Q&A · 2:01:50-2:02:30

The Peace of Breda without the Chatham disaster

Without the Dutch success at Chatham, a more strategically inconclusive war would probably have produced a settlement that frustrated both sides but remained acceptable.

Question

How would the Peace of Breda have differed if Charles II had kept the English ships of the line active?

Short answer

Without the Dutch success at Chatham, a more strategically inconclusive war would probably have produced a settlement that frustrated both sides but remained acceptable.

Notes

The counterfactual removes the conditions for the historical attack on Chatham. Without that major victory, the bargaining position at the end of the war changes. Another battle is expected to resemble the earlier engagements in being strategically inconclusive. The resulting treaty would probably be less decisive and equally irritating to the opposing sides.