the
empire of Britain, which began in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries with the
establishment of
colonies in
North America, and ended in the twentieth century as dozens of nations, formerly British possessions, became
independent. At the
Empire's greatest extent, around 1900, it included
Australia, Canada,
India, New Zealand,
vast portions of Africa and many smaller territories throughout the
world.
—Conquest of Chaos Approved Glossary (8.7.92)