At the height of its power the British Empire was so vast it covered almost a quarter of the planet’s land area. Trace the story of this colossal force from its 15th-century origins to modern day. Through amazing images, illustrations and articles, explore a controversial period in world history and follow one nation’s unstoppable quest for global dominance. Featuring: Origins of Empire - Explore the events that kick-started Britain’s quest for dominance overseas. Empire building - Follow the British Empire’s bloody footsteps on its path to becoming a superpower. Victoria’s Empire - Meet the monarch who oversaw Britain as it reached the height of its influence. Decline & legacy - Trace the decline of a global power and witness its lasting impact on the world.
Welcome to ALL ABOUT HISTORY Book of the BRITISH EMPIRE 1497-1997
A TO Z OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE • A 26-letter rundown on an empire that ruled the waves and dominated the globe for 500 years
Sowing the seeds • Driven by maritime expansion and commercial ambition, Britain set sail to conquer the rest of the world
Sir Walter Raleigh Mapping the globe • England may have had the biggest Empire in the world, but it was down to explorers like Raleigh that it kept on growing
Kingdom of trade and enterprise • From the shores of Ireland to the furthest reaches of the known world, a small island in the cold Atlantic Ocean set its sights on possessing all
East India Company India’s corporate overlord • At the peak of its power, the East India Company governed India almost autonomously. How did this band of traders come to rule an entire nation?
Ten trading treasures • A wealth of resources were traded and imported by the Empire – not all without controve
Building an Empire • With pride battered after losing the 13 colonies in North America, Britain’s focus shifted to Africa, Asia and the Pacific…
Horatio Nelson’s Invincible Royal Navy • Master strategist and popular hero, 1st Viscount Horatio Nelson enjoyed a meteoric rise to command
The British Empire strikes • With British America no more, the Empire turned to the exploration of the Pacific and dealing with a threat closer to home – Napoleon
10 bloodiest battles of the British Empire • The extended realm of England and Great Britain may have been built on the backs of economy and trade, but that doesn’t mean the Empire was afraid to stain earth and ocean red in its defence
Media & propaganda • Full of bluster, the Empire’s propaganda machine told the stories it wanted those at home and abroad to hear about…
Australia’s first penal colony • Take a closer look at how punitive criminal sentences, a gruelling journey and years of backbreaking labour forged the modern-day land down under
The ‘Imperial Century’ • How Queen Victoria oversaw the golden age of the British Empire as its dominance reached an all-time high
1837-1901 Victoria’s Empire • With a long-reigning and cherished monarch at the helm, how one tiny island came to rule a domain that spanned over quarter of the world’s surface
The 1851 Great Exhibition • Championed by Prince Albert, the 1851 Great Exhibition flaunted the Empire’s trade wins and industrial marvels
Isambard Kingdom Brunel Father of British industry • One of the most influential engineers in the history of Britain, he designed numerous routes, structures and ships
Britain becomes a superpower • A powerful phase of the Industrial Revolution heralded a new age of steel, railways and electricity, which allowed the British Empire to grow even further afield
Workshop of the world • How an eager workforce and a solid transport infrastructure helped make the British Empire a global powerhouse
Britannia rule the waves • Britain was...
