Which was the European empire with the greatest naval power?

[gixajo]

It depends on the chronological event to which we are referring. Either Portugal, Spain and Great Britain were the reigning naval power during a certain period.

This.

Rule Britannia and the "the empire on which the sun never sets" don't exist for no reason... In its peak the British Empire was expanded at 33 million km² and had territory everywhere on Earth. Having territory on every continent demands extensive naval infrastructure.

Also:

RUUUUUUULE BRITANNIA, BRITANNIA RULE THE WAAAAAAAAAAVES

But an undertone here:

GREEKS TODAY RULE THE SEAS.

"the empire on which the sun never sets" that expression was refered to the Spanish empire at least initially.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_em...sun_never_sets

[Ruggery]

Boy that sentence was done for the Spanish empire, not the British

Originally yes, then it was copied by the British Empire.

[Ruggery]

The Dutch came close to knocking them out during the XVIIth century, specifically the second and third Anglo-Dutch wars, both during the reign of Charles II, in which them Brits were forced to sue for peace in an extremely humilliating manner (and admiral Michiel de Ruyter would write the most glorious pages in Dutch naval warfare as the literal "hammer of the English" so to speak).

Ironically, after the Dutch Stadtholder William III took the English throne during the so called "Glorious Revolution" it would be the time when them Brits started to leave the Dutch behind.

I did not know that the Dutch had humiliated the British in the Anglo-Dutch war according to what he investigated they had made a truce.

[Cristiano viejo]

Originally yes, then it was copied by the British Empire.

British copied so many things...

[brennus dux gallorum]

It depends from the era. It started with Portuguese, then Spanish empire and finally British empire

Today the greatest navy is the american one, but the greatest merchant marine force is Greece

[Cristiano viejo]

It depends from the era. It started with Portuguese, then Spanish empire and finally British empire

Today the greatest navy is the american one, but the greatest merchant marine force is Greece

Best post of the thread.

[Ülev]

oh my dears, British of course

[Ruggery]

British copied so many things...

True the British empire copied things but also had original things.

[Andullero]

I did not know that the Dutch had humiliated the British in the Anglo-Dutch war according to what he investigated they had made a truce.

Yeah, on the third one they basically prevented the English from further aiding the French in the concurrent (larger) Dutch War. And to top it off, Charles II had to basically betrothe his niece Mary (daughter of James II) to the Stadtholder William as a condition for peace. We have to give it to William, that was a smooth move on his part, as it would serve to legitimize his taking the English throne when the time came.