The naval Battle of Solebay took place on 28 May Old Style, 7 June New Style 1672 and was the first naval battle of the Third Anglo-Dutch War.
The Burning of the Royal James at the Battle of Solebay, 28 May 1672 by Willem van de Velde the Younger
Overview of the battle by Van de Velde
French flagship Saint-Philippe at the Battle of Solebay
The Earl of Sandwich refusing to abandon his ship during the battle
The Third Anglo-Dutch War, began on 27 March 1672, and concluded on 19 February 1674. A naval conflict between the Dutch Republic and England, in alliance with France, it is considered a related conflict of the wider 1672 to 1678 Franco-Dutch War.
The Battle of Texel, by Van de Velde the Younger
Charles II of England; the war was driven by his desire for the French subsidies that offered financial freedom from Parliament
The 1667 Raid on the Medway severely damaged Charles' prestige
Agreements with Münster and Cologne allowed the French to bypass the Spanish Netherlands.