Blue-Water Empire: The British in the Mediterranean since 1800

Britain has been a major presence in the Mediterranean from the Battle of the Nile to the end of empire, as both a military and a colonising force on the islands and coastlines of the sea. Robert Holland traces the fascinating story of that presence, from its legacies in culture, language and law to the Mediterranean's own influence on Britain.

Evoking the conflicts and contrasts between British and local societies caught up in dramatic events, as well as their mutual resilience under pressure, Blue-Water Empire charts with vigour, flair and clarity the British experience in the Mediterranean in the age of empire.

'An important corrective to current historical amnesia . . . the definitive account of Anglo-Mediterranean history for years to come.' Amanda Foreman, New Statesman

'Lively and absorbing . . . original.' Spectator

'This is an important subject, and it has never before been drawn together into a single coherent narrative . . . Blue-Water Empire puts the land, not the sea, at the heart of the story.' Literary Review