Alfred von Tirpitz
Just before the start of the 20th century, Germany embarked on a naval expansion to challenge British control of the seas, under the direction of "Vizeadmiral" (Vice Admiral) Alfred von Tirpitz. Over the following decade, Germany built some two dozen pre-dreadnought battleships over the , , , and es. The dreadnought revolution disrupted German plans but Tirpitz nevertheless continued his program, securing the construction of a further twenty-one dreadnought battleships by 1914, with the , , , , and es.