Captain-General Appointment
William III of Orange is appointed Captain-General for the coming campaign as the Dutch Republic prepares for a major foreign attack.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1672 in England
Explore 60 historical events and records for England in 1672.
Historical records for England in 1672
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 60 unique records.
60Unique records
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30Named events on this page
14Named people on this page
11Places on this page
February
March
Declaration of War
Attacks the Dutch Smyrna convoy, but it escapes
Declaration of Indulgence
Grants licenses to Non Conformists to worship publicly. Attempts to remove legislation against Catholics & Non Conformists. Allows Catholics to worship in private
Declaration of Indulgence
Attempts to extend religious liberty by royal prerogative through the Declaration of Indulgence.
Declaration of Indulgence
Charles II issues the Declaration of Indulgence suspending penal laws against Catholics and Protestant dissenters.
Declaration of Indulgence
Seeks to relieve Roman Catholics and Protestant nonconformists from penal religious restrictions.
Reform of Church Governance
Uses royal authority to exempt selected religious groups from penalties under conformity laws.
Suspension of Penal Laws
Suspends the execution of penal laws against religious nonconformists by issuing the Declaration of Indulgence.
Declaration of War
England & France declare war against in accordance with the Treaty of Dover. Charles II declares war without consulting Parliament
April
Privy Council
Appointed Privy Counsellor
Privy Council
Appointed Privy Counsellor
Peerage
Created Earl Arlington, 1st
May
Battle of Sole Bay
Serves with the Duke of York's forces at the Battle of Sole Bay.
Battle of Sole Bay
The English are saved by reinforcements. The Duke of York is twice forced to abandon his flagship. De Ruyter forces the French to withdraw
Battle of Sole Bay
Killed aboard the flagship Royal James
June
Battle of Sole Bay
Suffers humiliating losses to de Ruyter, loses 2 flagships the Prince & St Michael
Sinking of Royal James
Suffers humiliating losses to de Ruyter, loses 2 flagships the Prince & St Michael
Sinking of Royal James - Fireship Attack
At Solebay a Dutch fireship set the English first-rate Royal James ablaze, killing Edward Montagu, Earl of Sandwich, and many of her crew.
French Invasion of Dutch Republic
French forces cross the Rhine during the invasion of the Dutch Republic, confronting William III of Orange with the defining military crisis of his early career.
Peerage
Bennett is awarded the Garter
Captain in Foot Regiment
Promoted captain in a foot regiment in June 1672.
Defence after IJssel Withdrawal
William III of Orange withdraws from the exposed IJssel position and concentrates the remaining Dutch forces on the defence of Holland.
July
Stadtholder of Zeeland
William III of Orange becomes stadtholder of Zeeland as popular pressure restores Orange leadership during the invasion crisis.
Stadtholder of Holland
William III of Orange becomes stadtholder of Holland, ending the province's long period without an Orange stadtholder.
Lifetime Military Commands
William III of Orange receives the offices of Captain-General and Admiral-General for life as his authority expands during the war.
Stadtholder of Holland and Zeeland
William III of Orange becomes stadtholder of Holland and Zeeland as the Dutch Republic faces invasion.
Stadholder Oath
William III of Orange formally takes the oath associated with his restored stadtholder position.
December
Capture of Valkenburg Castle
Forces under William III of Orange capture Valkenburg Castle during the winter counteroffensive against French-held positions.
Siege of Charleroi Begins
William III of Orange reaches Charleroi and begins an attempt to take the French-held fortress during his winter campaign.
Withdrawal from Charleroi
William III of Orange abandons the attempt to capture Charleroi when winter conditions and inadequate siege resources make success unlikely.
Advance toward Maastricht
William III of Orange leads a field army toward Maastricht as part of a winter campaign intended to pressure French positions.
Other events (month unknown)
A Table of Ten Thousand Square Numbers
Publication of "A Table of Ten Thousand Square Numbers"
Admiral-General
William III of Orange is appointed Admiral-General of the Dutch Republic during the political and military crisis of 1672.
Captain-General
William III of Orange is appointed Captain-General of the Dutch States Army during the crisis of 1672.
Clerk of Council
Appointed Clerk of the Council
Declaration of War
Declares war against the Dutch for a subsidy frfrfrom Louis XIV in the Treaty of Dover
Economy of England
Cancels payments from Charles II to the Exchequer
Foreign Policy Statement at London
Speaks against the pro-French policy of the cabal
Lord Chancellor
Appointed Lord Chancellor
Lord Treasurer
Appointed Lord Treasurer
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.