Gallinello, a few monor points. Hapsburgs, Spain total dominance of Europe and the Americas (an empire that took 400 years to peter out, double the length of Britain's, the ottomans, the russians & soviets, all empires that can hardly be described as piecemeal and arguably more pervasive. Britain may have Been bigger (mind you Canada and Australia are full of a lot of nothing) and wealthiest but hardly the most pervasive, it's peak lasting about fifty years. Perhaps you are conflating the empires influence with that of the industrial and agricultural revolutions with much greater Legacies and influence. Also the last time we were conquered was 1688, just because the winners were canny at writing the history books, don't fall for the propoganda of the 'glorious revolution' it was an invasion by a dutch prince deposing the legitimate, if odious and rather unpopular monarch of the day, who wanted his mitts on our wealth to pursue a continental agenda not in our favour at all.