The best response to the question regarding the development of maritime empires compared to land-based empires in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries is:
**The maritime empires focused on control of trade routes in the Indian Ocean rather than the control of people and land.**
This statement highlights the primary distinction between maritime and land-based empires during that period. Maritime empires were more concerned with trade and commerce, while land-based empires tended to emphasize the conquest and governance of territory and populations.