Empire- when one person (monarch) has power over a vast territory inhabited by numerous peoples of different nationalities. This ranking is based on the influence, longevity and power of various empires. The list is based on the fact that an empire should, most of the time, be ruled by an emperor or a king, this excludes the modern so-called empires - the United States and the Soviet Union. Below is a ranking of the ten greatest empires in the world.

At the height of its power (XVI-XVII), the Ottoman Empire was located on three continents at once, controlling most of Southeast Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. It consisted of 29 provinces and numerous vassal states, some of which were later absorbed into the empire. The Ottoman Empire has been at the center of interaction between the Eastern and Western worlds for six centuries. In 1922, the Ottoman Empire ceased to exist.

The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the four Islamic Caliphates (system of government) established after the death of Muhammad. The empire under the rule of the Umayyad dynasty covered more than five million square kilometers, making it one of the largest in the world, as well as the largest Arab-Muslim empire ever established in history.

Persian Empire (Achaemenid)

The Persian Empire basically unified all of Central Asia, which consisted of many different cultures, kingdoms, empires and tribes. It was the largest empire in ancient history. At the peak of its power, the empire covered about 8 million square kilometers.

The Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire was part of the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages. The permanent capital and civilizational center of the Byzantine Empire was Constantinople. During its existence (more than a thousand years), the empire remained one of the most powerful economic, cultural and military forces in Europe despite setbacks and loss of territory, especially during the Roman-Persian and Byzantine-Arab wars. The empire received a mortal blow in 1204 on the fourth Crusade.

The Han Dynasty is considered the golden age of Chinese history in terms of scientific achievements, technological progress, economic, cultural and political stability. Even to this day, most Chinese call themselves the Han people. Today, the Han people are considered the largest ethnic group in the world. The dynasty ruled China for almost 400 years.

The British Empire covered more than 13 million square kilometers, which is about a quarter of the earth's landmass of our planet. The population of the empire was approximately 480 million people (approximately one-fourth of humanity). The British Empire is by far one of the most powerful empires that has ever existed in human history.

In the Middle Ages, the Holy Roman Empire was considered the "superpower" of its time. It consisted of eastern France, all of Germany, northern Italy, and part of western Poland. It was officially dissolved on August 6, 1806, after which there appeared: Switzerland, Holland, the Austrian Empire, Belgium, the Prussian Empire, the principalities of Liechtenstein, the Confederation of the Rhine and the first french empire.

Russian empire existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution in 1917. She was the heir to the kingdom of Russia, and the forerunner of the Soviet Union. The Russian Empire was the third largest of the ever-existing states, second only to the British and Mongolian empires.

It all started when Temujin (later known as Genghis Khan, considered one of the most brutal rulers in history) vowed in his youth to bring the world to its knees. The Mongol Empire was the largest adjacent empire in human history. The capital of the state was the city of Karakoram. The Mongols were fearless and ruthless warriors, but they had little experience in managing such a vast territory, which caused the Mongol Empire to quickly fall.

Ancient Rome made a great contribution to the development of law, art, literature, architecture, technology, religion and language in Western world. In fact, many historians consider the Roman Empire to be the "ideal empire" because it was powerful, fair, long-lived, large, well-defended, and economically advanced. The calculation showed that from its foundation to the fall, a whopping 2214 years passed. It follows from this that the Roman Empire is the greatest empire ancient world.

Share on social networks

The history of mankind is a continuous struggle for territorial domination. Great empires either appeared on the political map of the world or disappeared from it. Some of them were destined to leave an indelible mark.

Persian Empire (Achaemenid Empire, 550 - 330 BC)

Cyrus II is considered to be the founder of the Persian Empire. He began his conquests in 550 BC. e. from the subjugation of Media, after which Armenia, Parthia, Cappadocia and the Lydian kingdom were conquered. Did not become an obstacle to the expansion of the empire of Cyrus and Babylon, whose powerful walls fell in 539 BC. e.

Conquering neighboring territories, the Persians tried not to destroy the conquered cities, but, if possible, to preserve them. Cyrus restored the captured Jerusalem, as well as many Phoenician cities, by facilitating the return of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity.

The Persian Empire under Cyrus stretched its possessions from Central Asia to the Aegean Sea. Only Egypt remained unconquered. The country of the pharaohs submitted to the heir of Cyrus Cambyses II. However, the empire reached its heyday under Darius I, who switched from conquests to domestic politics. In particular, the king divided the empire into 20 satrapies, which completely coincided with the territories of the occupied states.
In 330 B.C. e. the weakening Persian Empire fell under the onslaught of the troops of Alexander the Great.

Roman Empire (27 BC - 476)

Ancient Rome was the first state in which the ruler received the title of emperor. Starting with Octavian Augustus, the 500-year history of the Roman Empire had the most direct impact on European civilization, and also left a cultural mark in the countries of North Africa and the Middle East.
Uniqueness ancient rome in that it was the only state whose possessions included the entire Mediterranean coast.

During the heyday of the Roman Empire, its territories stretched from the British Isles to the Persian Gulf. According to historians, by the year 117 the population of the empire reached 88 million people, which was approximately 25% of the total number of inhabitants of the planet.

Architecture, construction, art, law, economics, military affairs, the principles of the state structure of Ancient Rome - this is what the foundation of the entire European civilization is based on. It was in Imperial Rome that Christianity assumed the status of the state religion and began to spread throughout the world.

Byzantine Empire (395 - 1453)

The Byzantine Empire has no equal in the length of its history. Originating at the end of antiquity, it existed until the end of the European Middle Ages. For more than a thousand years, Byzantium has been a kind of link between the civilizations of the East and the West, influencing both the states of Europe and Asia Minor.

But if the Western European and Middle Eastern countries inherited the richest material culture of Byzantium, then the Old Russian state turned out to be the successor to its spirituality. Constantinople fell, but the Orthodox world found its new capital in Moscow.

Located at the crossroads of trade routes, rich Byzantium was a coveted land for neighboring states. Having reached its maximum borders in the first centuries after the collapse of the Roman Empire, then it was forced to defend its possessions. In 1453, Byzantium could not resist a more powerful enemy - the Ottoman Empire. With the capture of Constantinople, the road to Europe was opened for the Turks.

Arab Caliphate (632-1258)

As a result of the Muslim conquests in the 7th-9th centuries, the theocratic Islamic state of the Arab Caliphate arose on the territory of the entire Middle East region, as well as certain regions of the Transcaucasus, Central Asia, North Africa and Spain. The period of the Caliphate went down in history under the name "Golden Age of Islam", as the time of the highest flowering of Islamic science and culture.
One of the caliphs of the Arab state, Umar I, purposefully secured the character of a militant church for the Caliphate, encouraging religious zeal in his subordinates and forbidding them to own land property in the conquered countries. Umar motivated this by the fact that "the interests of the landowner attract him more to peaceful activities than to war."

In 1036, the invasion of the Seljuk Turks turned out to be disastrous for the Caliphate, but the Mongols completed the defeat of the Islamic state.

Caliph An-Nasir, wishing to expand his possessions, turned to Genghis Khan for help, and without knowing it opened the way for the ruin of the Muslim East to the many thousands of Mongol hordes.

Mongol Empire (1206-1368)

The Mongol Empire is the largest state formation in history in terms of territory.

During his period of power, end of XIII For centuries, the empire stretched from the Sea of ​​Japan to the banks of the Danube. The total area of ​​possessions of the Mongols reached 38 million square meters. km.

Given the vast size of the empire, managing it from the capital - Karakorum was almost impossible. It is no coincidence that after the death of Genghis Khan in 1227, the process of gradual division of the conquered territories into separate uluses began, the most significant of which was the Golden Horde.

Economic policy Mongols in the occupied lands was primitive: its essence was reduced to the taxation of tribute to the conquered peoples. All collected went to support the needs of a huge army, according to some sources, reaching half a million people. The Mongol cavalry was the most deadly weapon of the Genghisides, which few armies managed to resist.
The inter-dynastic strife ruined the empire - it was they who stopped the expansion of the Mongols to the West. This was soon followed by the loss of the conquered territories and the capture of the Karakorum by the troops of the Ming Dynasty.

Holy Roman Empire (962-1806)

The Holy Roman Empire is an interstate entity that existed in Europe from 962 to 1806. The core of the empire was Germany, which was joined by the Czech Republic, Italy, the Netherlands, and some regions of France during the period of the highest prosperity of the state.
Almost the entire period of the existence of the empire, its structure had the character of theocratic feudal state in which emperors claimed supreme power in the Christian world. However, the struggle with the papacy and the desire to possess Italy significantly weakened the central power of the empire.
In the 17th century, Austria and Prussia advanced to leading positions in the Holy Roman Empire. But very soon, the antagonism of two influential members of the empire, which resulted in an aggressive policy, threatened the integrity of their common home. The end of the empire in 1806 was put by the growing France, led by Napoleon.

Ottoman Empire (1299-1922)

In 1299, Osman I created a Turkic state in the Middle East, which was destined to exist for more than 600 years and radically influence the fate of the countries of the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions. The fall of Constantinople in 1453 was the date when the Ottoman Empire finally gained a foothold in Europe.

The period of the highest power of the Ottoman Empire falls on the 16th-17th centuries, but the state achieved the greatest conquests under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.

The borders of the empire of Suleiman I stretched from Eritrea in the south to the Commonwealth in the north, from Algiers in the west to the Caspian Sea in the east.

The period from the end of the 16th century to the beginning of the 20th century was marked by bloody military conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and Russia. Territorial disputes between the two states mainly unfolded around the Crimea and Transcaucasia. The First World War put an end to them, as a result of which the Ottoman Empire, divided between the countries of the Entente, ceased to exist.

British Empire (1497¬-1949)

The British Empire is the largest colonial power both in terms of territory and population.

The empire reached its greatest extent by the 30s of the 20th century: the land area of ​​the United Kingdom, together with the colonies, totaled 34 million 650 thousand square meters. km., which was approximately 22% of the earth's land. Total number The population of the empire reached 480 million people - every fourth inhabitant of the Earth was a subject of the British crown.

Many factors contributed to the success of British colonial policy: a strong army and navy, developed industry, and the art of diplomacy. The expansion of the empire had a significant impact on world geopolitics. First of all, this is the spread of British technology, trade, language, and forms of government around the world.
The decolonization of Britain took place after the end of World War II. The country, although it was among the victorious states, was on the verge of bankruptcy. Only thanks to an American loan of 3.5 billion dollars, Great Britain was able to overcome the crisis, but at the same time it lost world domination and all its colonies.

In terms of area, the Russian Empire was second only to the Mongol and British empires - 21,799,825 sq. km, and was the second (after the British) in terms of population - about 178 million people.

The constant expansion of the territory is a characteristic feature of the Russian Empire. But if the advance to the east was mostly peaceful, then in the west and south Russia had to prove its territorial claims through numerous wars - with Sweden, the Commonwealth, the Ottoman Empire, Persia, the British Empire.

The growth of the Russian Empire has always been viewed with particular caution by the West. The appearance of the so-called "Testament of Peter the Great" - a document fabricated in 1812 by French political circles - contributed to the negative perception of Russia. “The Russian State must establish power over the whole of Europe,” is one of the key phrases of the Testament, which will haunt the minds of Europeans for a long time to come.

1. British Empire (42.75 million km²)
Highest heyday - 1918

The British Empire is the largest ever existing state in the history of mankind with colonies on all inhabited continents. The empire reached its largest area in the mid-30s of the XX century, then the lands of the United Kingdom extended to 34,650,407 km² (including 8 million km² of uninhabited land), which is about 22% of the earth's land. The total population of the empire was approximately 480 million people (about one-fourth of humanity). It is the legacy of Pax Britannica that explains the role of English as the most common language in the world in the fields of transport and trade.

2. Mongol Empire (38.0 million km²)
The highest flourishing - 1270-1368.

Mongol Empire (Mong. Mongolyn ezent guren; Middle Mong. ᠶᠡᠺᠡ ᠮᠣᠨᠭᠣᠯ ᠤᠯᠤᠰ, Yeke Mongγol ulus - the Great Mongol state, Mong. Their Mongol ulus) - a state that emerged in the 13th century as a result of the conquests of Genghis Khan and his successors and included the most the largest contiguous territory in world history from the Danube to the Sea of ​​Japan and from Novgorod to South-East Asia(area approx. 38,000,000 square kilometers). Karakorum became the capital of the state.

In its heyday included vast territories Central Asia, Southern Siberia, Eastern Europe, Middle East, China and Tibet. In the second half of the 13th century, the empire began to disintegrate into uluses, headed by Genghisides. The largest fragments of Great Mongolia were the Yuan Empire, the Ulus of Jochi (Golden Horde), the state of the Khulaguids and the Chagatai ulus. The Great Khan Khubilai, who accepted (1271) the title of Emperor Yuan and moved the capital to Khanbalik, claimed supremacy over all the uluses. By the beginning of the XIV century, the formal unity of the empire was restored in the form of a federation of virtually independent states.

In the last quarter of the 14th century, the Mongol Empire ceased to exist.

3. Russian Empire (22.8 million km²)
Highest heyday - 1866

The Russian Empire (Russian doref. Russian Empire; also the All-Russian Empire, the Russian State or Russia) is a state that existed from October 22 (2) November 1721 to February Revolution and the proclamation of a republic in 1917 by the Provisional Government.

The empire was proclaimed on October 22 (2) November 1721 following the results of the Northern War, when, at the request of the senators, the Russian Tsar Peter I the Great assumed the titles of Emperor of All Russia and Father of the Fatherland.

The capital of the Russian Empire from 1721 to 1728 and from 1730 to 1917 was St. Petersburg, and in 1728-1730 Moscow.

The Russian Empire was the third largest state that ever existed (after the British and Mongol empires) - it stretched to the Arctic Ocean in the north and the Black Sea in the south, to the Baltic Sea in the west and Pacific Ocean in the east. The head of the empire, the All-Russian Emperor, had unlimited, absolute power until 1905.

On September 1 (14), 1917, Alexander Kerensky proclaimed the country a republic (although this issue was within the competence of the Constituent Assembly; on January 5 (18), 1918, the Constituent Assembly also declared Russia a republic). However, the legislative body of the empire - the State Duma - was dissolved only on October 6 (19), 1917.

Geographical position of the Russian Empire: 35°38’17" - 77°36'40" north latitude and 17°38' east longitude - 169°44' west longitude. The territory of the Russian Empire by the end of the 19th century - 21.8 million km² (that is, 1/6 of the land) - it ranked second (and third ever) in the world, after the British Empire. The article does not take into account the territory of Alaska, which was part of it from 1744 to 1867 and occupied an area of ​​1,717,854 km².

The regional reform of Peter I for the first time divides Russia into provinces, streamlining administration, supplying the army with food and recruits from the field, and improving tax collection. Initially, the country is divided into 8 provinces, headed by governors, endowed with judicial and administrative power.

The provincial reform of Catherine II divides the empire into 50 provinces, divided into counties (about 500 in total). To help the governors, state and judicial chambers, other state and social institutions have been created. The governors were subordinate to the senate. At the head of the county is a police captain (elected by the county noble assembly).

By 1914, the empire is divided into 78 provinces, 21 regions and 2 independent districts, where 931 cities are located. Russia includes the following territories of modern states: all CIS countries (excluding the Kaliningrad region and the southern part of the Sakhalin region of the Russian Federation; Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Chernivtsi regions of Ukraine); eastern and central Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Lithuania (without the Memel region), several Turkish and Chinese regions. Part of the provinces and regions was united into a general government (Kiev, Caucasian, Siberian, Turkestan, East Siberian, Amur, Moscow). The Bukhara and Khiva khanates were official vassals, the Uryankhai region is a protectorate. For 123 years (from 1744 to 1867), Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, as well as part of the Pacific coast of the USA and Canada, also belonged to the Russian Empire.

According to the 1897 general census, the population was 129.2 million people. The distribution of the population by territories was as follows: European Russia - 94,244.1 thousand people, Poland - 9456.1 thousand people, Caucasus - 9354.8 thousand people, Siberia - 5784.5 thousand people, Middle Asia - 7747.1 thousand people, Finland - 2555.5 thousand people.

4. Soviet Union (22.4 million km²)
Highest heyday - 1945-1990

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, also the USSR, the Soviet Union is a state that existed from 1922 to 1991 on the territory of Eastern Europe, Northern, parts of Central and East Asia. The USSR occupied almost 1/6 of the inhabited land of the Earth; At the time of its collapse, it was the largest country in the world by area. It was formed on the territory that by 1917 was occupied by the Russian Empire without Finland, part of the Polish kingdom and some other territories.

According to the Constitution of 1977, the USSR was proclaimed a single allied multinational socialist state.

After the Second World War, the USSR had land borders with Afghanistan, Hungary, Iran, China, North Korea (since September 9, 1948), Mongolia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Turkey, Finland, Czechoslovakia and sea borders with the USA, Sweden and Japan.

The USSR was created on December 30, 1922 by merging the RSFSR, the Ukrainian SSR, the Byelorussian SSR and the Transcaucasian SFSR into one state association with a uniform government, capital in Moscow, executive and judicial authorities, legislative and legal systems. In 1941, the USSR entered the Second World War, and after it, along with the United States, it was a superpower. The Soviet Union dominated the world socialist system and was also a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

The collapse of the USSR was characterized by a sharp confrontation between representatives of the central union authorities and the newly elected local authorities (Supreme Councils, presidents of the union republics). In 1989-1990, a "parade of sovereignties" began. On March 17, 1991, an All-Union referendum on the preservation of the USSR was held in 9 of the 15 republics of the USSR, in which more than two-thirds of the citizens who voted voted for the preservation of the renewed union. But after the August putsch and the events that followed it, the preservation of the USSR as a state entity became virtually impossible, as was stated in the Agreement on the Creation of the Commonwealth Independent States, signed on December 8, 1991. The USSR officially ceased to exist on December 26, 1991. At the end of 1991 Russian Federation was recognized as the successor state of the USSR in international legal relations and took its place in the UN Security Council.

5. Spanish Empire (20.0 million km²)
The highest flowering - 1790

The Spanish Empire (Spanish: Imperio Español) is the totality of territories and colonies that were under the direct control of Spain in Europe, America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. The Spanish Empire, at the height of its power, was one of the largest empires in world history. Its creation is associated with the beginning of the Age of Discovery, during which it became one of the first colonial empires. The Spanish Empire existed from the 15th century until (in the case of African possessions) the end of the 20th century. The Spanish territories united in the late 1480s with the union of the Catholic kings: the King of Aragon and the Queen of Castile. Despite the fact that the monarchs continued to rule their own lands, their foreign policy was common. In 1492 they captured Granada and completed the Reconquista in the Iberian Peninsula against the Moors. The entry of Granada into the Kingdom of Castile completed the unification of the Spanish lands, despite the fact that Spain was still divided into two kingdoms. In the same year, Christopher Columbus made the first Spanish exploratory expedition to the west across Atlantic Ocean, opening the New World for Europeans and creating the first overseas colonies of Spain there. From that moment on, the Western Hemisphere became the main target of Spanish exploration and colonization.

In the 16th century, the Spaniards created settlements on the islands of the Caribbean, and the conquistadors destroyed such public entities, as the empires of the Aztecs and Incas on the mainland, respectively, of North and South America, taking advantage of the contradictions between the local peoples and applying higher military technologies. Subsequent expeditions expanded the empire from present-day Canada to the southern tip of South America, including the Falkland or Malvinas Islands. In 1519 the First trip around the world, begun by Ferdinand Magellan in 1519 and completed by Juan Sebastian Elcano in 1522, aimed to achieve what Columbus had failed to achieve, namely the western route to Asia, and as a result included the Far East in the Spanish sphere of influence. Colonies were established in Guam, the Philippines, and nearby islands. During its Siglo de Oro, the Spanish Empire included the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, a large part of Italy, lands in Germany and France, colonies in Africa, Asia and Oceania, as well as large territories in North and South America. In the 17th century, Spain controlled an empire of such magnitude, and its parts were so far removed from each other, which no one could achieve before.

In the late 16th and early 17th centuries, expeditions were undertaken in search of Terra Australis, during which a number of archipelagos and islands in the South Pacific were discovered, including the Pitcairn Islands, the Marquesas Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and New Guinea, which were declared the property of the Spanish crown, but were not successfully colonized by it. Many of Spain's European possessions were lost after the War of the Spanish Succession in 1713, but Spain retained its overseas territories. In 1741, an important victory over Britain at Cartagena (modern Colombia) extended Spanish hegemony in the Americas into the 19th century. In the late 18th century, Spanish expeditions in the Pacific Northwest reached the coasts of Canada and Alaska, establishing a settlement on Vancouver Island and discovering several archipelagos and glaciers.

The French occupation of Spain by the troops of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1808 led to the fact that the Spanish colonies became cut off from the metropolis, and the subsequent independence movement in 1810-1825 led to the creation of a number of new independent Spanish-American republics in South and Central America. The remnants of the Spanish four-hundred-year-old empire, including Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Spanish East Indies, continued to be under Spanish control until late XIX century, when most of these territories were annexed by the United States after the Spanish-American War. The remaining Pacific islands were sold to Germany in 1899.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Spain continued to hold only territories in Africa, Spanish Guinea, Spanish Sahara and Spanish Morocco. Spain left Morocco in 1956 and granted independence to Equatorial Guinea in 1968. When Spain left the Spanish Sahara in 1976, this colony was immediately annexed by Morocco and Mauritania, and then in 1980 completely by Morocco, although technically by UN decision this territory remains under control of the Spanish administration. To date, Spain has only the Canary Islands and two enclaves on the North African coast, Ceuta and Melilla, which are administratively parts of Spain.

6. Qing Dynasty (14.7 million km²)
The highest flowering - 1790

The Great Qing State (Daicing gurun.svg daiqing gurun, traditional Chinese 大清國, pall.: Da Qing guo) was a multinational empire created and ruled by the Manchus, which later included China. According to traditional Chinese historiography - last dynasty monarchical China. It was founded in 1616 by the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan in Manchuria, now called northeast China. In less than 30 years, all of China, part of Mongolia and part of Central Asia came under her rule.

Initially, the dynasty was called "Jin" (金 - gold), in traditional Chinese historiography "Hou Jin" (後金 - Later Jin), after the Jin Empire - the former state of the Jurchens, from whom the Manchus derived themselves. In 1636, the name was changed to "Qing" (清 - "pure"). In the first half of the XVIII century. The Qing government managed to establish an effective administration of the country, one of the results of which was that in this century the fastest population growth rates were observed in China. The Qing court pursued a policy of self-isolation, which eventually led to the fact that in the 19th century. China, which was part of the Qing Empire, was forcibly opened by the Western powers.

Subsequent cooperation with Western powers allowed the dynasty to avoid collapse during the Taiping Rebellion, to carry out relatively successful modernization, and so on. to exist until the beginning of the 20th century, but it also caused growing nationalist (anti-Manchurian) sentiments.

As a result of the Xinhai Revolution, which began in 1911, the Qing Empire was destroyed, the Republic of China was proclaimed - the national state of the Han. Empress Dowager Longyu abdicated on behalf of the then infant last emperor, Pu Yi, on February 12, 1912.

7. Russian kingdom (14.5 million km²)
The highest flowering - 1721

The Russian kingdom or in the Byzantine version the Russian kingdom is a Russian state that existed between 1547 and 1721. The name "Russian kingdom" was the official name of Russia in this historical period. Also official was the name рꙋсїѧ

In 1547, the Sovereign of All Russia and the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan IV the Terrible was crowned tsar and assumed the full title: “Great Sovereign, by the grace of God the Tsar and Grand Duke of All Russia, Vladimir, Moscow, Novgorod, Pskov, Ryazan, Tver, Yugorsk, Perm, Vyatsky, Bulgarian and others”, later, with the expansion of the borders of the Russian state, “the king of Kazan, the king of Astrakhan, the king of Siberia”, “and the ruler of the entire Northern country” was added to the title.

By title, the Russian kingdom was preceded by the Grand Duchy of Moscow, and the Russian Empire became its successor. In historiography, there is also a tradition of periodization of Russian history, according to which it is customary to talk about the emergence of a single and independent centralized Russian state during the reign of Ivan III the Great. The idea of ​​uniting Russian lands (including those that ended up as part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Poland after the Mongol invasion) and restoring Old Russian state traced throughout the existence of the Russian state and was inherited by the Russian Empire.

8. Yuan Dynasty (14.0 million km²)
The highest flourishing - 1310

Empire (in Chinese tradition - dynasty) Yuan (Ih Yuan Uls.PNG Mong. Ih Yuan Uls, Great Yuan State, Dai Ön Yeke Mongghul Ulus.PNG Dai Ön Yeke Mongghul Ulus; Chinese 元朝, pinyin: Yuáncháo; Vietnam. Nhà Nguyên (Nguyên triều), House (Dynasty) Nguyen) is a Mongolian state, the main part of whose territory was China (1271-1368). Founded by the grandson of Genghis Khan, the Mongol Khan Kublai Khan, who completed the conquest of China in 1279. The dynasty fell as a result of the Red Turban Rebellion of 1351-68. The official Chinese history of this dynasty is recorded during the subsequent Ming Dynasty and is called "Yuan shi".

9. Umayyad Caliphate (13.0 million km²)
The highest flourishing - 720-750.

The Umayyads (Arabic الأمويون‎‎) or Banu Umayya ‏(Arabic بنو أمية‎‎) is a dynasty of caliphs founded by Muawiyah in 661. The Umayyads of the Sufyanid and Marwanid branches ruled in the Damascus Caliphate until the middle VIII century. In 750, as a result of the uprising of Abu Muslim, their dynasty was overthrown by the Abbasids, and all the Umayyads were destroyed, except for the grandson of Caliph Hisham Abd ar-Rahman, who founded the dynasty in Spain (Caliphate of Cordoba). The ancestor of the dynasty was Omayya ibn Abdshams son of Abdshams ibn Abdmanaf and cousin of Abdulmuttalib. Abdshams and Hashim were twin brothers.

10. Second French colonial empire (13.0 million km²)
Highest heyday - 1938

The evolution of the French colonial empire (the year is indicated in the upper left corner):

The French colonial empire (fr. L'Empire colonial français) is the totality of France's colonial possessions between 1546-1962. Like the British Empire, France had colonial territories in all regions of the world, but its colonial policy differed significantly from that of the British. The remnants of the once vast colonial empire are the modern overseas departments of France (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, etc.) and a special sui generis territory (the island of New Caledonia). The modern legacy of the French colonial era is also the union of Francophone countries (La Francophonie).

Taking over the world is the dream of at least half of the villains from comics and superhero blockbusters. Some less bloodthirsty individuals (a debatable claim, of course) go about capturing new lands the old-fashioned way: send out dreamers or adventurers to scout and then take territory from others. However, sometimes (well, what is really here - extremely rarely) the conquerors offer mutually beneficial cooperation and peaceful coexistence. In the modern world, no one has taken the liberty of leading a new empire (underground and criminal grounds do not count), but even in the middle of the twentieth century, no one thought that the Age of Empires had come to an end. Let's start from 500 BC and follow the milestones in the history of the 25 most grandiose empires of our planet. To simplify understanding, the selected dates indicate the peak of the development of the state. The superpowers of the 20th century were not included in the list because they did not call themselves "empires".

Achaemenid Empire - 500 BC

The Persians, so much disliked by the Spartans, did a lot of good

Being on the 18th line of the hit parade of empires with the largest area, the Achaemenid Empire (or the Persian Empire at number one) is already impressive. At the zenith of power, in 550 BC, the Achaemenid territory reaches an area of ​​3.5 million square kilometers. Under their rule were the lands of almost all modern states of the Middle East and part modern Russia. No less surprising is the fact that under Cyrus the Great, architecture and culture developed rapidly in the empire, roads and post offices were built everywhere. Progress is commendable. And every self-respecting ruler did the same.

Empire of Alexander the Great - 323 BC

Great ConquestGreat Alexander

Alexander the Great created a state that overthrew the Achaemenid Empire from the pedestal of power (hello Sparta) and completed the construction of a powerful Hellenistic union, glorifying the ancient Greek civilization for centuries, along with Aristotle and mass orgies. At the zenith of power, the Macedonian Empire spread over 3.5% of the land, making it the 21st largest in human history (the defeated Persians still surpassed Alexander, but this did not help them much).

Mauryan Empire - 250 BC

Don't you want Indian imperialism?

The death of Alexander the Great came as a complete surprise to his associates, who were mired in a squabble over pieces of the empire. At this time, distant lands were left to themselves, which did not miss the opportunity to take advantage of the local rulers: India and the surrounding territories were captured by the Mauryan Empire, which as a result became the most powerful state entity on the Hindustan peninsula. Under the control of the wise and prudent Ashoka the Great, the Mauryan Empire occupied about 3 million square kilometers and was the 23rd largest empire in the annals of human development.

Xiongnu - 209 BC

The possible ancestors of the Huns did not waste time in vain

During the IV and III centuries BC. China was divided into several small specific principalities, constantly at war with each other. Of course, the wars among the settled peoples attracted the steppes like kites. The nomadic Xiongnu tribes easily carried out raids on the weakened feudal fragmentation provinces in the north. During the era of greatest power, the Xiongnu empire occupied 6% of the land area and was the 10th greatest power in the annals of history. She was so invincible that it took the Han Dynasty decades of compromises and marriage agreements to keep the invaders in line.

Western Han Dynasty - 50 BC

the period that gave rise to Chinese sovereignty

Speaking of the Han Dynasty, one should not forget about its Western part, which reached its peak of power a century after the Eastern. Of course, its territories are incomparable with the conquests of the Xiongnu, but the area of ​​3.8 million square kilometers with a population of 57 million people makes one imbued with respect and put the Western Han on the 17th line of the hit parade of empires. In their desire to expand their borders, the Han pushed the Xiongnu northward and captured the territories of modern Vietnam and Korea. Thanks to the diplomatic talent of the diplomat and traveler Zhang Qian, the contacts of the dynasty were expanded to Rome, and the Great Silk Road was also opened.

Eastern Han Dynasty - 100 years

The younger brother of the Han clan

The Eastern Han Dynasty lasted nearly two centuries, through riots, conspiracies, political crisis, and a faltering economy. Despite its apparent weakness, this empire was the 12th largest in history, leapfrogging its predecessor. The dynastic territories covered 4.2 million square kilometers (4.4% of the land area).

Roman Empire - 117

Ave Caesar and other imperial ways - it all came from Rome

Due to its wide popularity, the Roman Empire is considered almost the coolest in the world (thanks to American cinema and the chroniclers of the Caesars) - legions of soldiers, the Roman Senate, an almost modern standard of living and other wonders of the Dream Factory. Certainly, at the height of its power, Rome presided over the most extensive and sophisticated politico-social structure in Western civilization. The total area of ​​land subject to the senate and the emperor did not exceed 2.6 million square kilometers, putting the birthplace of Gaius Julius Caesar only in 24th place in the list of largest empires. One way or another, the modern world would not be itself if it were not for the ancient Roman state.

Turkic Khaganate - 557

An empire that came from nowhere

The Turkic Khaganate occupied the territories in which central and northern China is now located. The history of the emergence of the conquering tribe is unclear, but just like the Xiongnu people 600 years before them, the nomads subjugated the territory of Inner Asia, the Silk Road and by 557 owned about 4% of the land surface. This puts them in 15th place in the list of the largest empires.

One of the biggest: Righteous Caliphate - 655

First Muslim state

The Righteous Caliphate became the first state formation in history based on the adherence to religion. In this case, Islam. It was born less than half a century after the death of the Prophet Muhammad in order to unite the disparate Muslim communities. Very little time separated the Caliphate from power over Egypt, Syria and the territory of the former Persian Empire. During its greatest power, the area of ​​this state was almost 4 million square kilometers, making it the 14th largest in the history of the human race.

Umayyad Caliphate - 720

The splendor and grandeur of the Arab world

The caliphate became one of the four largest state formations in the Arab world. He grew up during a civil war among Muslim currents in 661. In addition to control over the lands of the Middle East, the territories of North Africa and Southern Europe were in the hands of the caliph. This power was inhabited by 29% of the inhabitants of the planet (62 million people) and the area was 7.45% of the total planetary area, making the Umayyad Caliphate the eighth largest empire in history.

Abbasid Caliphate - 750

Empire created by the descendants of the prophet

The age of Umayyad power turned out to be short-lived: the caliphate lasted 30 years, and then was captured by the Abbasids, who were led to the uprising by the descendants of the younger uncle of the prophet Muhammad (as they themselves stated, of course). According to the Abbasids, their "purer" lineage gave them the right to rule over the faithful. After a successful coup in 750 AD, the Abbasid Caliphate lasted four centuries and acquired many alliances, including with China. Although this empire did not exceed the size of the Umayyad Caliphate, but under the control of the descendants of Muhammad was about 8 million square kilometers of land, which puts their possessions on the seventh step in the list greatest empires. However, the power and size did not help the state, which fell under the onslaught of the hordes of Genghis Khan's army in 1206.

Tibetan Empire - 800

Diplomacy is the main weapon of Tibet

At the time of its heyday, no more than 3% of the world's population lived on the territory of the Tibetan Empire. And this is that in the West, gigantic states of Muslims were born and died in full swing, and in the East, the Tang dynasty, which was in a monolithic alliance with the Arabs, was in full swing. It can be said that Tibet of that time was surrounded by a pack of predators who dreamed of snatching a piece from it. And only thanks to diplomacy and good military training of soldiers, the Tibetan Empire lasted 200 years. Oddly enough, it was ruined by the growing influence of Buddhism and Civil War and not external enemies.

Tang Dynasty - 820

The period that became the dawn Chinese culture and art

The Tang Dynasty was the first state formation in China to choose cosmopolitanism and the exchange of cultural experience with other powers. During the Tang Golden Age, the invention printing press, engravings, the flowering of painting and literature. Two poets, Li Bai and Du Fu, considered among the greatest in Chinese history- lived during the reign of the Tang Dynasty. This empire did not last long (in comparison with other dynasties of China) - only three centuries, from 618 to 907, but its contribution to world culture and art cannot be underestimated. The territory of the dynasty consisted of 3.6% of the total land area.

Mongol Empire - 1270

One of the largest empires and families

Although the name of Genghis Khan is known to almost every inhabitant of the Earth, not everyone understands how huge his empire was. At its peak, the Mongol Empire covered an area of ​​more than 19 million square kilometers (compared to four Roman empires or three US territories). Therefore, it is not surprising that the state of Genghis Khan "took silver" in the ranking of the largest powers in history.

Golden Horde - 1310

The main enemy of medieval Rus'

Genghis Khan was far from being a fool and clearly understood that his power rested on the authority of the leader. To ensure the stability and prosperity of the empire, he divided the subject territories among his many children, thus ensuring the law of succession to the throne and the division of power. Thus, even separate parts of the khanate were the most powerful state formations. The brightest and most powerful "process" Mongol Empire became the Golden Horde, which occupied 4.03% of the world's land.

Yuan Dynasty - 1310

An empire that has sunk into oblivion before reaching maturity

Thanks to the military talents of one of the many grandsons of Genghis Khan, first the northern lands of China, and then the rest of its territory, were united under the rule of the Yuan dynasty. By 1310, the Yuan State had become the largest independent part of the Mongol Empire, with an area of ​​8.5 million square kilometers. To the shame of the descendants of the great conqueror, Yuan also became one of the short-lived empires: the riots that flared up throughout the 14th century led to the overthrow of the authorities as early as 1368.

Ming Dynasty - 1450

The world's largest fleet is a clear reason for pride

The Ming Dynasty, as one would expect, grew up on the ruins of a bygone empire - the Yuan Dynasty. Although pressed from the north by the Mongols, Ming still owned 4.36% of the land area and ranked 13th in the list of major powers. This period also became famous for the construction of the largest Chinese (and world) fleet and the rapid development of maritime trade with almost the whole world.

Ottoman Empire - 1683

The Turkish state has always been stable (until now)

Istanbul at that time was still called Constantinople, becoming the capital of the Turkish (or Ottoman) Empire in spite of the entire Christian world. And although the area of ​​​​this power was not as large as its predecessors, the Ottoman Empire showed miracles of amazing "survivability". This power successfully developed, prospered and fought for more than six centuries, fighting off attacks from the West and East from the 13th century until it fell during the First World War, giving way to the Republic of Turkey in 1922.

Qing Dynasty - 1790

The last breaths of the empire before the red era

Qing, the last imperial dynasty of China, left an impressive memory of itself: 10% of the planet and almost 400 million inhabitants, including Thailand and Korea. The Qing dynasty held power for nearly four centuries until uprisings in February 1912 prompted the last emperor to abdicate. It was these events that allowed the birth of the only country in the world that successfully combined socialist rule with a capitalist economy - the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Spanish Empire - 1810

Temporary Queen of the Seas

Spain, which for a long time remained in the shadow of European powers, by the end of the 18th century owned vast territories throughout the Earth. Thanks to the most powerful fleet (the long-time invincible Spanish Armada), Madrid controlled most of the islands of the Caribbean, almost all of South America, part of Central and North America, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East and even Europe.

Portuguese Empire - 1820

European old man-long-liver among maritime powers

The Portuguese colonial empire became the first state with a developed connection between the mother country and overseas provinces, but did not grow to the size of the Spanish Empire - it had “only” 3.69% of the land area at its disposal. At the same time, the Portuguese Empire became the longest-lived in Europe: for six centuries it claimed its rights to lands outside the territorial boundaries of the state and ceased to exist only on December 20, 1999.

Brazilian Empire - 1889

Gray horse among world powers

Born as part of the empire of the colonies of Portugal, the Brazilian state began its journey in 1822, declaring independence. The young state immediately attracted attention, which gave rise to military conflicts with Uruguay and Great Britain. Ironically, Brazil emerged victorious from both disputes, declaring itself to the whole world as a country with a progressive outlook on governance and foreign policy. By 1889, the Brazilian Empire occupied most of South America (7 million square kilometers).

Russian Empire - 1895

Land of vast territories and great victories

The Russian Empire became a colossal state that officially existed from 1721 to 1917. Born as an agricultural country with ancient history and culture, by the 19th century Russia had become a powerful power, standing on a par with the most developed countries of that time, raising the population level from 15.5 to 171 million people (in 1895). Under the rule of the Russian emperor were not only the original Russian lands, but also Finland, the Baltic states, Poland, and almost all of Asia. Russia received "bronze" and an honorable third place in the ranking of the largest empires in human history.

Second Empire (France) - 1920

Another attempt by the French to become the rulers of the planet

To compete with Spain, Britain, Portugal, the United Provinces, France had to go a long way in the colonization of overseas lands. The first step towards this was the conquest of Algeria in 1830. By the 1920s, France owned lands in Africa, Southeast Asia, South America and the Middle East. Under the rule of the French were 7.7% of the world's territory and 5% of the world's population.

British Empire - 1920

The greatest power of all times and peoples

This may be obvious, but it is no less surprising: the British Empire was the most powerful and largest empire in the entire existence of man on planet Earth. The total area of ​​land subject to the English crown was 26 million square kilometers (which is more than 30% more than the area of ​​the Mongol Empire). The British ruled over a quarter of the world's population. The result of such a global expansion was the penetration of the English language and culture into everything, even the most remote corners of the world.

Most people consider the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997 as the end of British imperialism. However, if you look at the world map with an open mind, then Britain still controls most of the world, although it does so more unobtrusively. And perhaps it was Foggy Albion that achieved world domination.

Of course, history also knows other empires - the Aztecs, Mayans, Toltecs, ancient Egyptian and Greek civilizations, Knossos and Mycenaean culture, the Etruscan empire. However, all of them, although they made an incredible contribution to culture, art, science and the development of mankind, did not stand out in size. About them, ancient civilizations, as a source of wisdom and progress, should be discussed separately.