The 'Golden Leeuw' engaging 'The Royal Prince' at the Battle of the Texel, 11 August...

Creator: Abraham Storck The Battle of the Texel was the last fleet action of the Third Dutch War, 1672-1674, between the Dutch on one side and the English and French on the other. It represented the final attempt by the allies to destroy the Dutch fleet and so leave their coast free for invasion. Although the allies were superior in numbers they were not sufficiently united and this weakness was exploited by the Dutch commander, Lieutenant-Admiral Michel de Ruyter. At Texel, he therefore concentrated on the English squadrons in slightly superior numbers and after a hard day's fighting the action ended with no major unit taken or destroyed on either side. The painting shows the action at an early stage and is principally concerned with the duel between Sir Edward Spragge, the Admiral of the allied rear squadron, and the commander of the Dutch rear squadron, Lieutenant-Admiral Cornelis Tromp.