- "Only the British Empire will hold the power of the sea."
- ―John Scarfield
The British Empire, otherwise known as the Crown, British or simply Empire, comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by Great Britain. Although the foundations of the British Empire were laid when England and Scotland were separate kingdoms, it began with the overseas possessions and trading posts established by England. The 18th century saw the newly united Great Britain rise to be the world's largest empire and the foremost dominant colonial power.
History[]
Early history and oversea possessions[]
The foundations of the British Empire were laid when England and Scotland were separate kingdoms. During the Age of Discovery, Portugal and Spain pioneered European exploration of the globe, and in the process established large overseas empires. Envious of the great wealth these empires generated, England, France, and the Netherlands began to establish colonies and trade networks of their own in the Americas and Asia. A series of wars with the Netherlands and France left England the dominant colonial power in North America.
Age of Piracy[]
- "Lord Beckett. In the category of questions not answered..."
"We are under the jurisdiction of the King's governor of Port Royal and you will tell us what we are charged with."
"The charge is 'conspiring to set free a man convicted of crimes against the Crown and Empire and condemned to death, for which the...'"
"For which the punishment, regrettably, is also death." - ―Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, Weatherby Swann and Cutler Beckett
Various officers and sailors in service of the British Royal Navy served the British Empire.[3] By the time Commodore James Norrington was promoted the newly appointed commander of the British Naval Fleet in Port Royal, the HMS Dauntless was one of the Empire's premiere warships, with HMS Interceptor purported to be the fastest vessel in the fleet.[4][5]
Believing it would not be in the best interests of the Empire to be bound by matters of geography, Lord Cutler Beckett furthered the achievements of the East India Trading Company growing power to the Caribbean. Using his emergency powers intended to rid the seas of piracy, Lord Beckett first took control of Port Royal, beginning with the arrests of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, both accused of helping set Captain Jack Sparrow free, a crime for which the punishment was death. Beckett's unexpected arrival shocked Governor Weatherby Swann, who demanded to know what authority he had to arrest them. "By the Crown's authority," Beckett replied,[6][7] and to prove it, he had a pile of documents with Will, Elizabeth, and Norrington's names on arrest warrants.[2]
Years later, the British would be involved in a race to find the Fountain of Youth, which King George II wanted to find before the Spanish King Ferdinand.[8] About one year later, Lieutenant John Scarfield served the British Empire by leading the forces in Saint Martin. Scarfield sailed the Essex in his ambition to find the Trident of Poseidon, claiming only the British Empire would hold the power of the sea.[3]
Behind the scenes[]
- The British Empire would first appear in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,[5] only identified as "the Empire" in the film's production notes.[4] In Dead Man's Chest, it would be referred through Governor Weatherby Swann's mention of "Crown and Empire".[2] In the reference books Pirates of the Caribbean: The Visual Guide and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide, only "the Crown" would be mentioned.[6][7] The British Empire would first be identified by name in Dead Men Tell No Tales.[3]
- Richard Griffiths (King George) was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2008.[9]
Appearances[]
- The Price of Freedom
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (First appearance)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (First identified as Crown and Empire)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
- The Brightest Star in the North: The Adventures of Carina Smyth
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (First identified as British Empire)
Sources[]
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Visual Guide (First identified as Crown)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: The Visual Guide (First identified as the British)
External links[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Pirates of the Caribbean production notes, accessed Dec 9, 2006
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Visual Guide
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide, pp. 42-43: "Wedding Bells"
- ↑ Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: The Visual Guide, pp. 14-15: "The British"
- ↑ POTC4 Presskit