Editing Four Days' Battle (section)

{{Short description|Large naval battle in June 1666 between England and the Netherlands; Dutch victory}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Four Days' Battle
| partof            = the [[Second Anglo-Dutch War]]
| image             = The 'Royal Prince' and other Vessels at the Four Days Battle, 1–4 June 1666 RMG BHC0286.tiff
| image_size        = 300
| caption           = ''The Four Days Battle'' by [[Abraham Storck]]
| date              = {{start and end dates|1666|06|11|1666|06|14|df=y}}
| place             = ENE of [[North Foreland]], [[England]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Fox |first=Frank L. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RcSIDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT197 |title=The Four Days' Battle of 1666: The Greatest Sea Fight of the Age of Sail |date=2009-07-16 |publisher=Seaforth Publishing |isbn=978-1-78346-963-5 |language=en}}</ref>
| coordinates       = {{coord |51|24|N|2|0|E|type:event_region:GB_scale:500000|display=inline}}
| result            = Dutch victory
| combatant1        = {{flag|Kingdom of England}}
| combatant2        = {{flag|Dutch Republic}}
| commander1        = {{plainlist|
* [[George Monck]]
* [[George Ayscue]]{{POW}}
* [[Thomas Teddeman]]
* [[Prince Rupert of the Rhine|Prince Rupert]]
* [[Christopher Myngs]]{{KIA}}
* [[William Berkeley (Royal Navy officer)|William Berkeley]]{{KIA}}}}
| commander2        = {{plainlist|
* [[Michiel de Ruyter]]
* [[Aert Jansse van Nes]]
* [[Cornelis Tromp]]
* [[Cornelis Evertsen the Elder|Cornelis Evertsen]]{{KIA}}
* [[Johan de Liefde]]
* [[Abraham van der Hulst|Abraham Hulst]]{{KIA}}}}
| strength1         = 79 [[ships of the line]] and [[frigate]]s <br> 21,000 men{{sfn|Bodart|1908|p=793}}
| strength2         = 84 ships of the line and frigates{{sfn|Palmer|1997|p=138}} <br> 22,000 men{{sfn|Bodart|1908|p=793}}
| casualties2       = 4 warships lost{{sfn|Palmer|1997|p=138}} <br/> 2,000 killed or wounded{{Sfn|Prud'homme van Reine|2009|p=171}}
| casualties1       = 20 warships lost{{Sfn|Prud'homme van Reine|2009|p=171}} <br/> 5,000 killed, wounded or captured{{Sfn|Prud'homme van Reine|2009|p=171}}
| campaignbox       = {{Campaignbox Second Anglo-Dutch War}}
}}
The '''Four Days' Battle'''{{efn|[[Dutch language|Dutch]]: ''Vierdaagse Zeeslag'', also known as the '''Four Days' Fight'''}} was a [[naval battle|naval engagement]] fought from 11 to 14 June 1666 (1–4 June [[Old Style and New Style dates|O.S.]]) during the [[Second Anglo-Dutch War]]. It began off the [[Flanders|Flemish]] coast and ended near the [[England|English]] coast, and remains one of the longest naval battles in history.

The [[Royal Navy]] suffered significant damage, losing around twenty ships in total. Casualties, including prisoners, exceeded 5,000 with over 1,000 men killed, including two vice-admirals, Sir [[Christopher Myngs]] and Sir [[William Berkeley (Royal Navy officer)|William Berkeley]]. Almost 2,000 were taken prisoner including Vice-admiral [[George Ayscue]].

Dutch losses were four ships destroyed by fire and over 2,000 men killed or wounded, among them Lieutenant Admiral [[Cornelis Evertsen the Elder|Cornelis Evertsen]], Vice Admiral [[Abraham van der Hulst]] and Rear Admiral Frederik Stachouwer. Although a clear Dutch victory, the surviving English ships were able to beat off an attempt to destroy them at anchor in the [[Thames]] estuary in early July. After quickly refitting, on 25 July the English defeated the Dutch in the [[St. James's Day Battle]].