Capitulation, restitution, and concession New Netherland

in march 1664, charles ii of england, scotland , ireland resolved annex new netherland , bring kingdoms under 1 form of government, both in church , state, , install anglican government in old england. directors of dutch west india company concluded religious freedom, offered in new netherland, dissuade english colonists working toward removal. wrote director-general peter stuyvesant:

. . . in hopes english @ north (in new netherland) have removed old england causes aforesaid, not give henceforth trouble, prefer live free under @ peace consciences risk getting rid of our authority , falling again under government had formerly fled.

on august 27, 1664, 4 english frigates led richard nicolls sailed new amsterdam’s harbor , demanded new netherland’s surrender. met no resistance because numerous citizens’ requests had gone unheeded protection suitable dutch garrison against deplorable , tragic massacres natives. lack of adequate fortification, ammunition, , manpower made new amsterdam defenseless, indifference west india company previous pleas reinforcement of men , ships against continual troubles, threats, encroachments , invasions of english neighbors. stuyvesant negotiated terms powerful enemies . in articles of transfer, , council secured principle of religious tolerance in article viii, assured new netherlanders shall keep , enjoy liberty of consciences in religion under english rule. articles largely observed in new amsterdam , hudson river valley, violated english along delaware river, pillaging, looting, , arson undertaken under orders of english officer sir robert carr, kt. had been dispatched secure valley. many dutch settlers sold slavery in virginia on carr s orders, , entire mennonite settlement wiped out, led pieter corneliszoon plockhoy near modern lewes, delaware. 1667 treaty of breda ended second anglo-dutch war; dutch did not press claims on new netherland, , status quo maintained, dutch occupying suriname , nutmeg island of run.

within 6 years, nations again @ war. dutch recaptured new netherland in august 1673 fleet of 21 ships led vice admiral cornelius evertsen , commodore jacob binckes, largest ever seen in north america. chose anthony colve governor , renamed city new orange, reflecting installation of william of orange lord-lieutenant (stadtholder) of holland in 1672, became king william iii of england in 1689. nevertheless, dutch republic bankrupt after conclusion of third anglo-dutch war in 1672–1674, historic disaster years in republic simultaneously attacked french under louis xiv, english, , bishops of munster , cologne. states of zeeland had tried convince states of holland take on responsibility new netherland province, no avail. in november 1674, treaty of westminster concluded war , ceded new netherland english.