Fundamental Principles governing the International Law of the Sea Law of the sea‟s major foundation lays on the 3 major principles. Development of the law of the sea as a whole is centralized & emerged under these subsequent principles: 1) Principle of Freedom 2) Principle of Sovereignty 3) Principle of “Common heritage of mankind.” “Traditionally the law of the sea was dominated by the principle of freedom and the principle of sovereignty” 1  Principle of Freedom A. Mare Clausum: Freedom in utilizing the Sea was first incorporated in England by Queen Elizabeth I but soon after the reign of the Tudors, the Stuarts replaced the liberalistic policy of freedom & initiated a more conservative policy to the sea law which was known as the Mare Clausum 2 . But with the advancement of British Naval Supremacy, the policy of Mare Clausum lost it‟s importance. 1 Yoshifumi Tanaka, The International Law of the Sea , 1st Ed , ( Cambridge University Press , 2012) , page : 16. 2 https://opinion.inquirer.net/96462/unclos-mare-liberum-or-mare-clausum , (In the 17th century, John Selden published his work, “Mare Clausum sen de Domino Maris Libri Duo,” which translates to “closed seas.” As its name suggests, the Mare Clausum regime accords use and exploitation only to states with naval capabilities, particularly England)