Stern carving from the Royal Charles- Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
"These arms of King Charles II of England once adorned the stern transom, or ‘counter’, of the English flagship the Royal Charles. The vessel was captured by Dutch forces in 1667 at its home port of Chatham, near London, and towed over the North Sea to the Netherlands, where it was scrapped. The counter decoration was preserved to commemorate this extraordinary Dutch triumph and England’s defeat."
In 1667, the stern carvings, which until now had been displayed in the Philips Wing of the Rijksmuseum, was seized from the English in a spectacular fashion by Michiel de Ruyter. At the time, the Dutch were at war with the English and although peace talks had begun, the Republic decided to pressure King Charles II of England, in order to speed up the negotiations. The Dutch fleet therefore sailed to Chatham, where the English fleet was anchored, sunk several ships and took the Royal Charles, the pride of the English fleet, to the Republic as booty.
Soon after, in 1673, the Royal Charles was sold for scrap, and at the end of the 19th century, the Navy gave the counter to the Rijksmuseum, where it has been on public display ever since. When the main building of the Rijksmuseum reopens in spring 2013, the counter will be displayed in the 17th century maritime gallery.
The ceremony with which the counter was handed over. Historian Richard Holdsworth tells about the Dutch attack (In Dutch, some English)
Stern carving from the Royal Charles- Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
"These arms of King Charles II of England once adorned the stern transom, or ‘counter’, of the English flagship the Royal Charles. The vessel was captured by Dutch forces in 1667 at its home port of Chatham, near London, and towed over the North Sea to the Netherlands, where it was scrapped. The counter decoration was preserved to commemorate this extraordinary Dutch triumph and England’s defeat."
In 1667, the stern carvings, which until now had been displayed in the Philips Wing of the Rijksmuseum, was seized from the English in a spectacular fashion by Michiel de Ruyter. At the time, the Dutch were at war with the English and although peace talks had begun, the Republic decided to pressure King Charles II of England, in order to speed up the negotiations. The Dutch fleet therefore sailed to Chatham, where the English fleet was anchored, sunk several ships and took the Royal Charles, the pride of the English fleet, to the Republic as booty.
Soon after, in 1673, the Royal Charles was sold for scrap, and at the end of the 19th century, the Navy gave the counter to the Rijksmuseum, where it has been on public display ever since. When the main building of the Rijksmuseum reopens in spring 2013, the counter will be displayed in the 17th century maritime gallery.
The ceremony with which the counter was handed over. Historian Richard Holdsworth tells about the Dutch attack (In Dutch, some English)