Delft, Naaldwijk, Ter Heijde

From 1652 to 1654, a great naval war raged between England and the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. At that time, the Netherlands had a larger merchant fleet than all European countries combined. Important colonies were taken over from the English, allowing the Netherlands to benefit from the spice trade. As a result, the Dutch economy grew enormously, affecting other countries.

When Maarten Tromp, the Dutch lieutenant admiral, greeted an English ship too late, the English admiral Robert Blake fired a cannon three times as a warning. According to English rules, every fleet in English sea territory had to salute the English fleet first. Despite Trump's apologies, the English declared war on 10 July.

Many naval battles were fought, including the Battle of Ter Heijde, near the coast you cycle past today. Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp did not survive this battle; he was hit by a musket ball. On the advice of Michiel de Ruyter, the Dutch let the admiral's flag fly to hide the loss from the rest of the fleet and the enemy. Fighting continued, but the English won this battle. Still, the Dutch merchant ships were able to set sail again as the English withdrew their ships.

From one naval hero to the next: Piet Hein. He sailed for both the VOC and the WIC, but is best known for his victory over the Spanish Silver Fleet. During the Battle of Matanzas Bay in 1628, he managed, without much violence, to force the Spanish ship to surrender. This brought in over 11 million guilders on his return home. Like for Maarten Tromp, a mausoleum has been set up for Piet Hein in Delft's Oude Kerk.