland.<ref name=low36/>

Tromp, with a larger fleet than he had ordered for, sailed to the Downs and found that Blake had made it to the north-east coast, where he set sail for the [[Thames River]]. Near the mouth of the river he came upon an English squadron, commanded by Sir [[George Ayscue|George Ayscough]], who had the advantage of the [[weather gage]], thus preventing Tromp from engaging effectively. Subsequently, Tromp decided  to return to the Netherland coast, which was a decision that was not at all well received by the Dutch government, resulting in his removal from command, with [[Michiel de Ruyter|Admiral de Ruyter]] taking his place.<ref>[[#low1872|Low, 1872]], pp. 36-37</ref>

On 8 October 1652, with Tromp's command still in suspension, Dutch Vice-Admiral  [[Witte de With]] underestimating Blake, with 60 ships, attempted an attack at the [[Battle of the Kentish Knock]], but ended with Blake sending the defeated de With back to the Netherlands. Although de With was the more adept tactician, he was no match against Blake's force that included the heavy English ships the [[English ship Prince Royal (1610)|''Resolution'']] and the [[English ship Sovereign|''Sovereign'']], the two largest war ships in the world at the time.<ref>[[#lambert2008|Lambert, 2008]], p. 54</ref>{{efn|The ''Resolution had 70 guns, and the Sovereign'' had 102 guns.&nbsp;See: {{*}}[[English ship Sovereign|''Sovereign'']] &nbsp;and&nbsp; {{*}} [[English ship Prince Royal (1610)|English ship ''Prince Royal'' (1610]] }} The significance of De With's defeat was received over-optimistically by the Council of State, leading them to assume that Blake now had control over the English Channel. The Council subsequently dispersed their fleets to protect English interests in the [[Baltic Sea]], and [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]], while another fleet was sent to reinforce the squadron in the Mediterranean. This left Blake with about forty ships that were in anchor in the Downs, and a situation that was compounded by a lack of funds to pay for badly needed repairs and for the crews.<ref>[[#atkinson1898|Atkinson, 1898]], pp. 203</ref><ref>[[#lambert2008|Lambert, 2008]], p. 54-55</ref>

Subsequent to de With's defeat, Tromp was reinstated as commander, on 8 May, which proved to be a big boost for Dutch navy morale, which was the highest it had been since he was dismissed months before in July.<ref name="Lambert p. 55">[[#lambert2008|Lambert, 2008]], p. 55</ref> The [[Battle of Dungeness]] occurred on 30 November 1652, and proved to be the most important Dutch victory during the war, with Tromp's fleet winning for the Dutch the temporary control of the English Channel.  A great convoy of 300 merchant ships was ready to leave the Netherlands headed for the [[Bay of Biscay]], accompanied by a large fleet of 73 warships and a small number of [[fireships]]  which were sent in escort to protect it. Tromp was in  command, with [[Johan Evertsen|Jan Evertsen]] and De Ruyter as his subordinate commanders. Admiral Blake had seriously underestimated Dutch strength, possibly due to poor visibility, as his fleet was outnumbered, two-to-one. Blake, nevertheless, shadowed the Dutch fleet which was sailing parallel along the English coast towards [[Dungeness]], with the coastline beginning to bend to the south.<ref name=clowes173>[[#clowes1897|Clowes, 1897]], v. 2, p. 173</ref><ref name=hannay98-100>[[#hannay1886|Hannay, 1886]], pp. 98-100</ref> As the fleets were approaching Dungeness Point Blake's fleet became pinned against the shore bringing the two fleets close together. Tromp subsequently hoisted  the red battle-flag and advanced on Blake’s new flagship, the [[English ship Triumph (1562)|''Triumph'']].<ref name="Lambert p. 55"/> The battle that developed involved only a part of the Dutch fleet as the winds were preventing the others from engaging in a timely fashion.  The re was much hand-to-hand fighting that lasted until about 5:00 pm with the advance of nightfall, with the Dutch fleet prevailing, taking several British prizes, while Blake retreated to the mouth of the Thames.<ref name=clowes173/><ref name=hannay98-100/> Tromp's victory over the British prompted a marked turning point for the British navy.<ref name=lambert56-57>[[#lambert2008|Lambert, 2008]], pp. 56-57</ref>{{efn|British naval historian [[Andrew Lambert]] maintains that the Dutch victory was a "salutary reminder" that the British were dealing with a major and capable opponent, causing Blake to submit his resignation, which was declined, and prompting a Court of Enquiry to further look into matters, while the Council of State supported Blake's contention that he had to have absolute authority in such matters, with added subordinate commanders, and an increase in sailor's pay, while insisting for the same professional standards that existed for the army. This was followed with a large tax increase to fund these improvements.<ref name=lambert56-57/>}}

The naval [[Battle of the Gabbard]],  took place on 2–3 June 1653, (12–13 June 1653 [[Gregorian calendar]]) off the coast of [[Suffolk]], England  near the Gabbard shoal. Tromp, aboad his flagship ''Brederode'' with Vice-admiral [[Witte de With]] aboard the [[Dutch ship Vrijheid|''Vrijheid'']],  was in command of 98 ships and six fireships, divided in five squadrons, while Generals at Sea [[George Monck]] and [[Richard Deane (regicide)|Richard Deane]] were in command of 100 ships and five fireships, divided into three squadrons.<ref name=clowes187-189>[[#clowes1898|Clowes, 1898]], v. 2, pp. 187-189</ref> Tromp's fleet was organized mostly for mélée fighting and were largely  crewed with soldiers for that purpose, while the English employed the use of superior firepower.<ref>[[#jones1996|Jones, 1996]], pp. 42, 129</ref> Admiral [[Robert Blake (admiral)|Robert Blake]] joined the English fleet on 3 June.  Though his fleet was very low on ammunition Tromp decided for a direct attack, but at the time the winds became almost still, leaving the Dutch fleet vulnerable in the face of superior enemy fire. Subsequently the Dutch lost seventeen ships to capture or sinking, while the English lost none. Deane was killed during the action. It was one  of the most costly defeats ever suffered by the Dutch, leaving the English in control of the English Channel.<ref name=clowes187-189/>

[[File:Battle of Scheveningen (Slag bij Ter Heijde)(Jan Abrahamsz. Beerstraten).jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|{{center|&nbsp;&nbsp;[[Battle of Scheveningen]],<br>Tromp's final battle&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; }}]]
During the  [[Battle of Scheveningen]], the last battle of the war, on 31 July 1653, Tromp was killed by a sharpshooter in the rigging of [[William Penn (admiral)|William Penn]]'s ship.<ref name=bcw1/> Tromp's flagship, the  ''[[Dutch ship Brederode (1644)|Brederode]]'', broke through the English line where an intense battle ensued, resulting in Tromp's imminent death. Tromp's last words were, "It is all over, O Lord, be merciful to me and thy poor people." Members of his crew carried the mortally wounded Tromp below deck to his cabin, where he died only a moment later.<ref>[[#gardiner1|Gardiner, 1897]], v. 1, pp. 346-347</ref>  His acting flag captain, [[Egbert Bartholomeusz Kortenaer]], on the ''Brederode'' kept up fleet morale by not lowering Tromp's standard, pretending Tromp was still alive.<ref name=rickard>[[#rickard2009|Rickard, 2009]], Essay</ref> At this point Evertsen assumed command, and with this the Dutch admirals returned to their ships and resumed battle with "unabated vigour".<ref name=clowes195-196>[[#clowes1897|Clowes, 1897]], v. 2, pp. 195-196</ref>  The loss of Tromp was a severe blow to the Dutch navy.<ref name=bcw1/> The battle proved to be a tactical victory for the English, but a strategic victory for the Dutch in that they had the blockade removed.