“I would not wish for anything better than to be invited to this unification of forces”: accession of The Republic of the Seven United Netherlands to the First League of Armed Neutrality (1780)

The Declaration of Armed Neutrality, proclaimed by Empress Catherine II on 10 March (O.S. 28 February) 1780, constituted one of the most significant Russian international legal acts of the eighteenth century. During the US War of Independence (1775–1783), which resulted in a war between Great Britain and a coalition of states, the primary objective of the principles set forth in the declaration was to safeguard the rights of maritime neutrality. This allowed ships of neutral countries to continue trade with the belligerent powers without impediment. As a result of the endeavours of Russian diplomacy, the First League of Armed Neutrality (1780–1783) was established. The Republic of the Seven United Netherlands was among the inaugural members. Historically, the Republic’s accession to the League of Armed Neutrality has not been a subject of extensive examination. Consequently, this article represents an initial contribution to the field of research on this matter. The study draws on the documents of the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Empire of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, more specifically the reports of Dmitry Golitsyn, Envoy Extraordinary of the Russian Empire to the States General of the Republic. The envoy’s reports are written in French and have been translated by the author of the article. The study focuses on documents from the period between 1778 and 1781, providing a detailed account of the foreign and domestic political life of the Republic. The author addresses several key issues, including the perception of the Russian Declaration of Armed Neutrality in the United Provinces, the rationale behind the States General’s decision to join the League of Armed Neutrality, and the operational dynamics of the Republic’s political decision-making process. The author presents a compelling argument that the accession of the United Provinces to the First League of Armed Neutrality was a strategic move that aligned with the Republic’s long-standing policy of maintaining neutrality towards foreign countries, a stance it had adopted since the mid-1750s. Additionally, the author highlights the Republic’s interest in strengthening its ties with Russia, which was a significant factor in its decision to join the League. Nevertheless, the opposition of England and the subsequent outbreak of the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War prevented the United Provinces from becoming an active participant in the League of Armed Neutrality.