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First posted on November 30th 2002, last revised April 24th 2005






External Links : Links related to Dutch Military History

For links on general military history sources, go to History of Warfare Main Page

Military History Encyclopedia on the Web, Holland chapter (21 entries; confuses Holland and the Dutch Republic/(Northern) Netherlands)
Military Aviation Photo Gallery : Netherlands, from paulnann.com, 79 images
Wars of the Netherlands 1800-1999, from ACED
Nederlandse Ridderorden en Onderscheidingen, by Erik Mueller
Dutch Portuguese Colonial History, by Marco Ramerini
History of Indonesia : Dutch Imperialism 1830-1910, by Arcengel
Time Table Padang Sumatra, from Richard Davies Home Page
Koloniale Oorlogen, from Indo Varia : Over Koning, KNIL, Kolonie, in Dutch
... Timeline Indonesia 1701-1800 from studybuddy
Oorlogen 1650-1763, by Peter Prevos, table featuring major wars, in Dutch
Korps Rijdende Artillerie : Krijgsverrichtingen (Corps Horse Riding Artillery : Campaigns), by M. Krechting, in Dutch
Nederlands Indie, Letter S
Oorlogsgravenstichting (War Graves Foundation)
De Historie van het Nederlandse Leger (History of the Dutch Army), from Dutch Regiments, in Dutch
De Geschiedenis van de Luchtdoelartillerie (The History of the Anti Aircraft Artillery), from Luchtdoelartillerie, in Dutch; since 1917
Nederlands Instituut voor Oorlogsdocumentatie (Netherlands' Institute for War Documentation)
Oorlogen van Nederland (Wars of the Netherlands), from oorlog.klup.nl, telegram style Dutch language data plus links to Dutch langiage websites; limited number of wars listed
De Nederlandsche Veldpost (Dutch Field Post), by Hans R. Holdijk, in Dutch
Kampementen & Legerplaatsen & Kazernes (Dutch army camps, garisons and barracks), by Hans R. Holdijk, in Dutch
De Nederlandse "Militaire" Aantekenstrook (Dutch military registered letter labels), by Hans R. Holdijk, in Dutch
The Dutch Connection - our Fourth Ally, by Doug Hurst, on a Battle for Australia website
Printed Reference

H.P.H. Jansen, Kalendarium. Geschiedenis van de Lage Landen in Jaartallen (History of the Low Countries by Year), Utrecht/Antwerpen : Prisma (1971) 1979
T.J. Bezemer, Beknopte Encyclopaedie van Nederlandsch-Indie (Abridged Encyclopaedia of the Netherlands' Indies), 's-Gravenhage/Leiden : Nijhoff/Brill 1921


Burgundian Period, 1384-1506 ..... go to narrative history of the Netherlands 1384-1515

1488-1489 War of Jonker Frans
... a feud fought in the Rotterdam area, part of the further spread conflict between Schieringers and Vetkopers. see Aad over Jonker Frans, in Dutch


Habsburg Period, 1506-1579 ..... go to narrative history of the Netherlands 1500-1580 . Suppression of Protestantism

1547-59 Habsburg-Valois War
1566-1567 Wave of Iconoclasm and War of the Geusen
... Governess Margarewt of Parma found herself in a dilemma, as tension between her administration, which at the pressure from Madrid, pursued a strict policy of suppressing protestantism, and certain groups within the Dutch nobility was high. Then radical elements cleansed churches in and around Valenciennes (iconoclasm); a calvinist militia under Hendrik van Brederode was formed. Calvinist stronghould Tournai fell in January 1567; on March 13th 1567, the calvinist militia, now under the command of van Marnix van Aldegonde, was defeated in the Battle near Oosterweel (near Antwerp); Marnix himself fell.
1568 First Raid on the Netherlands by William of Orange
1570 Second Raid on the Netherlands by William of Orange
1572 Begin of the Campaign of the Sea Beggars
1572 Third Raid on the Netherlands by William of Orange
1572-1579 Open Revolt of Holland and Zeeland

Dutch Revolt, 1579-1609 ..... go to narrative history of the Netherlands 1579-1609

1579-1609 Dutch Revolt
1596 Dutch attack on Elmina (Portuguese), unsuccessful
1598 Dutch raid of Sao Tome (Portuguese)
1599 Dutch raid of Principe (Portuguese)
1602-1603 Conflict over Emden, Dutch Republic sides with city of Emden against Count of East Frisia, garrisons Emden
1605 Dutch take Moluccas from Portuguese
1606 A Spanish-Portuguese fleet, from the Philippines, retook Ternate and Tidore which the Dutch had left unoccupied
1606-1607 Unsuccessful Dutch Attempt to take Elmina
1607 Dutch fleet under Jacob van Heemskerk defeated Spanish fleet under d'Avila near Gibraltar

Great Power, 1609-1672 ..... go to narrative history of the Netherlands 1609-1648 . Haven for Refugees . 1650-1672

1609-1611 Conflict with East Frisia Conflict between Count, Estates of East Frisia; Dutch Republic garrisons Leerort
1615 Unsuccessful Dutch Attempt to take Elmina
1615 Siege of Braunschweig broken by Hanseatic & Dutch Troops
1617 Contraremonstrant Riots in numerous cities such as Den Briel, Haarlem, Rotterdam, Oudewater, s'Gravenhage
1619 Conquest of Jakatra
1621-1648 Final Phase of Dutch War of Independence
1621 Banda Massacre
1622 Unsuccessful Dutch Attempt to conquer Portuguese Macao
1623 Massacre of the English on Ambon
1624-25 Dutch Conquest of Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, then retaken by combined Spanish-Port. fleet
1625 Third unsuccessful Dutch Attempt to take Elmina
1628 Piet Heyn took the Spanish Silvet Fleet
1628-1629 Batavia besieged by Mataram
1630-1654 Durch conquest of Northeastern Brazil
... In 1630 the Dutch conquered Recife and established a hold over northeastern Brazil. A Dutch attempt to take Salvador de Bahia failed in 1638. The Dutch suffered defeats at the hands of combined Portuguese-Creole forces in two battles in 1648-1649; the Dutch garrison at Recife surrendered in 1654; the Netherlands recognized Portuguese rule over Brazil in 1661.
1637 Spanish expedition annihilated Dutch colony on Tobago
1637 Dutch Conquest of Elmina from Portuguese
1640-1657 Dutch Conquest of Portuguese Ceylon
1641-45 Algonquin-Dutch War
1641 Dutch conquest of Malacca, from Portuguese
1641-1648 Dutch Occupation of Angola
1642 Dutch conquer Spanish fort at Keelung / Taiwan
1642 Dutch Conquest of Axim from Portuguese
1650 Surprise strike against Amsterdam
... Relations between the Estates of Holland and the Stadholder deteriorated in 1650. On June 4th, Holland notified 42 companies that they no longer could count on being paid; late in July, the stadholder marched his troops in a surprise strike against Amsterdam. The troops being upheld by bad weather, the city was warned, and was prepared by the time the troops arrived; the coup failed.
1651 Dutch garrison at Perak conquered by Malays
1652 Chinese Revolt against Dutch Rule in Saccam, Taiwan
1652-1654 First Anglo-Dutch War
1658-1663 Dutch Conquest of Portuguese posts on Malabar Coast
1654-1655 War between New Sweden and New Nederland
1655-1664 Dutch-Indian Wars in the Hudson River valley, focussing on Fort Wiltwijk
1656 Dutch naval expedition to Danzig
... 1655-1658 Sweden fought a war against Denmark and Poland. Swedes laid siege to the port city of Danzig, which was under Polish sovereignty. However, the Danzig grain exports were of vital importance to the Netherlands. The Dutch fleet appeared off Danzig; the Swedes gave in; Danzig was declared neutral.
1658-1660 First Northern War
... in the Peace of Roskilde 1658, Denmark had to cede not only important territories, but also half of the Sound Levy, to Sweden. The Netherlands regarded this a threat to her vital Baltic shipping, sent a fleet and encouraged Denmark to violate the Treaty of Roskilde. De Dutch fleet defeated the Swedish fleet in the Sound. In 1659, de Ruyter conquered Nyborg (on Fyn) and expelled the Swedes from that island; in 1660 peace was signed according to which Denmark regained full control of the Sound Levy.
1659 Dutch took Courland settlement on Tobago
1659-1660 Dutch (W.I.C.) occupation of Fort James, Courland possession on Gambia River
1660 V.O.C. War with Makassar
1660 Dutch took Swedish trading post at Accra, Gold Coast
1661-1662 Dutch lost Taiwan to Ming Chinese fleet under Coxinga
1663-1664 Border Conflict between Münster and East Frisia, the Dutch Republic supporting the latter
1663-1665 Anglo-Dutch War in West Africa
... Dutch forts Axim, Moure/Accra occupied by English in 1664, retaken in 1665; in 1665 Dutch also took English fort Cormantine
1664-1668 Dutch attempt to retake Taiwan; take and hold Keelung until 1668
1665-1667 Second Anglo-Dutch War
1665-1666 War between Münster and the Dutch Republic
1666 Tobago taken by English
1667 Tobago retaken by Dutch
1666-1667 V.O.C. War with Makassar


Decline, 1672-1787 ..... go to narrative history of the Netherlands 1672-1702 . 1702-1747 . 1747-1787

1672-1678 Louis XIV.'s Dutch War
1672 English took Tobago returned in Peace of Westminster 1674
1672-1674 Third Anglo-Dutch War

1673-1674 Dutch retook New Netherlands
1674 Dutch conquest of French Acadia; ousted by New Englanders in the same year
1676 Mediterranean expedition of the Dutch fleet
... as part of the war against France, the Dutch fleet was sent into the Mediterranean; Dutch admiral M.A. de Ruyter fell in a victorious battle; the next battle, at Palermo, was lost.
1677 French took Tobago from the Dutch
1683-1684 Hispano-French War
... In 1683, because of French transgressions on Spanish territory in the Spanish Netherlands, Spain declared war on France. The Netherlands was obliged by treaty to support Spain; the Estates General refused to stick to their obligation. In 1684 the affair was ended by treaty.
1688-97 War of the Grand Alliance (War of the League of Augsburg)
1689 French attempt to take Suriname (Admiral de Casse) unsuccessful
1694 The W.I.C. incited natives of the Gold Coast to attack British trading forts; the British retaliated the same way
1696 French attempt to take Suriname (Admiral de Gennis) unsuccessful
1701-14 War of the Spanish Succession
1712 French fleet raided Suriname (Captain Cassard)
1704-08 First Javanese (Mataram) War of Succession
1715-1716 Suppression of Jacobite Rebellion
1718 VOC conquest of Soerabaja
1718-1720 War of Quadruple Alliance (UK, France, Austria, Dutch Republic vs. Spain)
1725 Dutch (W.I.C.) forces occupy Gross Friedrichsburg / Gold Coast from John Cunny, the Dutch had purchased the fort from Brandenburg in 1720
1740-43 Javanese-Chinese-Dutch War fearful of decisions taken by the Dutch, the Chinese population of the area surrounding Batavia rose in revolt. By 1743 the revolt was suppressed, at the expense of c. 50,000 Chinese.
1740-48 War of the Austrian Succession
1745 VOC conquest of East Madura
1749-57 Third Javanese War of Succession (1750-1753 Great Rising of Banten)
1756-1757 Dutch Malacca besieged by Bugis
1770-1778 Campaign against the Cottica Negroes (Suriname)
1780-84 The 4th Anglo-Dutch War

Revolution, Restauration and French Domination, 1787-1815 ..... go to narrative history of the Netherlands 1787-1795 . 1795-1806 . 1806-1815

1787 The Prussian invasion of the Netherlands; 20,000 men strong invasuion corps
1795 Dutch Malacca surrendered to English
1795 Dutch Cape Colony surrendered to English
1806 Dutch Cape Colony surrendered to English
1807-1809 Dutch conquest of Minahasa (N. Celebes)
1810-11 Anglo-Dutch War in Java
1815 Hundred Days' War

19th Century, 1815-1914 ..... go to narrative history of the Netherlands 1815-1830 . 1830-1848 . 1848-1870 . 1870-1914

1816 Anglo-Dutch Expedition against Algiers
1817 Molucca Islands Insurrection headed by Pattimura
1818 Dutch expedition against Palembang
1821-1837 Padri War (Minangkabau War)
1825 Dutch conquest of Palembang
1825-1830 Great Java War (Dipo Negoro's War)
... In 1825 the confiscation of land owned by the local nobility by the Dutch administration caused an uprising, led by Prince Dipo Negoro, which lasted for five years and which cost c. 200,000 lives (victims of famine included). During negotiations in 1830, Dutch governor-general De Kock had Dipo Negoro arrested and deported; this ended the war.
1830-31 Belgian War of Independence
1836 Expedition against Ende (Flores)
1846 Expedition against Flores
1846 Revolt in Banten
1846-1849 Bali Expeditions
1847 Expedition against Nias
1849 Rebellion in Palembang
1850-1854 Expedition against Western Borneo
1855 Expedition against Nias
1856 Expedition against Flores
1857-1865 Bandjermasin War
1858-1860 Expedition against Boni (Celebes)
1863 Conquest of Nias
1869-1870 Expedition to the Coast of Guinea
1872-1895 Batak War
1873 First Aceh War
1874-1880 Second Aceh War
1874 Dutch Expedition against Flores
1882 Dutch Expedition against Ceram
1884-1896 Third Aceh War
1888 Revolt in Banten
1894 Lombok Campaign
1901-1904 Expedition against Jambi
1903-1907 Expedition against Central Sumatra
1905-1908 Expedition against Southern Celebes
1906 Rebellion of Jambi
1906-1908 Expedition against Bali
1906 Conquest of Soemba
1907-1908 Expedition against Flores
1908 Rebellion in Minangkabau

From World War I to World War II, 1914-1945 ..... go to narrative history of the Netherlands 1914-1918 . 1918-1929 . 1929-1940 . 1940-1945

1926-1927 Communist rebellion on Java (Dutch East Indies) suppressed
1929 Curacao occupied by Venezuelan Rebels
1940 WW II : German occupation; the Netherlands surrendered after 5 days
1944-1945 WW II : Allied liberation of the Netherlands

since 1945 ..... go to narrative history of the Netherlands 1945-1949 . 1949-1969 . 1969-1990

1945-1949 'Police Action'
1950-1953 Korean War see NDVN
1962-1963 Dutch-Indonesian Conflict over Netherlands' New Guinea
1991 Dutch fiorces participated in the Second Gulf War (liberation of Kuwait)
1995 Dutch peacekeeping forces stationed in Srebrenica (Bosnia) failed to protect Muslim community of the besieged city; the adult males of that community were massacred.
2003 Dutch forces joined the Coalition of the Willing (Occupation of Iraq; ousting of Saddam Hussein)







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