1759. A fateful date in British history. The year when it was decided which of the two strongest countries in Europe - England or France - was destined to become the "Queen of the Seas" and the undisputed leader on the continent. It seemed that the forces were equal... But in 1759 alone, the British managed to oust the French from India, limit their influence in the Caribbean and Canada, and utterly defeat them during the Seven Years War in Germany. Britain became the first country in Europe. In his fascinating and profound book, based on poorly understood and rare materials, including unique documents from the Vatican archives, Frank McLynn analyzes the reasons that led Britain to world domination.