Fought in the North Sea on 21 August 1673, Texel is usually described as tactically indecisive but strategically favourable to the Dutch. The allied objective was to secure passage for the Blackheath Army and land troops behind Dutch defensive positions. A successful landing would have forced the Dutch either to ignore the new force or abandon ground facing the French across the flooded zone. Because the Dutch only had to prevent the invasion, simple survival at sea amounted to a major strategic success.
Chapter · 19:15-20:58
Texel as an invasion-prevention battle
The Dutch did not need to destroy the allied fleet: preventing a British landing kept the French from exploiting the flooded Dutch defences.