French Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere, Zeeper name; Bongo Nicky
Medieval and Early Modern Period
Hundred Years' War (1337–1453)
England vs. France
A series of conflicts over English claims to the French
throne and territorial control in France. Notable battles include Crécy, Poitiers, and Agincourt.
Wars of the Roses (1455–1487)
Internal conflict between the Houses of Lancaster and York
for the English throne, but it set the stage for a stronger monarchy that pursued overseas expansion.
Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604)
England vs. Spain
Part of England’s rivalry with Spain over trade, religion, and colonial ambitions. Included the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.
Imperial Expansion and Colonial Wars
Anglo-Dutch Wars (1652–1674)
England vs. Dutch Republic
Fought over naval dominance and trade routes, particularly in the Atlantic and East Indies. The Second Anglo-Dutch War led to England gaining New Amsterdam (later New York).
Nine Years' War (1688–1697)
England (with allies) vs. France
Part of a broader European conflict, but included colonial
skirmishes in North America and the Caribbean.
War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714)
England (later Great Britain) vs. France and Spain
Resulted in Britain gaining Gibraltar, Minorca, and parts of Canada (e.g., Nova Scotia) under the Treaty of Utrecht.
Seven Years' War (1756–1763)
Great Britain vs. France (and allies)
A global conflict often called the "first world war." Britain gained dominance in India (via the East India Company) and much of North America, including Canada, from France.
American Revolutionary War (1775–1783)
Great Britain vs. American colonies (with French, Spanish support)
Britain lost its Thirteen Colonies but retained Canada and other territories.
Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815)
Great Britain vs. Napoleonic France
A series of wars that solidified British naval supremacy (e.g., Battle of Trafalgar) and expanded its empire, including control over parts of the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia.
19th Century Imperial Wars
Anglo-Zulu War (1879)
Britain vs. Zulu Kingdom
Part of British efforts to consolidate control in southern Africa. Famous for the Battle of Rorke’s Drift.
Opium Wars (1839–1842, 1856–1860)
Britain (with allies) vs. Qing China
Fought to force open Chinese markets to British trade, resulting in Hong Kong being ceded to Britain.
Crimean War (1853–1856)
Britain and France vs. Russia
Aimed to curb Russian expansion into Ottoman territories;
less about direct imperial gain but tied to British influence in the Middle East.
Second Boer War (1899–1902)
Britain vs. Boer Republics
Secured British control over gold- and diamond-rich regions in South Africa.
20th Century and Decline of Empire World War I (1914–1918)
Britain and Allies vs. Central Powers
While not solely an imperial war, it involved Britain’s colonies extensively and led to gains like mandates in the Middle East (e.g., Iraq, Palestine).
World War II (1939–1945)
Britain and Allies vs. Axis Powers
Marked the beginning of the end for the British Empire, with independence movements gaining momentum post-war.
Notes
Many smaller conflicts, rebellions, and colonial campaigns (e.g., the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Mahdist War in Sudan 1881–1899) also shaped Britain’s imperial history but aren’t listed as full-scale "wars."
French Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere, Zeeper name; Bongo Nicky
1888 was the last time Britain added a new territory to its empire -- Brunei, on Borneo's north coast, bordering the South China Sea.
Since WWII, the Brits have divested all but a scattering of islands from their once largest empire on earth.
One result is that in 1900 the British Empire was 50% larger than Russia's empire.
Today, Russia is 70 times larger than the UK, and, unlike the UK, Russia is still attempting to grow its empire through conquering neighboring countries.
Despite its vastly reduced size, the UK's nominal GDP is still 70% larger than Russia's.
World of Empires, circa 1900
China & Persia were also empires in 1900, as was Brazil until 1889. Congo was Belgian after 1885:
