21 October 1805
Battle of Trafalgar

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One of the most important naval battles in history ends in victory for the British, despite the death of the British admiral, Lord Horatio Nelson. Napoleon's fleet of 33 French and Spanish ships under the command of Pierre-Charles Villeneuve is ordered to break out of Cadiz harbour, where they are blockaded by a British fleet. This they do but are immediately engaged by Nelson, who secures a decisive victory. The British do not lose a single ship, while the French lose 18. It is estimated that some 14,000 French and Spanish seamen are killed – 10 times more than the British losses. Villeneuve is taken prisoner by the British but later released; he commits suicide after his return to France.

The British victory is a rare military setback during this period for Napoleon, who remains dominant on land. It puts a stop to all plans for an invasion of England and sets the scene for a British pre-eminence at sea that will last for more than a century.

'Let us be masters of the Strait for six hours, and we shall be masters of the world.' Napoleon

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