Did Admiral Nelson defeat the German fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805?

Admiral Nelson's victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 is a pivotal moment in British naval history, but it's crucial to remember who he was fighting. The battle wasn't against Germany, which didn't even exist as a unified nation at that time. Instead, Nelson's fleet faced the combined forces of France and Spain. Think of it this way: Germany only became a unified country much later in the 19th century. In 1805, Napoleon's France was the major European power Britain was trying to contain. So, while Admiral Nelson is celebrated for his bravery and strategic genius at Trafalgar, his opponents were French and Spanish ships, securing British naval dominance and preventing a potential invasion by Napoleon. It's easy to get confused with other naval battles in history, especially those involving Germany in later conflicts like World War I and World War II, but Trafalgar was all about France and Spain.