Rampjaar

In Dutch history the popular name for the ‘year of disasters’ (1672) marking the year France and England with Munster and Cologne declared war on the Republic of The Netherlands and invaded the country, upon which William III of Orange was made stadtholder, captain-general, and admiral (revoking the Perpetual Edict). The Dutch army was withdrawn behind the Waterlinie, leaving the rest of the Republic open for invasion. Later in the year William's campaign to cut the French army in two near Charleroi failed, but Admiral de Ruyter defeated the French–English fleets in the battles of Kijkduin and of Sole Bay. The de Witt brothers were lynched in August that year.