, ▁commanded ▁by ▁Mich iel ▁de ▁R uy ter . ▁ ▁The ▁Dutch ▁vict ories ▁in ▁the ▁two ▁batt les , ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Tex el ▁that ▁followed ▁in ▁August , ▁saved ▁their ▁country ▁from ▁an ▁Ang lo - F rench ▁invasion . ▁ ▁Background ▁The ▁Franco - D utch ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 6 7 2 – 1 6 7 8 ▁resulted ▁from ▁the ▁attempts ▁of ▁Louis ▁XIV ▁of ▁France ▁to ▁an nex ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Netherlands . ▁In ▁ 1 6 7 2 , ▁troops ▁from ▁France , ▁Mün ster ▁and ▁C ologne ▁inv aded ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁by ▁land , ▁while ▁England ' s ▁n avy ▁attacked ▁Dutch ▁sh ipping ▁and ▁threatened ▁a ▁se abor ne ▁invasion . ▁The ▁conflict ▁between ▁England ▁and ▁the ▁Republic ▁is ▁commonly ▁called ▁the ▁Third ▁Ang lo - D utch ▁War . ▁ ▁The ▁years ▁ 1 6 7 2 - 1 6 7 3 ▁were ▁particularly ▁des perate ▁for ▁the ▁Dutch , ▁with ▁the ▁French ▁stopped ▁only ▁by ▁Holland ▁Water ▁Line , ▁a ▁deliber ate ▁flo oding ▁of ▁large ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁coun tr ys ide , ▁and ▁the ▁withdraw ing ▁of ▁guns ▁and ▁men ▁from ▁the ▁fleet ▁to ▁augment ▁the ▁army ▁of ▁William ▁III ▁of ▁Orange , ▁now ▁Admir al - General ▁of ▁the ▁fleet . ▁A ▁surprise ▁attack ▁by ▁De ▁R uy ter ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 6 7 2 , ▁resulting ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁So leb ay , ▁had ▁however ▁prevent ed ▁the ▁al lies ▁from ▁establish ing ▁naval ▁superior