In 1658, the Dutch Republic faced a sudden crisis: the Baltic Sea was blockaded and the timber ships that built Amsterdam's ships and houses could not get through. For a trading empire dependent on Norwegian and Polish wood, this was an existential threat. This episode follows the dramatic story of the Dutch Baltic fleet of 1658 — the largest single convoy ever assembled by the Republic. We track how Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt and Admiral Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam negotiated with Denmark and Sweden, and how the Battle of the Sound decided the fate of Amsterdam's supply chains. Along the way, we explore the little-known role of the fluyt, the humble workhorse vessel, and how the Dutch built a wooden navy that protected their floating empire. We also discuss the long-term consequences: the shift from Baltic to Rhine timber, the decline of the Sound Toll, and the quiet end of Dutch naval dominance.
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