This comprehensive series delves into the profound and inseparable link between Britain's naval power and its political, social, and economic trajectory. It charts the nation's maritime story from its earliest defensive struggles against Viking incursions to its ultimate triumphs over formidable naval forces like the Spanish Armada. Readers will uncover how the ebb and flow of sea power fundamentally shaped the island nation's destiny, its global influence, and its very identity through compelling historical narratives.
This definitive account reveals how the political and social progress of Britain has been inextricably intertwined with the strength - and weakness - of its sea power, from the desperate early campaigns against the Vikings to the defeat of the great Spanish Armada.
The first in a three volume series, recounting Britain's history from a naval perspective, taking the reader from 660 to 1649.
By the beginning of the 19th century Britain's Navy was the most powerful in the world and ruled the waves. This text charts the nation's rise to mastery of the ocean. It tells the story not just of the great voyages and battles, but also describes how ordinary men and women lived and worked at sea.