Anglo-Dutch Relations, a Political and Diplomatic Analysis of the Years
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1 ANGLO-DUTCH RELATIONS A Political and Diplomatic Analysis of the years 1625-1642 ’’Nations have no permanent friends or allies, they only have permanent interests’’ Lord Palmerston Britain’s Prime Minister 1855 and 1859-65 Anton Poot, M.A. Royal Holloway University of London March 2013 Supervised by Professor Pauline Croft, MA (Oxon) DPhil. FSA FRHistS, to be submitted in fulfilment of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Declaration: I hereby declare that the work presented in this thesis, ANGLO-DUTCH RELATIONS A Political and Diplomatic Analysis of the years 1625-1642 is my own. Signed: Name: Anton Poot Date: 2013 For my wife Jesmond 2 ABSTRACT The aim of this thesis is to analyse Anglo-Dutch relations in this highly volatile period, as perceived and interpreted by both sides, and it also closes the gap between the notable theses of Grayson1 and Groenveld2. On 23 August 1625 Charles I and the Dutch Republic concluded a partnership agreement for joint warfare at sea and a month later a treaty for war against Spain. In December 1625 England, Denmark and the Republic signed treaties to establish the nucleus of an alliance against the Austrian Habsburgs. Charles wanted an active role in continental politics. Also to compel Spain to support his aim to restore his exiled sister Elizabeth and husband Count Elector Frederick V to their Palatinate estates and Frederick to his Electoral dignities in the Empire. The Dutch wanted England as an active partner in their war with Spain. It was a partnership of convenience, with different objectives but with the intention that success would serve the interests of both. The perceptions of the partnership were also different. Charles saw it as a continuation from Dutch dependence on England in 1585 but in 1625 the Dutch saw themselves as strong enough on land and sea to withstand mighty Spain. However, their objective to have their sovereignty internationally acknowledged contrasted with Charles’ wider foreign policy objectives. The successful diplomacy of the first nine months was followed by a premature Anglo-Dutch attack on Spain at Cadiz which met with defeat; it remained England’s only military action against Spain. In 1627 England went to war with France in support of the Huguenots but had to withdraw. After the Cadiz expedition Charles expected the Dutch to join the Danes at war in the Empire and his own war against France, an atavistic notion that the Dutch in some vague sense were indebted to the English crown and would serve English interests. 1 John Christopher Grayson, From Protectorate to Partnership – Anglo-Dutch relations 1598-1625, Ph.D. Thesis, University College (not published) (London 1978). Hereafter, Grayson, Protectorate to Partnership. 2 S. Groenveld, Verlopend Getij – De Nederlandse Republiek en de Engelse Burgeroorlog 1640-1646. Ph.D. Thesis, Rijksuniversiteit Leiden (Dieren 1984) (Changing Tide – The Netherlands Republic and the English Civil War (1640-1646). Hereafter, Groenveld, Verlopend Getij. 3 The Anglo-Spanish peace treaty of 1630 removed any misunderstanding. Part of the treaty was that in return for Spain’s subsidies and support for the restitution of the Palatinate, England would persuade the Dutch to end their war and in a secret treaty, if necessary, by force; the latter was clearly an English negotiating ploy. Charles’ foreign policies were governed by insularity, dynastic interests and by his deep rooted concepts of family honour and reputation. He hoped to satisfy his interests with the Republic’s acquiescence and by co-operations with others, Spain or France and finally again with Spain. Persuading the Dutch was concentrated on the North Sea area. It started with the English navy ensuring the neutrality of the narrow seas, putting pressure on the Dutch who could not attack Spain’s military supply lines when they were protected by neutral English ships. This was extended by returning to unsolved matters of previous reigns and ongoing trade rivalry, maritime and fisheries issues and Charles’ claim to sovereignty of the surrounding seas; extending his dominion to the opposite shores, to the entrances and exits of the Republic’s ports, the Southern Netherlands and France. Matters came to a head when Spain sent a new fleet to attack the Republic. It was defeated by the Dutch in the battle of the Downs, despite the English navy’s threat to intervene. This battle was the catalyst needed to expose the always unlikely assumption that Spain and England could serve each other’s interests. Both faced compelling domestic issues; England with the Scottish war and Spain with an uprising of Catalans and Portuguese. After Charles’ last attempts to come to an alliance with either Spain or France failed in 1640, the political Anglo-Dutch relations started to change. In February 1641 Charles told the House of Lords that a confederation with the Republic would be as useful as with any of his neighbours; the process to heal the Anglo-Dutch relations began. The first steps were the marriage on 2/12 May 1641 in London of Charles’ eldest daughter Mary with William II, Prince of Orange , and discussions commenced for a mutual defence treaty to replace the expired Treaty of Southampton. No longer were the Dutch the petitioning side; the tide was changing, it marked the beginning of the next phase of Anglo-Dutch political and diplomatic relations. 4 TABLE of CONTENTS Abstract 2-3 Table of contents 4-5 Acknowledgements 6 Sources 7-8 Conventions and Abbreviations 9 Introduction 10-12 Chapter One - Anglo-Dutch relations 1585-1625 13-27 Summary of the developments of Anglo-Dutch political and diplomatic relations during the forty years preceding the period of this thesis providing the background for the developments between 1625 and 1642. Chapter Two – Politics, Diplomacy and Treaties 28-52 Political treaties and changing objectives. The Republic’s return to offensive strategies. Triple Alliance treaties linking England, Denmark and the Republic. English and Dutch interests diverge. Chapter Three – The La Rochelle affair and political consequences 53-74 New policies and changing relationships. The reactions in England and the Republic about La Rochelle. Anglo-French relations strained and the Treaty of Southampton inactive. Political re-alignment of England, the Republic and France. The end of English membership of the Republic’s Council of State. Chapter Four–Changing policies and Partnership 75-98 Anglo-Dutch political and diplomatic relations re-defined. England and France at war with the Republic neutral. Anglo-Dutch relations under increasing strain. The ending of three fruitless wars. Chapter Five – The end of the Anglo-Dutch partnership 99-124 English and Dutch interests in conflict. England’s foreign politics with separate Dutch policies. War weariness and searches for Dutch-Spanish peace. The Republic between conflicting interests of England and France. Political and strategic adjustments with enduring national interests. Chapter Six – Revision of Anglo-Spanish and Anglo-Dutch relations 125-154 English and Dutch interests move further apart. From partnership to diverging national interests. The Amboyna incident augmented by earlier Anglo-Dutch trading issues. Revolt in the Southern Provinces and new Dutch-Spanish peace negotiations. Transcript of manuscript TNA, SP 84/147 f.213, Secretary Sir John Coke’s letter of 1633 to England’s Resident/Representative Sir William Boswell in The Hague. 5 TABLE of CONTENTS Chapter Seven – Dutch-French offensive-defensive treaty in 1635 155-178 From Anglo-Dutch alliance to French-Dutch alliance. Strenghtening the English navy. The Freedom of the Seas, Mare Liberum – Mare Clausum. Preparations for conflict and new negotiations for peace. Chapter Eight – Negotiations, Treaties and National interests 179-202 Anglo-Dutch relations in the balance. England and the Republic, confrontation or conciliation. England’s Dutch and foreign policies. Chapter Nine – Foreign policies and national interests 203-226 The second Spanish Armada. Negotiations after the battle of the Downs. England and Scotland at war. The changing tides. The wedding of princess Mary and William II of Orange. Appendix – Instructions in Dutch and English for special mission 227-235 of ambassadors van Aerssen and Joachimi to the King and Privy Council of England Bibliography 236-240 6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Convention designates that acknowledgements be placed amongst the first pages of a thesis but these can only be completed when all research is finished, the thesis has been written, and it is known how others have provided support during the entire process. Foremost is Professor Pauline Croft who taught me at Royal Holloway for my M.A. degree and fortuitously agreed to be the supervisor for my Ph.D. research. I am greatly indebted to her as without her I could not have completed this study. Following university procedures, Professor Blair Worden agreed to be my advisor. Without diminishing my thanks to the staff of the Royal Holloway College in Egham and the Senate House libraries in London, I want to compliment the archivists and staff of the English and Dutch national archives and libraries on their welcoming institutions and thank them for their readiness to advise me and their efficient assistance. The not to be forgotten Royal Holloway general staff deserve thanks and particularly Mrs. Marie-Christine Ockenden, our Graduate Administrator. My gratitude goes to Professor Simon Groenveld of the University of Leiden for his encouragement to concentrate on the 1625-1642 phase in Anglo-Dutch relations and for sharing his knowledge on literature and Dutch sources. I also want to express my thanks to Drs. Mieke and Henri van Leeuwen in The Hague for their gracious hospitality during my frequent visits and their advice on the intricacies of the Dutch archives. Dr. K. Masters of Charlottenlund deserves my gratitude for his help with the Danish language and literature. Last but not least, in fact, my greatest thanks go to my wife Jesmond, without her nothing could have been achieved.