The Dutch Republic founded in 1579 was actually a confederation of seven provinces, including Holland, Zeeland, Gronigen, Friesland, Utrecht, Overijssel, and Gelre.

Although the Dutch were involved in numerous 17th and 18th-Century wars against assorted European rivals, in only three instances did the usually cautious Dutch appear to have initiated the conflict . And in two of them -- v. France in 1698 and again v. France in 1702 -- the decision came from William of Orange, who at that moment also occupied the English throne as King William III. Therefore, these two Franco-Dutch conflicts will be analyzed in the section: "Stuart-Era English Wars."  The other Dutch-initiated conflict that will be studied is Netherlands v. France (1744)

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