In 1805, Britain was on the brink of invasion. Napoleon Bonaparte’s Grande Armée had gathered in northern France and only needed a fleet of ships to carry it across the English Channel and Great Britain would surely fall.
The British Royal Navy was tasked with locating and intercepting the French and Spanish Combined Fleet to stop any chance of it reaching the Grande Armée. As the British force approached the south coast of Spain, it anchored further out to sea to conceal its presence. At all costs, the Royal Navy had to prevent the French and Spanish from escaping.
Here’s our video on the crucial battle, complete with battle map and a rundown of each side’s strength on that fateful October day.