For four centuries the Royal Navy made Britain the most powerful nation on earth–the true ruler of the waves. But its impact goes far beyond battles on the high seas. This lavishly illustrated tie-in to a major BBC series follows the progress of the Royal Navy from the defeat of the Spanish Armada to World War I. Noted historian Brian Lavery reveals how the Royal Navy shaped British industry, innovation, and identity, and eventually how that naval leadership, initiative and courage began to stagnate in the nineteenth century.