Why the sun is finally setting on the British Empire this year
For centuries, the phrase 'the sun never sets' described a global reach where daylight always touched some part of the realm. This video explores the origins of this imperial slogan and the historical shifts that are bringing this era to a definitive end.
The concept of an empire spanning from sunrise to sunset predates the British era. Ancient Mesopotamian texts from the reign of Sargon of Akkad (c. 2334–2279 B.C.E.) claim his rule extended across all lands from sunrise to sunset. Similarly, the Greek historian Herodotus recorded Persian King Xerxes I claiming his borders would reach as far as heaven, ensuring the sun would shine on no land beyond his territory.
While these ancient claims were ambitious, true global empires emerged during the Early Modern Period through trade and conquest. The Spanish Empire became a primary example, covering 13.7 million square kilometres by 1780. This vast territory included much of South and Central America, parts of the modern United States, and various colonies in Africa and the Pacific. This scale led thinkers like Francis Bacon to famously observe that the sun never sets on Spanish dominions.
Source: The Sun is Finally Setting on the British Empire This Year
