Talk:Territorial evolution of the British Empire

What was the status of Cyprus between 1914 and 1925?

I am a bit confused about what the actual status of Cyprus was between 1914 and 1925. Between 1878 and 1914 the territory was administered by the UK by agreement with the Ottoman Empire. It was still formally under the sovereignty of the Turkish Empire, so I guess this would make it a leased territory rather like that of the New Territories of Hong Kong beween 1898 and 1997?

However although annexed by the UK in 1914 on the outbreak of war by with the Ottoman Empire, it was not formally declared a Crown Colony like so many other territories following annexation until 1925. Did it have a separate Sui Generis status until 1925 or was it a Protectorate? To add to the confusion I note that according to UK nationality legislation at the time Cypriot inhabitants born on the Island were treated from 1914 as British Subjects as if they had been a British Crown Colony. The issue does not seem clear to me and I would welcome clarification if anyone can provide it. Freedom1968 (talk) 05:59, 15 June 2012 (UTC)

Calais should be deleted?

Notwithstanding previous discussions about Calais on these pages, should it be deleted?

If the lands, such as the Angevin lands in France, are not included because they do not constitute lands traditionally accepted by most sources as being part of the "British Empire" but feudal-Medieval domains, does this not then include Calais? Calais was acquired in 1347 and held until 1558. Apart from Ireland and the Isle of Man this was the only territory (other than the Channel Isles) then held outside of the British Isles by an English monarch. It was the sole remaining territory of the extensive English territories in France (except the Channels Islands). It was lost long before any of the later colonial territories were acquired.

The only other territory held outside of the British Isles and Channel Islands during this time was Tournai (1513-1519) captured by Henry VIII, and held only briefly. I previously suggested it too should be included if Calais was. I accepted the arguement that it should not, but I think for the sake of balance that Calais too should not be included because it was a feudal-Medieval remant of the previous era and it would also be an anachronism to include it. Contemporaries never saw it as a Colony, and indeed it was represented in the English Parliament, unlike later British Colonies.

On reflection if a date has to be assigned to the beginnings of Empire (English, British whatever), then it occurs during the reign of James I & VI (1603-1625). Although English trading activities with India started at very end of Elizabeth's reign (Foundation of the East India Company 1600) and there was Sir Walter Raleigh's abortive attempt at colonisation on Roanake Island (1587), it was only in James's reign that true colonisation really started. The terms "British" and even "Empire" are therefore appropriate from that time, even though politically there was no union between England and Scotland before 1707 (Cromwell's forced union excepted) and even if those living at the time did not use the terms in the way we do today.

Before anyone raises the dreaded OR stamp, let me just say that I have no intention of inserting the above in the article. All of what I write above is from sources already known and accepted, even within Wikipedia. I just think it is worth consideration in the context of the starting point for the article. Freedom1968 (talk) 19:57, 16 June 2012 (UTC)

Forgot one country

Can someone add Sri Lanka because i didn't see it. Steve92341 (talk) 20:42, 3 December 2012 (UTC)

Sport, Sri Lanka is already there under the Asia section as Ceylon, which was its official name until 1972. You will see that quite a few of the territories listed in the chart use their old colonial names. Where possible it would of course be a good idea to put in the comment column the modern name. Hope that helps. Freedom1968 (talk) 22:43, 8 December 2012 (UTC)

Lacking 13 colonies...

This map doesnt seem to have any of the thirteen colonies that later rebelled and formed the United States —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.157.182.187 (talk) 12:10, 19 February 2008 (UTC)

Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia are listed. The others remain to be done. Goustien (talk) 06:31, 19 September 2010 (UTC)

I noticed under the North American section that there are a bunch of colonies missing. For example: New York, New Jersy, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, etc, etc. At one point in time these and others were possessions of Great Briton. So why are they missing from the list? 74.79.34.29 (talk) 01:36, 3 April 2013 (UTC)

Be bold and add them. As far as I can tell, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia are listed as well as several predecessor colonies. Massachusetts Bay Colony is listed as a predecessor to New Hampshire but probably should be listed in its own right (as a predecessor to New Hampshire and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.) That means that Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut Colony, Province of New Jersey, Province of New York, Province of Maryland, Province of Pennsylvania and Delaware Colony are missing. --Hroðulf (or Hrothulf) (Talk) 16:02, 29 April 2015 (UTC)

Any Scottish colonies in 1707?

This sentence in the lede is not clear

When the Kingdom of Great Britain was formed in 1707 by the union of the Kingdom of Scotland with the Kingdom of England, the latter country's colonial possessions passed to the new state.

because it suggests that only England's colonies passed to the Kingdom of Great Britain. Didn't Scotland have settlers in Nova Scotia, and did those settlements (although disputed in an ongoing war with France and first nations) pass to the new kingdom? If so, should there be a passing mention? --Hroðulf (or Hrothulf) (Talk) 16:27, 29 April 2015 (UTC)

• I have now read Scottish colonization of the Americas, Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1632) and Treaty of Suza, and though I don't have access to the sources, it is clear to me that Charles I relinquished Scotland's claims in Canada over 70 years before the Act of Union. There is no need to change the lede (unless there is value to readers in a footnote to say that Scotland didn't have colonies at the time. Is there?) --Hroðulf (or Hrothulf) (Talk) 17:11, 29 April 2015 (UTC)

England in the main list, but not Scotland or Wales

Unlike England and Ireland, Scotland doesn't get a mention before the accession of James VI to the English throne in 1603. Wasn't it from time to time a feudal vassal state of England in the late medieval, Tudor and Elizabethan times, and if so, doesn't that deserve a brief mention in the list? In any case, should Scotland and Wales get brief mentions. --Hroðulf (or Hrothulf) (Talk) 17:17, 29 April 2015 (UTC)

Missing Territories

The following territories aren't in the list but were territories of the British Empire -- shouldn't they be included? Colony of the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Arctic Territories, New Albion, Red River Colony, New Caledonia DanTrent (talk) 21:18, 8 February 2016 (UTC)

Isle of Man in 1827

The article says it went from being a "possession" to a "crown dependency" in 1827. Is there a source with detail for this? I've found several things online saying that exact same thing, but with no further detail as to the law or method, or even date. --Golbez (talk) 22:19, 2 January 2019 (UTC)