Which was the European empire with the greatest naval power?

[Brás Garcia de Mascarenhas]

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.

[Ruggery]

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.

If we count it from the XV century to the XIX century.
I would add French too.

[Davystayn]

Coating the underside of fighting ships with copper, so barnacles, seaweed etc couldnt attach to the hull, was very effective

[Zeno]

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.

[JamesBond007]

How is it even a question?

LOL, that is exactly what I was thinking while reading the post and voting

[JamesBond007]

Coating the underside of fighting ships with copper, so barnacles, seaweed etc couldnt attach to the hull, was very effective

Aye, Limey have some grog (vitamin C infused rum mixed with water) to stave off scurvy ye laddy. Next up the Spanish Armada you need all the strength ye can get !

[Andullero]

And don't you think the British Empire had very good competition?

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.

[Cristiano viejo]

17th-20th.

Just NOT TRUE. 19-20th is correct. Until the middle of 1700s it was the Spanish empire.

[Cristiano viejo]

Rule Britannia and the "the empire on which the sun never sets" don't exist for no reason..

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

[Tauromachos]

The ancient Greek Delian Attic League