Editing Third Anglo-Dutch War (section)

=== Negotiations ===
[[File:Moord op de gebroeders De Witt, door Pieter Frits (1627-1708).jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.0|The murder of the De Witt brothers secured William's domestic position.]]

The Dutch were helped by the incompatibility of French and English objectives, while initial success meant Louis over-estimated the strength of his position. French expansion in the Spanish Netherlands was primarily intended to grow their economy at the expense of the Dutch, but undermined English trade and security as well. If Louis also gained control of Holland, the financial and commercial centre of Europe, the potential increase in French influence threatened every other European state.{{sfn|'t Hart|2014|pp=30–33}}

On 14 June, the States of Holland opened negotiations, offering Louis the right to occupy key fortresses in the south, plus an indemnity of ten million guilders.{{sfn|Troost|2001|p=86}} He responded with additional demands including religious freedom for Catholics, or French sovereignty over [[Utrecht (province)|Utrecht]] and [[Guelders]]. Both sides were using talks as a delaying tactic, assuming their position would improve; Louis knew the envoys were not authorised to negotiate on religion or the territorial integrity of the provinces and would have to request further instructions. The English were to be ceded [[Delfzijl]], in [[Groningen (province)|Groningen]], already besieged by Münster.{{sfn|Troost|2005|p=80}}

Arguing only Charles could save them from the French, Orangist pressure led to his nephew William's appointment as [[stadtholder]] of Holland on 4 July. Hoping for a quick win, Charles sent Arlington and [[George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham|Buckingham]] to Brill, accompanied by Orangist exiles who had fled the Republic after their failed coup in 1666. They arrived at William's headquarters in [[Nieuwerbrug]] on 5 July, cheered by crowds who believed they brought promises of English support. The mood quickly changed when their terms were made public.{{sfn|Troost|2005|p=89}} France and Münster were to retain their conquests and William would be appointed Sovereign Prince of Holland, in return for which he would pay England ten million guilders, £10,000 per annum for North Sea herring rights, and allow English garrisons to occupy Brill, [[Sluys]] and [[Vlissingen]].{{sfn|Troost|2005|p=81}}{{Efn|During the [[Eighty Years War]] in 1585, the Dutch [[Treaty of Nonsuch|ceded]] control of Brill and Flushing (Vlissingen) to [[Elizabeth I]]; known as the [[Cautionary Towns]], they were sold back to the Dutch in 1616 by [[James VI and I|James I]] for £213,000{{Sfn|Jackson|2021|p=153}}}}

[[File:Gaspar Fagel (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Orangist [[Gaspar Fagel]], appointed Grand Pensionary in August 1672]]

William rejected the offer, since it gave the Dutch nothing they did not already hold. Arlington and Buckingham then met with Louis and agreed the [[Heeswijk Castle|Heeswijk Accord]] on 16 July. This set out a list of shared demands and undertook not to conclude a separate peace, but neither side placed any reliance on it.{{sfn|Grose|1929|pp=181–182}} Leopold's envoy in [[the Hague]], [[François-Paul de Lisola]], gave the States-General assurances of Imperial support and arranged for Spanish troops to hold the Dutch fortress cities of [['s-Hertogenbosch]] and [[Breda]], releasing their garrisons for the field army.{{sfn|Goldie|Levillain|2018|pp=57–58}}

A second letter from Charles on 18 July urged William to accept his terms, claiming the De Witts were the only obstacle to peace. He responded by offering fishing rights, £400,000, Sluys and [[Surinam (Dutch colony)|Surinam]], in return for recognition as Prince of Holland and England agreeing a separate peace.{{sfn|Troost|2005|p=91}} Based on the Heeswijk Accord, Louis demanded the Dutch cede their naval base at [[Hellevoetsluis]] to England, a demand he knew was unacceptable. After the terms were rejected on 20 July, Arlington and Buckingham returned to London.{{sfn|Panhuysen|2005|p=435}}

Johan de Witt had resigned as Grand Pensionary in June, while Cornelis was arrested for allegedly plotting to murder William. On 15 August, Charles' letter blaming the De Witts was published in Holland; the effect was to inflame tensions and the two brothers were lynched by an Orangist civil militia on 20th.{{sfn|Troost|2001|pp=94–95}} The Orangist [[Gaspar Fagel]] became Grand Pensionary, and on 27 August the States of Holland banned their political opponents from a local office, securing William's political position.{{sfn|Edwards|1998|p=59}}