Editing Second Anglo-Dutch War (section)

===Europe; 1665===
[[Image:Anglo-Dutch-War-2english.png|thumb|left|upright=1.4|The Second Anglo-Dutch War; key battles]]

Both sides planned a short war, since the English could not afford a long one, while the Dutch wanted to minimise any potential economic damage.{{sfn|Fox|2018|pp=69–70}} De Witt ordered his naval commander [[Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam|Jacob van Wassenaer]] to bring the English fleet to battle, although his ships were inferior in organisation, training, discipline and firepower.{{sfn|Bruijn|2011|p=74}}{{sfn|Fox|2018|pp=83–85}} At the [[Battle of Lowestoft]] on 13 June 1665, the Dutch navy suffered the worst defeat in its history, losing some sixteen ships. Most of the fleet escaped, but over 30% of its personnel were killed or captured, with van Wassenaer himself among the dead.{{sfn|Fox|2018|pp=126–127}}

Defeat led to an extensive overhaul of Dutch tactics and command structures, with several captains either executed for alleged cowardice, or dismissed. In July, [[Michiel de Ruyter]] became the new commander in chief, and followed the English in formalising the line battle formation.{{sfn|Fox|2018|pp=125–127}} Dutch finances also received a boost when the VOC Spice Fleet returned home safely after the [[battle of Vågen]].{{sfn|Rodger|2004|p=70}} This was offset when the eastern province of [[Overijssel]] was over-run by troops from [[Prince-Bishopric of Münster|Münster]] under [[Christoph Bernhard von Galen]], who was backed by English subsidies.{{sfn|Rommelse|2006|p=168}}

Münster's invasion threatened to involve further German states of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] in the fighting, and thus provide an excuse for [[Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Leopold]] to intervene. Concerned by this, Louis sent French soldiers to prevent supplies reaching von Galen's troops.{{sfn|Rommelse|2006|p=143}} Reports Charles was negotiating an alliance with Spain meant he also stepped up attempts to mediate a settlement, but the English in general remained deeply suspicious of French intentions.{{sfn|Jackson|2021|p=399}}{{efn|Charles told the French ambassador that while the City of London had loaned him £100,000 to continue the war against the Dutch, they would "pay him four times as much" to fight the French{{sfn|Jackson|2021|p=399}}}} Although the Dutch offered to renounce their territorial claims in [[New Netherland|North America]], and cede three West African posts, success at Lowestoft prompted Charles to demand further concessions and a Dutch agreement to bear the costs of the war. In December 1665, Louis withdrew his ambassadors from London, signalling his intention to declare war.{{sfn|Davenport|2004|p=120}}

Downing now contacted the Orangist party in Overijssel, which had suffered severely from von Galen's invasion, asking that they demand the [[States General of the Netherlands|States General]] make peace with England.{{sfn|Rommelse|2006|p=168}} De Witt's position was too strong for this to succeed, and on 11 December he declared the only acceptable peace terms were a return to the ''[[status quo ante bellum]]'', or a quick end to hostilities under a ''[[uti possidetis]]'' clause.{{sfn|Rommelse|2006|p=151}}