JOHN CALLOW -- Ph.D. Lancaster University -- Director Marx Memorial Library

Dear Jonathan,

Wow! That's quite a big task! And it'll need a lot of thought. Here are some preliminary thoughts:

- the outbreak of the Dutch Wars is under-researched. Certainly the animus of a small court party grouped around the Duke of York was instrumental. But the pressure of the city of London merchants, who wanted to grab the Dutch trade (& based on the experience of the 1650s expected easy pickings) was decisive.

- Tangier is the interesting exception, whereby the state poured money and human resources into an increasingly unwinnable war against a highly organised & militarised foe. What it did achieve though, was the creation of a hardened - not to say ruthless - cadre of professional army officers and naval captains who formed the nucleus of james' military establishment. The former grouping butchered Monmouth's rebels - the latter turned the other way when William came over in 1688....

Best regards,

John

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LESLIE PRICE -- Ph.D. – Professor at Hull University    

Similarly, the 2nd war was pushed through by the Duke of York and his allies in the Royal Africa Company while Charles II and Clarendon seemed to have expected a quick English victory which would shore up another rather shaky regime.

Yours,

Dr J.L. Price

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JONATHAN SCOTT --  Ph.D. – Professor at University of Pittsburg

Dear Mr Kolkey,     

It is entirely true that throughout seventeenth century English history the self interest of individuals, factions and other groups played an important role in politics including decisions to go to war. But it is difficult to generalise over the whole century about specific causes....
 
That of 1665-7 was driven by political and religious hostility toward the Dutch and a hope by various groups including the king to profit by repeating the success of 1652-4....
 
yours sincerely,
 
Jonathan Scott

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