British Empire

The flag of the British Empire

The British Empire comprised the territories, colonies, protectorates, mandates, dominions and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom during the 18th to 20th century.

The English Empire

Kingston was England's most important Caribbean port and city.

The English Empire's origins began with the discovery of North and South America during the Age of Discovery. Several European countries including England began to establish colonies and protectorates overseas in an attempt to increase their power globally.

By the 18th century, England held a significant number of possessions in North America. The largest of these was a collection of colonies known as the Thirteen Colonies. Alongside this, England controlled much of coastal Canada including Nova Scotia. In the Caribbean, the Kingdom of England held a number of significant portly cities including Kingston, Jamaica and Nassau, Bahamas.

The First British Empire

The Golden Age of Piracy and the War of Spanish Succession

The "British" Empire was formed when the kingdoms of Scotland and England united to form the Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as Great Britain. At this time, the British Empire was at war with the Spanish and French Empires over the disputed Spanish throne. The British used this as a way of further expanding their empire through territorial disputes across the Americas.

British soldiers landing on Nassau during it's war on Piracy in 1718.

Alongside this, Britain was also dealing with the threats of piracy. It is due to this that the period became known as the "Golden Age of Piracy". The Empire faced intense pirate attacks and the establishment of a pirate republic on Nassau in 1715. This prompted the British to begin it's war on piracy in 1718, by re-establishing control in Nassau and appointing Woodes Rogers the Governor of the Bahamas. He was given the task of offering the pirates a pardon in exchange for them to stop their criminal activities. By 1722, Rogers and several pirate hunters such as Benjamin Hornigold were able to effectively put a stop to piracy in the Caribbean.

Thirteen Colonies

Boston was often considered to be the most important British settlement on the American continent up until the American Revolution.

During the mid 18th century, the British Empire faced a rebellion of its colonies in North America, the Thirteen Colonies following the French and Indian War. The Thirteen colonies were who were taxed heavily and forced to provide soldiers for the war. As a result, Americans grew dissatisfied with the rights they were given by their sovereign state. This intensified with the Boston Tea Party, Boston Massacre and the Battles of Lexington and Concord which started the American Revolutionary War between the Thirteen Colonies and the British Empire. While the British maintained the upper hand during most of the conflict, she faced opposition from a number of European colonial powers such as Spain, France and the Netherlands who supported the Thirteen Colonies so to weaken Britain's position in Europe. Britain came under fear of the loss of other colonies and protecterates in Canada, Europe and India.  The Continental Army under leadership of Commander George Washington eventually emerged victorious, and the colonies achieved their independence after the Treaty of Paris, resulting in the foundation of the United States.

During the early 19th century, the British Empire started expand into India and were present during Ranjit Singh's reign as Maharajat of the newly founded Sikh Empire, maintaining a good relationship with the Sikhs for several years.