The Raid on the Medway was the final major battle of the Second Anglo-Dutch War, occurring from 19 to 24 June 1667 when a Dutch fleet sailed up the River Medway and burned or captured three capital ships, ten ships of the line, and the Royal Navy's flagship HMS Royal Charles in one of Britain's worst naval disasters.
In 1667, King Charles II of England was forced to reduce the size of his active fleet due to recent expenditure restrictions. Charles held peace negotiations with the United Provinces at Breda, but Charles procrastinated, hoping to improve his position through secret French assistance. Meanwhile, the Dutch Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt planned to end the war with a clear victory, sending his brother Cornelis de Witt to accompany Michiel de Ruyter as he led a daring raid up the River Medway and into England to threaten the English capital of London.
On 4 June 1667, De Ruyter departed for the River Thames with 62 frigates, 15 lighter ships, and 12 fireships. On 9 June, a Dutch fleet of 30 ships was sighted off Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey, and King Charles had Aubrey de Vere, 20th Earl of Oxford mobilize the militia of all counties around London and use all available barges to lay a ship's bridge across the Lower Thames to enable the English cavalry to cross from one bank to the other with ease. On 10 June, Charles sent George Monck to take charge of matters at Chatham, while Prince Rupert of the Rhine organized the defenses at Woolwich. That same day, the Dutch attacked the incomplete Garrison Point Fort on Sheppey, capturing Sheerness and blowing up the fort's guns. On 12 June, Willem Joseph van Ghent's squadron continued up the Medway, and Dutch fireships destroyed the English defensive chain. By 13 June, the Thames Valley was in a panic as locals heard rumors that the Dutch fleet was making way for a French invasion force from Dunkirk. Many wealthy citizens fled London with their possessions, and the Dutch fleet made its way to the Chatham docks. The English were forced to sink three of their finest and heaviest vessels - Loyal London, Royal James, and Royal Oak - to prevent them from being captured; the remaining "big ship", Royal Sovereign, survived due to her being in Portsmouth at the time. On 14 June, expecting stiffening resistance, Cornelis de Witt decided to forego a further penetration and withdraw, towing the Royal Charles as a war trophy.
Royal James, Royal Oak, and Loyal London were salvaged and rebuilt, but at great cost; the City of London refused to share in the expenditure, causing Charles to rename Loyal London to simply London. King Charles was infuriated that the Dutch invaded his country while he laid up his fleet and peace negotiations were in progress, causing him to secretly conclude an alliance with France ahead of the Franco-Dutch War (which was accompanied by the Third Anglo-Dutch War).