British Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson utilised the powerful Royal Navy to crush the French, Danish, and Spanish at the battles of the Nile, Copenhagen, and Trafalgar. This cemented British naval supremacy for the 19th century by significantly weakening Britain’s biggest competitors. Consequently, Britain was able to expand around the world, further increasing its wealth and status as an empire.

Tate Museum - The Battle of the Nile (1800)