landed possessions held together by the greatest navy of its time. With naval arms-races (especially between Germany and Britain), the end of colonialism, and the winning of independence by many colonies, European thalassocracies, which had controlled the world's oceans for centuries, diminished—though Britain's power-projection in the Falklands War of 1982 demonstrated continuing thalassocratic clout. The Ottoman Empire expanded from a land-based region to dominate the Eastern Mediterranean and to expand into the Indian Ocean as a thalassocracy from the 15th century AD. List of historical thalassocracies Ajuran Sultanate Ancient Carthage British Empire Bruneian Sultanate (1368–1888) (Old Brunei) Champa Chola dynasty Crown of Aragon Dál Riata Delian League Demak Sultanate Denmark–Norway Doric Hexapolis Dutch Empire Empire of Japan Frisian Kingdom Hanseatic League Johor Sultanate Kedah Kediri Kingdom Kilwa Sultanate Kingdom of the Isles Liburnia Majapahit Malacca Sultanate Maritime republics Maynila Mataram Kingdom Melayu Kingdom Minoan civilization Muscat and Oman North Sea Empire Norwegian Empire Omani Empire Phoenicia Portuguese Empire Rajahnate of Butuan Rajahnate of Cebu Republic of Pirates Republic of Venice Ryukyu Kingdom Singhasari Spanish Empire Srivijaya Sultanate of Gowa Sultanate of Maguindanao Sultanate of Sulu Sultanate of Ternate Sultanate of Tidore Swedish Empire Tarumanagara Tundun Kingdom Tungning Kingdom Tuʻi Tonga Empire See also Alfred Thayer Mahan Archipelagic state Blue-water navy List of transcontinental countries List of former transcontinental countries Maritime power Naval warfare Nomadic empire References External links The Fragility of Thalassocracy, Pericles to Heinlein Coasts Empires Forms of government History of colonialism History of international trade History of water transport Island countries Maritime history Maritime republics Naval history Sea lanes Seas