1. A new and distinctive take on Britain's maritime history 2. Interdisciplinary approach bringing together a range of scholarly perspectives 3. Places maritime history at the heart of British history 4. Helps to unpick the layers of myth and jingoism that until recently have subsumed the topic of Britain's later naval and commercial dominance 5. Challenges the notion of British exceptionalism, instead examining Britain's sea power in the context of relationships with other European nations and other peoples from around the globe