The Dutch Raid on the Medway: "This defeat was a national humiliation for the English"

In June 1667 the Dutch navy executed the most daring raid in its maritime history. Legendary admiral Michiel de Ruyter led his fleet up the Medway and destroyed the English fleet. It took the flagship HMS Royal Charles as trophy back to the Republic. Its stern piece is still to be admired in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, but will be temporarily on loan to the National Maritime Museum. It's for the first time in 350 years the richly decorated stern piece is back on English soil. Naval historian professor Andrew Lambert of King's College London explains the significance of the Battle of the Medway.

[@1oldmariner]

A little known happening. In the 60s The Dutch cruiser "Miechiel de Ruyter" went on a state visit to England. As she was steaming up the Thames, the shore station at Gravesend signaled: "What Ship?" The Dutch ship signaled back: "Miechiel de Ruyter." Promtly the shore station answered: "What? You again?" Only the British can be that witty.

[@illiminatieoverlordgurglek140]

Say what you want about the British, but they have an amazing sense of humour. Glad we're allies now and we get to enjoy that humour.

[@dyantebrinke6477]

Nice info. never heard of this . Learning all the time.

[@1allanbmw]

Love it!

[@t.mijnnaam9916]

@@illiminatieoverlordgurglek140 That would have been the Hr. Ms. van Brakel in 1941 when it was performing guard duty on the Medway. The signal was: "Van Brakel damaged boom defence Medway". The literal comeback from the naval station ? " What, again?"

[@erikbeermann7228]

1oldmariner they didn’t steam up.....they sailed up lol

[@deathscythehellfunk]

"The Dutch turn up. Terrible things happen." Seems like a good summary. :D

[@SimplyLimbo]

lol. it is isnt it ? lol

[@modernknightone]

They weren't flying English flags! The Dutch never did that. It took them the better part of three days to get to Chatham using a disgruntled English pilot who hadn't been payed in over a year. They fought their way up river breaking through blockades and the boom chain, and then landed 800 marines - destroyed Sheerness and overran Chatham. Monck ordered 30 English warships scuttled so the Dutch wouldn't burn them or capture them. So the English themselves destroyed more of their fleet than the Dutch LOL. As it was the Dutch still destroyed the big first raters there at Chatham and took the flagship a prize. Chatham dockyards were put to the torch, but the fire went out and others who stayed help save the docks. This wasn't some kind of stealth raid. They had blockaded the Thames for the whole month prior because the English were delaying the peace treaty. The English had been soundly beaten in the war and this was the final chapter and humiliation in that war. So many seem to think that because it is called the "Raid" up the Medway, that it was some kind of quick stealth attack. Not so.

*g e k o l o n i s e e r d* ;-)

[@blodekont5458]

@GundamSentinel ...many countries invaded by other then Dutch have suffered worse... Mostky Dutch where about trading, unlike France, Spain, Italy, Portugal and England, these also sent monks..and Inquisition. That resulted in that ONLY The Dtch where allowed to trade with the hermit Empire of Japan in 400 years.

[@nickgoodwood4812]

@@modernknightone It was a well prepared attack by Michiel de Ruyter en Johan de Witt.

[@AudieHolland]

And the reason the English and Dutch were allied again in 1688 was that the Dutch Stadholder Willem III sailed with a fleet that was four times the size of the Spanish Armada, with him the entire Dutch army with him, took the English and Scottish crown. He ruled Britain untill his death in 1702.

[@Steinstra-vj7wl]

...but he killed Michiel the Ruyter by sending him on a impossible mission.

[@AudieHolland]

@@Steinstra-vj7wl Willem III may have become king of England and Scotland later on but in the Dutch Republic he was merely Stadtholder. In his last official statement before going on the ill-fated military expedition, De Ruyter said that if the Lords wished to, he would go out to sea in a single vessel. So it wasn't just Willem III, quite a few other powerful people may have wished him out of the way.

[@jhombergh]

War is the lowest means of communication....but at Medway we certainly gave the British our opinion......

[@t.mijnnaam9916]

And we gave it to them straight. There was no mincing of words.

[@marcelkenter5000]

Great interview! There is one correction to be made. The flagship the Royal Charles was not brought back to Amsterdam, but to Hellevoetsluis which was in those days the Dutch navy harbour. It was also the harbour where the fleet of Michiel de Ruyter gathered before it sailed to Medway and Chatham.

[@InfiniteLaundry]

"No King will heed our warnings, No Court will pay our claims - Our King and Court for their disport Do sell the very Thames! For, now De Ruyter’s topsails Off naked Chatham show, We dare not meet him with our fleet - And this the Dutchmen know!" - Rudyard Kipling, "The Dutch in the Medway"

[@colmhain]

I think this guy's still humiliated. His face changed from when he was discussing the Dutch as enemies, to when he was discussing the Dutch as allies.

[@garyderuiter859]

Admiral deRuyter is my great great great great grand father learning about him makes me proud of who I am

[@englundus]

Michiel was probably the greatest Admiral in history! He led Holland for a few years since no one else could!

[@matthewhagen7163]

Gary DeRuiter impossible, de Ruyter’s offspring didn’t got his last name.

[@DreadX10]

@@matthewhagen7163 Not true, do a little bit of research and find out. Frits even looks like his forefather.

[@Frank_Ammerlaan]

That raid was the start of the Dutch Royal Marine Corps. The first of its kind. Founded by Michiel de Ruyter himself.

[@gezzarandom]

One of the biggest wake up calls in history.

[@Tripserpentine]

And that's how sour English came up with Going Dutch and Dutch courage XD

[@freebeerfordworkers]

Yes Yes but both expressions have been distorted by time. Going Dutch means to pay your own expenses or you get back in proportion to what you pay. I believe this was because the Dutch invented joint-stock company whereby the investors got back the same proportion of the profits as the capital they invested. In England the aristocratic investors in Drakes piratical raids around the world took an unfair share of the loot and the poorer merchants got crumbs. "Dutch courage" is understood to be someone who is only brave when he has had something to drink and while not specifically directed at the Dutch is naturally taken as an insult. However I have heard the origin is quite different and dates from the time English soldiers were helping the Dutch win their independence. The Dutch had invented gin and before a battle it was liberally served to all the soldiers including the English who with their sense of humour called the gin Dutch courage. It made them feel better about the forthcoming battle and was not a comment on the courage of the Dutch. While Rum was the drink of the British Navy, gin was served to the army at least up to the time of Waterloo. Hence the soldiers nickname for gin was "Dutch courage"

[@SIG442]

Funniest part, the Royal Charles being used as cheap target practice xD haha

[@rientsdijkstra4266]

Dutch courage.. Well, yeah, I do think it takes some courage to stand up as citizens of a small country to the cruel king of a large country (Spain) and declare yourself independent (propably the first that happend in history... )

[@galeonsandiego1811]

Not was a independent war ,was a civil war catholic against lutherans and de oligarquía orange

[@reiniernn9071]

@@galeonsandiego1811 Not full true...it became later a kind of religious war. But remember...at the start of this "uprising" the dutch leader (Willem van Oranje) was a catholic man. The war started in the first place about money. The spanisg king Philip wanted MOPER money from the rich northern regio. They called the new tax something as "The tenth penny". It was a war over to high taxes...even than the money was earned in the northern part of europe and the southern part wanted to get to much of it. And for the next...The dutch did not follow Luther, but Calvijn. (Or stayed Catholic)

[@Justmynewaccount]

8:41 that hasn't changed much since... "I'd rather have a German division in front of me than a French division behind me."

[@AartJanMuizer]

it was also the punishment for the English Fury one year before in 1666 on the Dutch Merchant Fleed by the Islands Vleiland and Terschelling in the North of the Netherlands , where the town West Terschelling was burned down, and one year later was the revenge.

[@fuop8718]

and then britain becomes great power in the next century and kick your puny asses in the fourth anglo-dutch war

[@blodekont5458]

Unlike most Warfaring Nations.. The Netherlands where NOT out to utterly Destroy The British.. They took their most valued and feared ships, used them as target practice, kept the stern of The Royal Charles and kept the British as future allies, traders. Didnt destroy the harbours and docks on the way, Dutch just made a big point, from now You have to ancknowledge The Netherlands, we The Dutch are not to be underestimated. But we do like you to trade with us...

[@jhcfight]

The more I read about history, the more I wonder where French pride comes from.

[@englishalan222]

There is nothing wrong with the French, in took most of Europe 20 years to bring France down under Napoleon for instance, and before that Napoleon defeated virtually every army that came across, running riot in Europe until the combined might of Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia and Spain brought him low. Without the gallant stand of the French 1st Army there would be been no Dunkirk, because the beaches and Moles would have been overrun before the first ships arrived

[@felixbanaan1138]

Gallic resistance against the Romans. Normandic raid of Brittain. Beating England at the hundred years of war. The three sun kings. Napoleon. Colonies WW1. They have more things to be proud of than you crooked teeth.

[@likesmilitaryhistoryalanmo9568]

+Bart K Actually France plunged into a sort of civil war after 1940

[@likesmilitaryhistoryalanmo9568]

+Bart K There is nothing wrong with the French, in took most of Europe 20 years to bring France down under Napoleon for instance, and before that Napoleon defeated virtually every army that came across, running riot in Europe until the combined might of Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia and Spain brought him low. Without the gallant stand of the French 1st Army there would be been no Dunkirk, because the beaches and Moles would have been overrun before the first ships arrived.The British army had to be evacuated from the beaches, also from Norways, Greece and Crete, if it was not for the English Channel Britain would have gone the same way as France

[@Catholic-Redpilled-Spaniard]

m2 lol. The only good thing they had was Napoleon, but Spain beats it in huistory pride a lot

[@goheine]

Ik hou van Holland!!!! 🇳🇱🇳🇱🇳🇱🇳🇱🇳🇱

[@SPANIARD817]

About time.

[@klaasdeboer8106]

I have Sailed to London from the netherlands, and anchored in a Creek neer the Medway.

[@minced_feet_pie]

Niet sollen met de hollanders

[@tridenteiii8471]

Niet dollen met de Nederlands! Groeten uit Rotterdam, Holland ;)

[@Steinstra-vj7wl]

First time ever that Sea Soldiers were called Marines (or in Dutch: Mariniers) - a name invented by the brilliant Dutch Admiral Michiel de Ruyter which name comes from the Latin name Mare - which means See. So now you know where the name Marines comes from.

[@norbertlaan6683]

We were allies because of a common goal. Not particularly liking Louis 14. The immortal 7 showed true balls to "invite" Willem 3 as leader of Dutch and English against France. Willem 3 understood the strategic benefit to at least have an extra strong power that could ensure the autonomy of The Netherlands. England smelled true power after defeating the Spanish armada thus willing to swallow their pride by making a Dutchy king who introduced Britain Ltd. UK nr 1, Holland still Dutch, fine deal;-)

[@johnvroonhoven7584]

.... and we've been best mates ever since. #Kumbaya

[@blodekont5458]

10:40 the fact that this was and is kept still as a war trophy is also a tone of respect...we fought, we fought well, you lost, now... let's get a pint of beer, shall we !!!

[@vingerhoedskruid1]

The issue the video seems to skip is that the next Anglo-Dutch (the third) war consisted of in 1672 the invasion of the republic by the allies of which France had by far the biggest army and at sea the attack by the combined fleets of France and England. The goal was not to have a skirmish and go on with business as usual, as the video suggests, but to annihilate the Republic and divide its territory between France, England, Munster and Koln. The miraculous saving of the republic in 1672 is why in 1688 the republic could and did invade England with everything we had and put a protestant on the throne of England. Yes after 1688 the two countries combined forces and stood at the basis of a modern capitalist Europe, but only because of the fact that the republic survived the invasion.of 1672 and succeded in invading England and putting a Dutchman on the English throne. I am convinced that without these two events England and entire Europe now would be a very different place indeed.

[@jwadaow]

That's called the Glorious Revolution. The English parliament chose to put a Dutchman on the throne because of his English wife. The king being a Roman Catholic and parliament wanting a protestant.

[@spitsenschipper]

Dont mess with the Dutch .you will regret it

[@AstroForumSpace]

We refer to this as the battle of Chatham, not the Chatham raid, in Holland :-). It's of course understandable from a British perspective... Raid doesn't sound so bad... Although it lasted a couple of days... One hell of a raid! :-)

[@Sphere723]

0:39 Somethings never change.

[@rolandxor179]

Kind of sad it's just called a 'humiliation' instead of the Dutch just being superior seamen. Just navigating required enormous skill.

[@pedroheemstra9314]

i wanna see new episodes of black sails now

[@joachimmacdonald2702]

We have Nelson, the Dutch have De Ruyter, the French have...Villeneuve?

[@noujaadw]

Duguay-Trouin ?

[@dreeze7314]

French greatest naval hero is Jean Bart, who was actually a Flemish Dunquerqer in French service.

[@axolotl-guy9801]

@@dreeze7314 O, you mean a flemish Duinkerker... 😂

[@bryangamingOG]

We the dutch also have piet hein he stole the spanish silver fleet neer cuba

[@Aiwendill]

they have Suffren and some others...

[@ericshutter5305]

conclusion; don't fight the Dutch at sea. Never trust the French or take them as allies. You won't need enemies with allied French.

[@roadrage9191]

Still true actually, Macron cannot be trusted.

[@rudolf68]

in holland we are never thought about our history of the seas.michael de ruyter is almost a fantasy, this is al new to me ,the 2nd world war is always an issue and i was thought this many times, but our sailing history is always a mystery, what a pitty

[@robvoncken2565]

Don't know about 400 but it was probably the first time the German War machine was stumped. And this by a nation that was military speaking on a WWI level. Even in spite of the Dutch government I might say. They burried their head in the sand during this time. The conquest was supposed to take one day, it took 4. The German troops engaged in this fight were supposed to get into France after. If we had not been so stubborn the Dunkirk gap might have been closed. Maybe knocking the UK out of the war early.

[@kevinring5160]

As a descendant of Dutch ( and German ) pre revolutionary Colonial settlers, the global ocean trade of the VOC / GWIC plays a important role in New Yorks establishing history. I'm surprised the Netherlands education does not dive a little deeper.

[@Ozymandias1]

It's only ever addressed in the context of colonization. Seen as an evil thing which we must atone for by letting in more immigrants.

[@kevinring5160]

AvariceUntied History of the New Netherlands plays an important role in the early American formation. For example, the Union of Utrecht has been referenced by both Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin as influential on our Bill of Rights. Nothing to sneeze at.

[@AstroForumSpace]

Learn your history! We have defeated the English from taking over our country. We should be proud: :p

[@ronaldderooij1774]

Apart from the worries for the French, I learned at school that the Dutch Raid on the Medway was a retalliation for the Britsh Raid on the Vlie (Holme's bonfire) where 140 merchants and one village were destroyed by the Britsh in the year before.

[@Steinstra-vj7wl]

We Dutch never intended to occupy Britain, nor any other European Country...but Britain (or rather England) did tried several time to do just that, and so tried Spain and France. We just wanted to live in peace with surrounding Countries and do trade.

[@roykliffen9674]

Drachinifel has a nice video about it which he - in his famous humourous style - sub-titled "Grand Theft Warship"

[@TheHomelessDreamer]

Say what you want about the now near deified Lord Nelson, but to me, Michiel de Ruyter will always be the best Admiral in the age of sail.

[@AstroForumSpace]

The Medway raid...haha... We'll revisit this strategy after Brexit :p

[@nchamavi2373]

louis the 14th was the problem :)

[@CharlesvanDijk-ir6bl]

Only when your enemy has become your friend he is truly defeated. It took the Germans to do that.

[@gbernardusb242]

Everything revolved about the trade and the colonies in that time, the English and Dutch were jealous of each other

[@perkinscausing2742]

gbern ardusb I think only the English were jealous because the dutch were too successful. They had great economy, People worked really hard, they de ruyter which was a really great admiral, they have great naval fleet which have defeated the English royal navy many times.

[@roadrage9191]

Dutch were only interested in trade, this to make money. The dutch did not start the wars with the English, they did not even give them a second thought actually. It was all about the money. English were threatened however by the political developments, non royalty being in charge of the country. They feared it might undermine the English royalty hence the need for wars and petty name calling like dutch courage.

[@stephenheath8465]

The Japanese made the same mistake with regards to Pearl Harbour.They bombed the Ships but didn't destroyed the logistical apparatuses The fuel supply Tanks and the Drydocks

[@nickvanzuijlen2027]

2 guilders to laugh at the english XD

[@Justmynewaccount]

Now you pay 15 or so quid for the same experience (Rijksmuseum).

[@owenjones7517]

The English don't feel the need to laugh at the Dutch even after events like Camperdown and the Vlieter Incident.

[@Justmynewaccount]

Owen Jones Camperdown was a mess. And the Vlieter is nothing to be proud of (for the English) as it was disgraceful: you don't attack civilians. That's unsportly behaviour and this is why the Dutch visited Chatham (and our fleet took out its anger on your navy).

[@owenjones7517]

+Tristan van Oosten Depends on your perspective. Personally I find Camperdown to be a throughly glorious affair ;) But seriously, you must have your dates mixed up. You seem to be implying that the Dutch raid on the docked ships (I thought the Dutch failed to reach the dockyards?) in the Medway was as a response to the Vlieter Incident? The Vlieter was in the wars against revolutionary France over a century after the Second Anglo-Dutch War. I also don't see how it's dishonourable?

[@Justmynewaccount]

Owen Jones Ah wait. That's because I mixed it up with the Terschelling incident (on the Vlie estuary) of 1666 where the English indeed raided a town and took it out on the local civilians which was pretty shameful. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmes%27s_Bonfire

[@Cl0ckcl0ck]

5:35 really says it all. European politics. :)

[@tonyt7948]

The equivalent of steeling a aircraft carrier

[@indianascott9098]

Where's Frank Fox?

[@Andre-hi9xn]

That time the portuguese did NOT CAME safe the english!

[@shotleylad]

The Dutch of course were defeated when they tried to capture Landguard Fort so they could entry Harwich Harbour 2nd July 1667.

[@Pfsif]

4 flatheads disliked this video.

[@lollius88]

Whats a flathead?

[@Andre-hi9xn]

The english NEVER win on war ALONE!

[@Wefkebidenberg]

Land bestevear

[@Catholic-Redpilled-Spaniard]

I heard a lot of British historians say this has been the only time London has been directly attacked with naval forces. This is simply not true. One of the key campaigns in the Hundreds Year War was in 1380 when after the Castilian (Spanish) decisive victory over the English fleet at La Rochelle (1372) Fernando Sánchez de Tovar literally burned and pillaged the whole southern coast of England and then went up the river and burned Gravesend (Southeastern London). He had to go back because of fear of sea storms getting to him and sinking his ships because of all the plunder and gold he had in them. Not surprised at all British historians would omit this, masters of propaganda that they are.

[@georgludwigrudolfmaercker5600]

Great! While we are at it might I ask you if you can tell me one descisive naval defeat the spainish did to the Dutch? Or let's talk about how the tyrannical Spanish were killed by the Dutch all the time! You need to review your history.

[@Catholic-Redpilled-Spaniard]

the spaniards mantained naval supremacy for three centuries and te dutch only controlled the indic. the dutch went down only because of the english and spanish. they tried to conquer the philipines countless times. if u Take a look at the battles of the dutch and spanish in the XVII century. the spaniards won 60 percent. te spaniards had to defend half the World under their domination and they defeated the english the turcs the english the french and the pirates of América And the mediterranean. we had to distribute our forces in 4 oceans and they only 1. so if u compare the elements they had to fight the spanish were vastly superior

[@georgludwigrudolfmaercker5600]

That's also funny considering the Spanish used all of their resources navy wise in the 80 years war and still failed. The Dutch built the largest navy in the world the verbonden or confederate navy was the largest in the 1600s the Dutch were vastly superior to the Spanish.

[@georgludwigrudolfmaercker5600]

Then again I am a descent of admiral tromp so I am a little biased I must congratulate you on your wealth of knowledge though!

[@modernknightone]

Respect boss, but that 60 percent figure you cite cannot be supported with historical facts. In fact 98 percent on the Dutch side during the 17th century is more like what the history books tell us. The only Spanish victories I have ever been able to find are the small battle just before the Battle of Gibraltar 1607 with the Dutch later winning the larger battle without the single loss of even one ship. The Spanish victory in repelling the Dutch siege of Morro Castle in 1625 forcing the Dutch fleet to retreat and abandon a couple of their ships - one destroyed. As it was the city of San Juan was destroyed. The Spanish fleet action in seizing Sint Maarten in the Caribbean in 1638 and the later attempt by the Dutch in attempting to retake it in 1644 with the Dutch fleet forced to retire and hundreds of Dutchmen killed. Please name any other actual battles which involved primarily sea power that the Dutch lost against Spain in the 17th century. I have looked and looked and this is the best I can find in my gigantic historical library with many Spanish sources as well.

[@jannetteberends8730]

May be we, the Dutch, must do it again. To get the treaty signed. 😂😂😂

[@bobmountford9216]

Yes!..the Dutch Empire?...very impressive? A windmill..a dairy farm and a clog factory in the East Indies? We British are so envious!..lol

[@grewdpastor]

The Dutch were and are not interested in empire-building, just in trade. And have a look at facts before uttering stereotypes ...

[@bobmountford9216]

They sailed up the Medway to trade with us then?..lol

[@bobmountford9216]

Other than a superb airport and a hub to the world?..the Dutch are lightweights in trade and commerce? The British provide the language of trade..travel..diplomacy..banking and commercial venture? They underwrite hundreds of foreign banks..and insure half the ships afloat? I'd say we care about trade..though I believe Brexit to be a foolish move? The entire world sets it's time by us..and even the first words spoken from the moon were English? I'd say British influences are apparent everywhere? The Dutch.."Oh Dear"

[@107598]

Bob Mountford and this is weird? You yanks played verry dirty games with us. Acting as ally while planning attacks and alliances with our enemies. This is not something of 1600s noo you guys still do this. Read upon history of indonesia and you guys withheld us when it was the moment le supreme to take back control. You misled and misinformated us. This is something that can actually be seen as a way the english act. They are sneaky. Now i suppose we dutch arr sneaky too. And everyone did its own tricks. But we dutch did our colonizations a bit different. We didnt wanna take over the population. Nor make them christian. But whatever. Arent the dutch and english of same kingsblood anyway. Same for french and whatnot. Quite strange that william III took the english crown

[@bobmountford9216]

Sorry!..I don't understand your post?..and I'm British..not a Yank? You are right that everyone is sneaky though? We all do naughty things..and the national flag makes a very good blindfold? The British have influenced World history more that any other people though? I think wooden - shoes held you back in that respect?..too many splinters?..lol