Here is an encyclopedia of maritime history that, in scope and depth, rivals the expansiveness of the sea itself. The Encyclopedia covers the entire history of seafaring, from ancient Egyptian shipbuilders to Viking sea-raiders, from Nelson and the Napoleonic Wars to the voyages of Cheng Ho, from the European conquerors of the New World to the nuclear submarines and supertankers of today. Placing maritime affairs in their larger historical context, the Encyclopedia shows how seafaring has both reflected and influenced the major economic, cultural, military, and political developments in world history. In four volumes and nearly 1,000 signed articles by an international group of historians and naval officers, the Encyclopedia offers a uniquely integrated approach, emphasizing the connections between maritime history and many related fields, including naval history, shipbuilding, navigation and scientific instrumentation, maritime art and literature, commerce and economics, exploration and maritime geography, oceanography and hydrology, and international maritime law. In so doing, the Encyclopedia provides, in a single reference work, a wealth of information that can otherwise be found only with the help of an extensive library. A-Z organization, intelligible writing, plentiful illustrations, cross-references, bibliographies, a synoptic outline, and topical index all make The Oxford Encyclopedia of Maritime History an inviting, easy-to-use reference for researchers and enthusiasts alike.

John B. Hattendorf is the Ernest J. King Professor of Maritime History and Chairman, Maritime History Department, U.S. Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island. He holds degrees in history from Kenyon College, Brown University, and the University of Oxford. He has been awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters and the Caird Medal of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. Hattendorf currently serves as President of the North American Society for Oceanic History.