‘On its own, the history of these communities or island republics is of only modest, local interest, whilst its significance expands and takes on a brilliant radiance under the bright light of the histories of France and of England’. So claimed the French writer and intellectual, Eugène Pégot-Ogier, who was among Victor Hugo's circle during his exile on the Channel Islands, in his lengthy Histoire des isles de la Manche of 1881. As if to confirm the truth of this observation, the contributors to the present volume have directed the spotlight of international history onto the islands and uncovered the richness of their history as it played out on the stage of centuries of nearly permanent Anglo-French rivalry. Yet, by portraying the islands as passive objects of insight and meaning in this way, Pégot-Ogier arguably underestimated the value of the history of his temporary home. Situated between the two states, not just geographically but politically, economically, and culturally, the islands are more than just supporting actors to be brought out of the shadows. They cast a certain light of their own into previously unseen corners of the stage. Paradoxically, perhaps, it is precisely because they defy easy categorisation and seem to stand aloof from familiar political trends that the history of the Channel Islands can be employed to illuminate that of their more powerful neighbours. Indeed, the very smallness, isolation, and exceptional nature of the islands, which has traditionally shielded them from the critical gaze of historians, can be usefully held up like a conceptual mirror to put even some of our most cherished expectations and common assumptions about international history to greater scrutiny. It seems certain, therefore, that the academic interest in the history of these beguiling islands which has been sparked by the chapters in this volume will continue to grow in the future, shaping our understanding, not only of the naval and political relations of France and Britain, but of the nature of the very international system in which they operated.

War is the common theme that runs throughout the entire history of these islands. This is best illustrated by the naval history offered here by Colin Partridge.