In its heyday, the British Empire was unrivaled, occupying nearly a quarter of the world's land mass and ruling over a fifth of the world's population; Britain was the largest empire in history. As the world's leading superpower for nearly a hundred years, Britain is often considered by many to be the greatest empire that ever existed. But what surprises most people is this: how did a small island in Western Europe with an even smaller population come to control so much land and so many people? To put it another way, at its height in 1939, Britain's population was 46.4 million. The British Empire spanned a world population of 458 million, ten times the world population! Arguably, Britain's small size, small population, and the fact that it was an island were its greatest strengths. Being an island, the British were dependent on the resources of the sea and needed to establish sea trade routes; this meant the need for a strong navy. This powerful navy was perhaps the most important reason for its vast empire and global dominance.

To see the strength of the English Navy, we first need to look at its history. The English navy was virtually nonexistent throughout the medieval period and didn't really start to develop until the reign of Henry VIII. Prior to Henry's reign, England had mainly only merchant ships and very few ships dedicated to combat. The only notable example of England showing naval superiority came in 1340, when Edward III won the Battle of Sluys, preventing a French invasion. In this case, it may have been the immediate threat of invasion that led the English to lead a naval offensive. During this period of England's history, seaside towns and harbors were frequently attacked by mercenaries and were virtually defenseless due to the small number of warships in the English armory.

Perhaps it was the fear of civil war that led Henry VIII to focus on keeping the peace and building a strong navy during his reign. Whatever the reason, his efforts were successful. Henry's reign was riddled with criticisms such as his refutable desire for a son and his break with the Catholic Church, but it is undeniable that as far as the navy was concerned, Henry's actions were the beginning of what would later become a dominant position and reputation. English Navy. Henry VIII was the first monarch to begin building ships specifically for combat purposes, such as the famous Mary Rose, who called his new navy the "Royal Navy"

It was Henry's efforts to consolidate the English navy that led to one of their most famous victories. During the reign of Henry's daughter, Elizabeth I, the English were facing a Spanish invasion. The Spaniards were angry at England's separation from the Catholic Church, and they were also angry at the mistreatment of Henry's first wife, Catherine of Aragon, who was Spanish. In 1588, a large Spanish fleet was assembled, which came to be known as the Spanish Armada. It was so numerous that the chances of an unexpected English victory were slim. It was in this context that Henry's early preparation and development of the English navy paid off. The English victory in this battle is often regarded as a milestone in Elizabeth's reign and an early sign that England had a truly dominant navy.

In the 17th century, the Commonwealth began a rapid expansion of the British Navy and the re-establishment of the monarchy in 1660; Charles II continued these efforts and reformed the British Navy into a national institution named the Royal Navy. The Royal Navy was now much larger, with specialized battalions of warships; few merchant ships were involved. This new navy proved to be very effective during the War of the Grand Alliance. In 1691, the Royal Navy engaged the French in the Battle of Balfleur-Lahog. The battle destroyed French ships and represented a huge turning point for the European naval superpower. The Royal Navy's fearsome reputation had begun.

In 1707, under the Act of Union, the British Navy continued to expand its arsenal and increase spending. During the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars of 1793 and 1815, the Royal Navy continued to protect Britain from enemy invasions and threats. The organization and strength of the British Navy effectively blockaded enemy ships in port. I t was not until 1805 that Napoleon managed to assemble a fleet from ships not blockaded by the British Navy. The combined Spanish and French ships sailed to England with the hope of a successful invasion. However, under the command of Lord Nelson, and with ships such as HMS Victory, the Royal Navy once again saved Britain from invasion and destroyed the Allied fleet in the famous and never-to-be-forgotten Battle of Trafalgar.

The Royal Navy continued to flourish in the early twentieth century. During the First and Second World Wars, the British Navy managed to protect the flow of food, ammunition and raw materials to Britain. The Navy's superior fighting skills kept the Germans out and proved once again that the British Isles were immune to foreign invasion. Ships like HMS Warspite, which was renowned for fighting in both world wars, received the highest honor bestowed on a single ship by the Royal Navy.

Looking at the history of the Royal Navy, it is clear that it went from virtually non-existent to the most powerful navy in the world for over 200 years. Why did the British and the English suddenly decide to rapidly increase the size and power of their navy? Before we answer that question; let's look at what made the British Navy so powerful. The first reason the navy was so powerful was experience. Over the years, the Royal Navy had gained a great deal of experience in countless battles. They have also learned from this experience and lessons that will lead to improvements. For example, in the 1790's the navy began storing lemons on their ships which actually led to the elimination of scurvy. This experience also helped the British Navy stay more organized, and organization was an important factor in naval warfare.

The Royal Navy has also benefited from increased levels of financing. The UK can afford to spend a higher level of money on its navy compared to other countries. This is because Britain is an island and therefore it does not need as much land forces. Its best chance of engaging its enemies was at sea, which is why Britain chose to spend so much money on its navy. This increased funding obviously had a positive effect on the strength of the navy. In addition, the British invested more money in sailor training, which meant that the ships operated better than their respective opponents. Other reasons included social cohesion, shipyard operations, and ship design; the size of the British navy during the 18th and 19th centuries also attested to its dominance over its enemies.

Having addressed why the Royal Navy was so dominant over its enemies; it is now important to look at why Britain chose to place so much emphasis on the improvement and development of its navy throughout history. As mentioned earlier, Britain's best chance of engaging its enemies was at sea, and therefore a strong navy was needed to accomplish this task. Being an island race also meant that Britain had no safe land trade routes. Britain's only opportunity to trade with other countries is at sea, so historically it has been important for Britain to secure these trade routes by making sure they have strong control over the seas. Several other theories could be put forward, including competition with France and Spain, the culture of the British people, and Britain's aggressive strategy in the New World.

Regardless of the reasons why the British chose to pursue maritime hegemony; it is clear that they have achieved this goal over the past 500 years. Although not the largest today, the Royal Navy's reputation is undeniable. The success, size and longevity of the British Empire is often attributed to its powerful navy. The experience and history of the Royal Navy is amazing. For more than 100 years, the small island of Britain has been the leading global superpower and it cannot be argued that the Royal Navy was not a major contributor to this feat.

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