Broadside: Emerging Empires Collide

The restored English monarch Charles II pushes his nation into a fierce contest with the Dutch Republic for control of global commerce in the 17th century, driven by the political dynamics inside his court and the rival strategies of his Dutch counterpart Johann de Witt. As tensions rise, this opening segment follows how economic ambitions, naval build-ups, and court politics set the stage for prolonged conflict on the seas.

The long series of naval engagements that follow pits legendary admirals of both nations against one another in massive fleet actions, as two hundred Dutch and English warships clash over trade routes and imperial influence. With dramatic reenactments, expert insight, and animation bringing battles and 17th-century world locales to life, this section tracks how these wars reshaped the balance of power and influenced the course of global trade for centuries.