List of ships of the line of the Dutch Republic explained

This is a list of Dutch (the United Provinces of the Netherlands) ships of the line, or sailing warships which formed the Dutch battlefleet. It covers ships built from about 1623 (there are few reliable records of individual earlier warships) until the creation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands on March 1815, including the period of the French-controlled Batavian Republic, nominal Kingdom of Holland and direct French annexation between 1795 and 1813. It excludes frigates and lesser warships.

The Dutch were often handicapped by the smaller size of their ships relative to the vessels of other nations, particularly those of England and France. This was partly due to the shallow home waters of the Netherlands, which limited the maximum draft with which ships could operate. Consequently, the Dutch did not build large three-deckers such as were found in the navies of England and France, except for a brief period from 1682 to 1695 (and a very few much later on during the Napoleonic era). However, during the period up to 1650 the Dutch made up in sheer quantity of ships for what they lacked in terms of the size of vessels; the list below is incomplete and does not include some of the many hundreds of Dutch warships belonging to the United Provinces between 1579 (when the Netherlands effectively became independent from Spanish control) and 1795 (in which latter year the French invaded and established the puppet state of the Batavian Republic).

The Five Admiralties

Administratively and politically, until 1795 there was not a single Dutch Navy but five distinct Admiralties. In the south was the Admiralty of Zeeland covering the Province of Zeeland (indicated by "(Z)" preceding a ship's name in the list below). Next were three covering the Province of Holland - the Admiralty of the Maas (or "Maze") in the south of Holland, centred on Rotterdam (indicated by "(M)"), the Admiralty of Amsterdam in the centre of the Province (indicated by "(A)"), and the Admiralty of the Noorderkwartier in the north of Holland (indicated by "(N)"). The fifth was the Admiralty of Friesland covering the Province of Friesland (indicated by "(F)"), albeit with fewer ships than the other four Admiralties. Each Dutch warship belonged exclusively to one or other of the five Admiralties, although in the 17th century the Dutch fleet included many ships of mercantile ownership, particularly those belonging to the Dutch East India Company (VOC). The names of Dutch warships were often common to several Admiralties, so that there were vessels bearing the same name in different Admiralties at the same time.

Armament was often changed, so the number of guns mounted in any ship frequently varied from year to year. During the 1650 - 1680 period, many Dutch ships of the line were "up-gunned", ending with significantly more guns (or guns of larger calibres) than when they first came into service.

The Dutch Rating System

Prior to 1632, the Dutch did not have a system of categorising vessels beyond a simple functional division into "ships", "frigates" and lesser ship-rigged "three-mast yachts".[1] On 11 March 1632, the Dutch government approved three standard designs (which they termed "charters") to which all new warships should be built. These set the requirement for low-built ships without castles, an uninterrupted deck, slim hulls and light construction; the three designs were of 100 (Amsterdam) feet, 120 feet and 128 feet length (measured on the uppermost continuous deck) respectively, and future charter divisions retained this classification by length rather than by tonnage or number of guns (as used by England and France). However, later in the 17th century, the Dutch moved towards using a Rating system similar (but not identical) to the English or French system, while retaining the terminology of "Charters" well into the 18th century. To provide flagships for the battlefleet, two two-decked ships were built in this period, both at Rotterdam for the Admiralty of the Maas - the Aemilia of 1632 and the Brederode of 1644; each was 144 (Amsterdam) feet in length and 35 feet in breadth.

The system coincided with the English categories of 1st to 4th Rates, i.e. they comprised the battlefleet units. In 1652 the Dutch - under pressure from their naval commander Maarten Tromp to build larger ships to combat the English - revised this rating system which was still based on a series of Charters, initially grading the battlefleet units by length of ship with classes of 130 (Amsterdam) feet, 136 feet and 140 feet; this was at a time when the largest ship in the Dutch navies measured 134 feet in length. Subsequently, having won the Battle of Dungeness in November 1652, Tromp persuaded the Staten-Generaal to add a further class of 150 feet ships as the "1st Charter", although only two of this length were built initially - the Eendracht and Groot Hollandia, both launched at Rotterdam for the Admiralty of the Maas in 1653 and 1654 respectively with 58 guns each.

Between 1652 and 1680 the "Charters" underwent drastic revision, but it was still more appropriate to classify ships of the line during this era by their (gundeck) length than by the number of guns carried. The lengths remained the basis of the Charters. By 1680, following the end of the later Anglo-Dutch Wars, the Staten-Generaal divided the warships of the five Admiralties into eight charters. The first four charters comprised the battlefleet, while the next three (5th to 7th Charters) covered frigates down to 20 guns, and the 8th Charter included smaller cruising warships.

The 1st Charter comprised the largest two-deckers before 1680, together with 'partial' three-deckers (i.e. ships with only a partial battery on the third deck, without any guns in the waist), then subsequently covered the full three-deckers (for which see note below). These were ships carrying more than 70 guns, although this had risen to about 80 guns by 1670 and by 1680 to encompass ships of 90 guns or more. They generally (but not always) carried a mix of 36-pounder and 24-pounder guns on their primary (lower) gun deck, with lighter cannon (18-pounders and 12-pounders) on the upper deck and 6-pounders on their quarterdecks.

The other battlefleet Charters were all two-decked warships. By the 1670s the 2nd Charter were all two-decker warships with a number of guns initially around 60 to 74, although by 1680 the 60-gun and 64-gun ships had been relegated to the 3rd Charter. They usually carried 18-pounders (or a mixture of 24-pounders and 18-pounders) on the lower deck. The 3rd and 4th Charter ships usually carried 18-pounders or 12-pounders as their main battery. The 4th Charter ships by 1680 carried between 44 and 56 guns; by 1714 a minimum of 50 guns applied.

Dimensions

All lengths quoted in this article are measured in Amsterdam feet, taken as the length of the uppermost continuous deck from stem to stern. The Amsterdam foot (Amsterdamse voet) was equivalent to 28.3133 cm, and thus equated to 0.9289 of an English foot, a factor to bear in mind in any comparisons. It was divided into eleven inches (Amsterdamse duim) equal to 2.57393 cm, compared with 2.54 cm for an English inch. Thus 150 Amsterdam feet equated to 139 ft 4 inches in English measurement. The Rotterdam foot was considerably longer - 31.39 cm (equal to almost 1.03 English feet) - and was divided into twelve inches, each of 2.615 cm. However in 1653 all the Admiralties adopted the Amsterdam foot, and this has been employed throughout this article except where otherwise stated.

Tons

The system of weights was similarly united in the Netherlands, with the Amsterdam pound (pond) equal to 494.1 grams, compared with the English pound of 453.6 grams. Thus the Amsterdam pound (in which all ordnance calibres are quoted below) was 8.93% greatr than the English pound (e.g the Dutch "24-pounder" was equivalent to 26 lb 2.3 oz.

Three-deckers

Most of the Dutch ships of the line, for reasons given above, were built with two decks of guns. However, in the 1660s four ships of the Amsterdam Admiralty were built which were structurally three-deckers (the Spiegel of 1663, followed by the Gouden Leeuw, Witte Olifant and Dolphijn of 1666), but these had only partially-armed upper decks, with guns mounted forwards and aft (under the quarterdeck) but not in the waist at this level. From 1682 twenty complete three-deckers were built, the last in 1721; these comprised the 1st Charter issued on 15 February 1680, and provided for these to have dimensions of 170 (Amsterdam) feet on the gundeck (146 ft 3 in on the keel) x 43 feet x 16 ft. After these twenty, no further 1st Charter ships were built by the Netherlands.

Ships of the "Old Navy" (1579 to 1648)

This is the period during which the Dutch provinces consolidated their independence from Spanish rule, forming the United Provinces of the Netherlands, and took part in the Eighty Years' War. Almost all of these ships were relatively small, with only a single gun deck, and were owned by the five Admiralties. The majority were between 120 and 130 feet in length as measured on the upper deck, the exceptions being the fleet flagships built in 1632 and 1644, which are separately listed below; the warships built for the Admiralties were supplemented frequently by ships hired from the VOC (East India Company, established 1602), WIC (West India Company, established 1621) or other mercantile source (this was particularly true in 1652, at the outbreak of the 1st Anglo-Dutch War), but only a few of these are mentioned.

Fleet flagships

The Aemilia and Brederode, although entering service 12 years apart, had identical dimensions of 144 ft x 35 ft 3 in x 14 ft 2 in, in Amsterdam feet (equating to 132 ft x 32 ft x 13 ft 6 in in Rotterdam feet). Both were built for the Maas Admiralty in the naval shipyard at Rotterdam by Jan Salomonszoon van den Tempel. Each was a two-decked ship, with 13 pairs of gunports on the lower tier in Aemilia and 12 pairs in Brederode. Although no dimensions are known for the Maagd van Dordrecht, she was quoted as being 300 lasts (the same as Aemilia) so was probably of similar size.

Ships of between 120 and 130 feet

Ships of the "New Navy" (1650 to 1682)

This is the period during which the United Provinces fought three Anglo-Dutch Wars – conflicts of 1652-1656, 1665-1667 and 1672-1674; although England withdrew from this contest in 1674, the Dutch remained at war against the French until 1678. The Charter (rating) system was introduced in 1652 - initially defined by ships' lengths - but was radically revised during this era (see notes above).

At the start of the 1st Anglo-Dutch War, the Dutch navies relied heavily on hired ships to expand their fleet, but a programme to build thirty new ships of the line was promptly started. This comprised a flagship of 150 (Amsterdam) feet in length (the Eendracht of 1653), and twenty-nine other ships of 130 feet or more. It was followed within a year by a second thirty-ship programme, again consisting of a flagship of 150 (Amsterdam) feet in length (the Groot Hollandia of 1654), and twenty-nine other ships of 130 feet or more.

1st Charter

The first two of these were launched for the Maas Admiralty in 1653 and 1654. While structurally three-deckers, on these two ships the upper deck was only armed forward (under the forecastle) and aft (under the quarterdeck), with no guns in the waist (this system was also common to other navies in the mid 17th century). Each measured 150 × 38 × 15 Amsterdam feet, and was initially armed with 58 guns. The first ship was originally intended to be named Prins Willem, but Willem himself ruled that it should bear the name Eendracht ("Concord") to honour the relationship between the seven provinces which constituted the United Netherlands.

Other ships of 130 feet or more

Built 1648-1652

The 1653 Programme

The Dutch had learnt by late 1652, following their defeats in the first year of the Anglo-Dutch War, that a haphazard collection of warships and armed merchantmen could not prevail against a professional naval force. In October 1652 discussions began with a view to producing specially-designed warships. In February 1653 the States-General authorised the building of thirty new warships, financed by two million guilders. Tromp's plea that these should all be as big as or bigger than the equivalent English ships was ignored, but the programme was completed in 1653, comprising the flagship Eendracht (1st Charter, 150 ft in length) and 29 lesser ships.

Armaments were significantly increased over the lifetimes of these ships. As an example, the Zeeland ships of 130 (Amsterdam) feet in length were designed to each carry 44 guns - comprising four bronze 24-pounders, ten iron 18-pounders and four bronze 12-pounder on the lower deck; eight iron 12-pounders and ten iron 8-pounders on the upper deck; and eight bronze 6-pounders on the quarterdeck; but all ended up carrying a heavier armament or up to 50 guns or even more.

The 1654 Programme

A second set of thirty warships was ordered in 1653 by the States-General, again comprising a flagship (the Groot Hollandia, similar to the Eendracht) and 29 smaller ships. In January 1654 the States-General decreed that, since it - rather than the provincial Admiralties - had financed these programmes, all sixty ships would be considered national property, so that the Admiralties were unable to sell them off at the conclusion of hostilities, as had been the practice in the past.

Other ships of the line (less than 130 ft)

Note that this list is incomplete and will be extended.

Hired East India Company (VOC) ships

Built 1660 to 1680

With the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Dutch War, the Staten-Generaal ordered the construction of twenty-four large ships, with a second group of twenty-four being added soon after.[2] This programme, which was all built in the period 1664 to 1667, included ten ships of 160 (Amsterdam) feet length or more, now forming the 1st Charter.

1st Charter

2nd Charter and below

This list includes ships of the line built (all for the Amsterdam Admiralty) in the period 1661 to 1663, prior to the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Dutch War.

Note the earlier Oudshoorn of 70 guns was the prize Swiftsure captured from the English at the Four Days Battle in 1666

Prizes and purchases

Ships of the "Expanded Navy" (1682 to 1714)

This is the period during which the United Provinces fought in alliance with the English Navy against the French fleet of Louis XIV. By the start of the 1680s, the ships of the 1660s were wearing out, and in 1682 a programme of 36 new ships was authorised by the Staten-Generaal. In 1685 a long-term plan for a battlefleet of 96 ships was agreed in principle (to comprise 20 of the 1st Charter, 28 of the 2nd, 24 of the 3rd and 24 of the 4th), although this target was never fully achieved.

1st Charter

These were all three-deckers, with standard dimensions (all in Amsterdam feet) of 170 ft on the upper deck, 146¼ ft on the keel, 43 ft in breadth and 16 ft depth in hold. In later ships this standard was stretched to a greater length. The typical armament for one of these ships was 28 × 24-pdrs on the lower deck, 28 × 18-pdrs on the middle deck, 28 × 12-pdrs on the upper deck and 8 × 6-pdrs on the quarterdeck; however, this varied sometimes.

Note that, although the 1685 long-term Plan had called for twenty ships of the 1st Charter to be built, the twentieth and last Dutch three-decker - the Amsterdam Admiralty's 96-gun Haarlem (of 177 ft) was not built until 1721.

2nd Charter

These were all two-deckers, with standard dimensions (all in Amsterdam feet) of 156 ft on the upper deck, 133 ft on the keel, 41 ft in breadth and 15 ft depth in hold. In later ships this standard was stretched to a greater length. A typical armament for one of these ships was 26 × 18-pdrs on the lower deck, 26 × 12-pdrs on the upper deck, 18 × 6-pdrs on the quarterdeck and 4 × 3-pdrs on the poop

3rd Charter

These were also all two-deckers, with standard dimensions (all in Amsterdam feet) of 145 ft on the upper deck, 123 ft on the keel, 37 ft in breadth and 14¼ ft depth in hold. In later ships this standard was stretched to a greater length. A typical armament was 24 × 18-pdrs on the lower deck, 24 × 12-pdrs on the upper deck, and 16 × 6-pdrs on the quarterdeck.

4th Charter

These too were two-deckers, with standard dimensions (all in Amsterdam feet) of 135 ft on the upper deck, 115 ft on the keel, 35 ft in breadth and 14 ft depth in hold. In later ships this standard was stretched to a greater length. A typical armament for one of these ships was 22 × 18-pdrs on the lower deck, 22 × 8-pdrs on the upper deck, and 8 × 4-pdrs on the quarterdeck.

Uncertain

Ships of the Dutch Navies 1715 to 1770

This is the period during which the reduced Dutch forces maintained their strength at a lesser level from the conclusion of the War of the Spanish Succession. Although ships below are shown according to the 'Charter' classification, this system was in the process of being replaced by a Rating system similar to that in other countries' naval forces.

1st Charter

2nd Charter

3rd Charter

4th Charter

5th Charter

These two-decked small ships of the line were classed as 4th Rates.

Ships of the Dutch Navies 1771 to 1795

In the period of higher international tension, culminating in the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, a massive effort to renew the Dutch navies was undertaken. No three-deckers were built, hence no "1st Charter" is listed. This period continues until the French occupation of December 1794 to February 1795, following which the five separate Admiralties were replaced on 27 February 1795 by a single committee dealing with all navy affairs. The list below is continued beyond 1795 to include other ships originally ordered for the United Netherlands but subsequently brought into service for the (French dominated) Batavian Republic.

2nd Charter

The ships of the 2nd Charter each carried 74 guns. In general, they measured 179 (Amsterdam) feet on the upper deck (equivalent to 166 ft on the upper deck (equivalent to 166 ft 2 in in British units of measurement), with a breadth of 49 Amsterdam feet (45 British feet) and a depth in hold of 20 Amsterdam feet (18 British feet).

Note a further 74-gun ship begun at Amsterdam in 1795 (and thus not for the pre-1795 United Provinces) was launched on 9 August 1796 for the Batavian Republic as Washington – captured by the British in the Vlieter (off Texel) on 28 August 1799 and became HMS Princess of Orange.

3rd Charter

The ships of the 3rd Charter each carried between 64 and 68 guns. In general, they measured between 167 and 168 (Amsterdam) feet on the upper deck (equivalent to 155 ft to 156 ft in British units of measurement), with a breadth of 46 to 47 Amsterdam feet (about 42 ft 10 in to 43 ft 7 in British feet) and a depth in hold of 19 Amsterdam feet (17 British feet).

4th Charter

The ships of the 4th Charter each carried from 50 to 56 guns. In general, they chiefly between 154 and 156 (Amsterdam) feet on the upper deck (equivalent to between 143 ft and 144 ft 10 in in British units of measurement. However, the larger Brakel and Tromp measured about 160 (Amsterdam) feet on the upper deck (equivalent to 148 ft 7 in in British units of measurement), with a breadth of about 45 Amsterdam feet (41 British feet) and a depth in hold of 20 Amsterdam feet (18 British feet).

5th Charter

Although no longer considered ships of the line, these two-decked small ships were still classed as 4th Rates by the Dutch.

Dutch Warships of the Batavian and French-controlled Period (1795-1815)

While these 20 years are here treated together, they actually comprise four distinct political eras:
(A) The Batavian Republic (a French 'client state') - February 1795 to July 1806.
(B) The (Napoleonic) Kingdom of Holland - July 1806 to July 1810.
(C) The Annexation by France - July 1810 to 1813.
(D) The restored United Provinces of the Netherlands - 1813 to March 1815.

2nd Rate (80/90-gun ships)

The eight ships of the Wrecker Class were built at Amsterdam and Rotterdam between 1797 and 1811. They were the largest sailing warships built in the Netherlands up to that time. The five Amsterdam-built ships (by master shipwrights R. Dorsman and P. Schuijt Jnr.) had ports for 80 guns, with 30 on the lower deck, 30 on the upper deck and 20 on the quarterdeck and forecastle - they actually mounted (in French service) twenty-eight 36-livre guns, thirty 30-livre guns, fourteen 12-livre guns, two 60-livre and six 30-livre carronades. The three Rotterdam-built ships (by master shipwright Pieter Glavimans Jnr., who probably produced the overall design for the class) were initially assigned 10 more ports on the quarterdeck and forecastle (with 10 guns behind ports and 20 in the open), causing them to be rated as 90-gun ships.

The class measured 195 (Amsterdam) feet in length, 51 feet in breadth, and 22 feet in depth in hold.

All eight ships were incorporated into the French Imperial Navy on 9 July 1810, and received French names. All were rated as 80-gun ships by the French, armed as mentioned above. All were returned to Dutch service and renamed in 1814, except for the Admiraal Piet Hein (ii) which had been re-worked as a 74-gun ship on the stocks at Rotterdam and was seized by the Dutch in their December 1813 uprising.

References

Notes and References

  1. Frank Fox, The Four Days' Battle of 1666.
  2. Frank Fox, The Four Days' Battle of 1666, p.131.

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