1652

1652 was a year in the 17th century. It was the 13th year of the 17th century from the beginning of the Gregorian calendar. The year 1652 was included in the 17th century according to the Anno Domini era, labeled as AD 1652 in thousand-year notation.

A notable event that occurred in 1652 was the establishment of the first Dutch colony in South Africa, which was named the Cape Colony. This took place on June 6 when Jan van Riebeeck, employed by the Dutch East India Company, founded the colony. The primary purpose of the colony was to serve as a way station for Dutch ships sailing between Europe and Asia.

Another significant event from that year was the Stadtholder election in the Netherlands, where William of Orange and Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange, ran for the position. William II would eventually emerge as the victor and maintain this position up to 1650.

Military matters in 1652 were dominated by a conflict between the Dutch Republic and Spain, specifically the Anglo-Spanish War's Amboyna Massacre, which took place in August 1623, with retaliatory actions by the British and Dutch forces commencing in June 1653. Moreover, the same period saw English privateer Henry Mainwaring, along with Robert Spencer, engaged in English privateering activities against Spain in the Caribbean.