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 assumption that an empire should, most of the time, be ruled by an emperor or king, this excludes modern so-called empires - the United States and Soviet Union. Below is a ranking of the ten greatest empires in the world.
At the peak of its power (XVI–XVII), Ottoman Empire was 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 was 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 four Islamic caliphates (systems of government) created 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 created in history.
Persian Empire (Achaemenid)
The Persian Empire basically united 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 losses of territory, especially during the Roman-Persian and Byzantine-Arab wars. The Empire received its death blow in 1204 on the fourth Crusade.
The Han Dynasty is considered the golden age in Chinese history in terms of scientific achievements, technological progress, economic, cultural and political stability. Even to this day, most Chinese call themselves Han people. Today, the Han Chinese 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, roughly equivalent to about a quarter of our planet's land area. The empire's population was approximately 480 million people (approximately one-fourth of humanity). The British Empire is by far one of the most influential empires to ever exist in human history.
During 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 Tsardom of Russia, and the forerunner of the Soviet Union. The Russian Empire was the third largest state that ever existed, second only to the British and Mongol 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 contiguous empire in human history. The capital of the state was the city of Karakorum. The Mongols were fearless and ruthless warriors, but they had little experience in ruling such a vast territory and the Mongol Empire quickly fell.
Ancient Rome made great contributions 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-lasting, large, well-defended, and economically advanced. Calculations showed that a whopping 2,214 years passed from its foundation to its fall. From this it follows that the Roman Empire is the greatest empire ancient world.
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The history of mankind is a continuous struggle for territorial dominance. 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 behind them.
Persian Empire (Achaemenid Empire, 550 - 330 BC)
Cyrus II is considered the founder of the Persian Empire. He began his conquests in 550 BC. e. with 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.
While conquering neighboring territories, the Persians tried not to destroy the conquered cities, but, if possible, to preserve them. Cyrus restored captured Jerusalem, like many Phoenician cities, facilitating the return of Jews from Babylonian captivity.
The Persian Empire under Cyrus extended 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 peak under Darius I, who switched from conquests to internal politics. In particular, the king divided the empire into 20 satrapies, which completely coincided with the territories of the captured states.
In 330 BC. 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. Beginning with Octavian Augustus, the 500-year history of the Roman Empire had a direct impact on European civilization and also left a cultural mark on the countries of North Africa and the Middle East.
Uniqueness Ancient Rome in that he was the only state whose possessions included the entire Mediterranean coast.
At the height of the Roman Empire, its territories extended from the British Isles to the Persian Gulf. According to historians, by 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 government 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 state religion and began its 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 was a kind of connecting link between the civilizations of the East and West, influencing both the states of Europe and Asia Minor.
But if Western European and Middle Eastern countries inherited the rich material culture of Byzantium, then the Ancient Russian state turned out to be the successor to her 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 open for the Turks.
Arab Caliphate (632-1258)
As a result of Muslim conquests in the 7th-9th centuries, the theocratic Islamic state of the Arab Caliphate arose in the entire Middle East region, as well as in certain regions of Transcaucasia, Central Asia, North Africa and Spain. The period of the Caliphate went down in history as the “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 prohibiting them from owning 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 was disastrous for the Caliphate, but the defeat of the Islamic state was completed by the Mongols.
Caliph An-Nasir, wanting to expand his possessions, turned to Genghis Khan for help, and unknowingly opened the way for the destruction of the Muslim East by a Mongol horde of thousands.
Mongol Empire (1206-1368)
The Mongol Empire is the largest state formation in history by territory.
During the period of his power - to end of XIII centuries, the empire stretched from the Sea of Japan to the banks of the Danube. The total area of the Mongols' possessions reached 38 million square meters. km.
Given the enormous 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 Golden Horde.
Economic policy Mongols in the occupied lands was primitive: its essence boiled down to the imposition of tribute on the conquered peoples. Everything 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 Genghisids, which not many armies could resist.
Inter-dynastic strife destroyed 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 Karakorum by Ming dynasty troops.
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, as well as some regions of France during the period of the highest prosperity of the state.
Almost the entire period of the empire’s existence, its structure was theocratic in nature. feudal state, in which the emperors laid claim to higher authority in the Christian world. However, the struggle with the papal throne and the desire to possess Italy significantly weakened the central power of the empire.
In the 17th century, Austria and Prussia moved to leading positions in the Holy Roman Empire. But very soon the antagonism of two influential members of the empire, which resulted in a policy of conquest, threatened the integrity of their common home. The end of the empire in 1806 was marked by the strengthening 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 marked the date when the Ottoman Empire finally gained a foothold in Europe.
The period of the greatest power of the Ottoman Empire occurred in the 16th-17th centuries, but the state achieved its greatest conquests under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.
The borders of the empire of Suleiman I extended from Eritrea in the south to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the north, from Algeria 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 revolved around Crimea and Transcaucasia. They were brought to an end by the First World War, as a result of which the Ottoman Empire, divided between the Entente countries, ceased to exist.
British Empire (1497¬-1949)
The British Empire is the largest colonial power in terms of both territory and population.
The empire reached its greatest scale by the 30s of the 20th century: the land area of the United Kingdom, including its colonies, totaled 34 million 650 thousand square meters. km., which accounted for 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.
The success of British colonial policy was facilitated by many factors: a strong army and navy, developed industry, and the art of diplomacy. The expansion of the empire significantly influenced global geopolitics. First of all, this is the spread of British technology, trade, language, and forms of government throughout the world.
The decolonization of Britain occurred after the end of the Second World War. Although the country was among the victorious states, it found itself on the verge of bankruptcy. It was only thanks to an American loan of $3.5 billion that Great Britain was able to overcome the crisis, but at the same time lost world dominance and all its colonies.
In terms of area, the Russian Empire was second only to the Mongol and British empires - 21,799,825 square meters. km, and was the second (after British) in terms of population - about 178 million people.
Constant expansion of the territory - characteristic feature 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 Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Ottoman Empire, Persia, and the British Empire.
The growth of the Russian Empire has always been viewed with particular caution by the West. The negative perception of Russia was facilitated by the appearance of the so-called “Testament of Peter the Great,” a document fabricated in 1812 by French political circles. “The Russian state must establish power over all of Europe” is one of the key phrases of the Testament, which will haunt the minds of Europeans for a long time.
1. British Empire (42.75 million km²)Highest peak - 1918
The British Empire is the largest state that has ever existed in the history of mankind with colonies on all inhabited continents. The empire reached its largest area in the mid-30s of the 20th century, when the lands of the United Kingdom extended over 34,650,407 km² (including 8 million km² of uninhabited lands), 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 widely spoken language in the world in the fields of transport and trade.
2. Mongol Empire (38.0 million km²)
Highest flowering - 1270-1368.
Mongol Empire (Mongolian Mongolian ezent guren; Middle Mongolian ᠶᠡᠺᠡ ᠮᠣᠨᠭᠣᠯ ᠤᠯᠤᠰ, Yeke Mongγol ulus - Great Mongol State, Mongolian Ikh Mongol ulus) - a state that emerged in the 13th century as a result of the conquests of Chinggis 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 Southeast Asia(area approx. 38,000,000 square kilometers). Karakorum became the capital of the state.
During its heyday it 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 the Chingizids. The largest fragments of Great Mongolia were the Yuan Empire, the Ulus of Jochi (Golden Horde), the state of the Hulaguids and the Chagatai Ulus. The Great Khan Kublai, who assumed (1271) the title of Emperor Yuan and moved the capital to Khanbalyk, laid claim to supremacy over all uluses. By the beginning of the 14th 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 flowering - 1866
Russian Empire (Russian doref. Rossiyskaya Imperiya; also All-Russian Empire, Russian State or Russia) - a state that existed in the period from October 22 (November 2, 1721 to February Revolution and the proclamation of the republic in 1917 by the Provisional Government.
The Empire was proclaimed on October 22 (November 2, 1721) following the results of the Northern War, when, at the request of senators, Russian Tsar Peter I the Great accepted 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 ever to exist (after the British and Mongol Empires) - it extended to the Northern Arctic Ocean in the north and the Black Sea in the south, to the Baltic Sea in the west and the 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 fell 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 provisions and recruits from the localities, and improving tax collection. Initially, the country is divided into 8 provinces headed by governors vested with judicial and administrative powers.
The provincial reform of Catherine II divides the empire into 50 provinces, divided into counties (about 500 in total). To assist governors, state and judicial chambers and other state and social institutions have been created. The governors were subordinate to the Senate. The head of the district is a police captain (elected by the district assembly of nobles).
By 1914, the empire was divided into 78 provinces, 21 regions and 2 independent districts, where 931 cities were located. Russia includes the following territories of modern states: all CIS countries (without 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. Some of the provinces and regions were united into the Governor-Generalship (Kiev, Caucasus, Siberian, Turkestan, East Siberian, Amur, Moscow). The Bukhara and Khiva khanates were official vassals, the Uriankhai region is a protectorate. For 123 years (from 1744 to 1867), the Russian Empire also owned Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, as well as part of the Pacific coast of the United States and Canada.
According to the general census of 1897, the population was 129.2 million people. The population distribution by territory 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, Central Asia - 7747.1 thousand people. , Finland - 2555.5 thousand people.
4. Soviet Union (22.4 million km²)
Highest peak - 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, and parts of Central and Eastern Asia. The USSR occupied almost 1/6 of the Earth's inhabited landmass; at the time of its collapse it was the largest country in the world by area. 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 union multinational socialist state.
After World War II, 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 uniting 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 USA, it was a superpower. The Soviet Union dominated the world system of socialism and was also a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
The collapse of the USSR was characterized by an acute confrontation between representatives of the central union government and the newly elected local authorities ( Supreme Councils, presidents of the union republics). In 1989-1990, the “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 voting citizens were in favor of preserving 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 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 a 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)
Highest flowering - 1790
The Spanish Empire (Spanish: Imperio Español) is a collection 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 era of great geographical discoveries, during which it became one of the first colonial empires. The Spanish Empire existed from the 15th century until (in the case of its African possessions) the end of the 20th century. The Spanish territories were united in the late 1480s with a union of Catholic kings: the King of Aragon and the Queen of Castile. Despite the fact that the monarchs continued to rule each of their 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 carried out the first Spanish exploration expedition to the west across Atlantic Ocean, opening the New World to Europeans and creating the first overseas colonies of Spain there. From this point 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 state entities, like the Aztec and Inca empires on the mainland of North and South America, respectively, taking advantage of the contradictions between local peoples and applying higher military technologies. Subsequent expeditions extended the empire's borders from modern Canada to the southern tip of South America, including the Falkland or Malvinas Islands. The First began in 1519 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, namely a western route to Asia, and as a result brought the Far East into the Spanish sphere of influence. Colonies were established in Guam, the Philippines and nearby islands. At the time of its Siglo de Oro, the Spanish Empire included the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, large parts of Italy, lands in Germany and France, colonies in Africa, Asia and Oceania, and large areas in the Americas. In the 17th century, Spain controlled an empire of such a scale, and its parts were so far removed from each other, which no one had achieved 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 Great Britain at Cartagena (modern Colombia) extended Spanish hegemony in the Americas into the 19th century. At the end of the 18th century, Spanish expeditions in the northwestern Pacific Ocean 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 Spain's colonies became cut off from the mother country, and the subsequent independence movement that began 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 remain under Spanish control until late XIX centuries, 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 still 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 abandoned the Spanish Sahara in 1976, the colony was immediately annexed by Morocco and Mauritania, and then entirely by Morocco in 1980, although technically the territory remains under a UN decision. control of the Spanish administration. Today, 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)
Highest flowering - 1790
The Great Qing State (Daicing gurun.svg Daicing Gurun, Chinese tr. 大清國, pal.: 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 clan of Aishin Gyoro in the territory of Manchuria, currently called northeastern China. In less than 30 years, all of China, part of Mongolia and part of Central Asia came under her rule.
The dynasty was originally 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 which the Manchus derived themselves. In 1636 the name was changed to "Qing" (清 - "pure"). In the first half of the 18th century. The Qing government managed to establish effective governance of the country, one of the results of which was that in this century the fastest rates of population growth were observed in China. The Qing court pursued a policy of self-isolation, which ultimately led to the fact that in the 19th century. China, part of the Qing Empire, was forcibly opened by Western powers.
Subsequent cooperation with Western powers allowed the dynasty to avoid collapse during the Taiping Rebellion, carry out relatively successful modernization, etc. to exist until the beginning of the 20th century, but it also served as the reason for growing nationalist (anti-Manchu) sentiments.
As a result of the Xinhai Revolution, which began in 1911, the Qing Empire was destroyed and the Republic of China, the national state of the Han Chinese, was proclaimed. Empress Dowager Longyu abdicated the throne on behalf of the then minor last emperor, Pu Yi, on February 12, 1912.
7. Russian kingdom (14.5 million km²)
Highest flowering - 1721
The Russian Tsardom or in the Byzantine version the Russian Tsardom is a Russian state that existed between 1547 and 1721. The name "Russian Kingdom" was the official name of Russia in this historical period. The official name was also рꙋсїѧ
In 1547, the sovereign of all Rus' and Grand Duke Moscow Ivan IV the Terrible was crowned Tsar and took the full title: “Great Sovereign, by the grace of God Tsar and Grand Duke of All Rus', Vladimir, Moscow, Novgorod, Pskov, Ryazan, Tver, Yugorsk, Perm, Vyatsky, Bulgarian and others,” subsequently, with the expansion of the borders of the Russian state, “Tsar of Kazan, Tsar of Astrakhan, Tsar of Siberia”, “and ruler of all Northern countries” were added to the title.
In terms of title, the Russian Kingdom was preceded by the Grand Duchy of Moscow, and its successor was the Russian Empire. 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 found after Mongol invasion within the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Poland) and restoration Old Russian state was traced throughout the existence of the Russian state and was inherited by the Russian Empire.
8. Yuan Dynasty (14.0 million km²)
Highest flowering - 1310
Empire (in the Chinese tradition - dynasty) Yuan (Ikh Yuan ul.PNG Mong. Ikh Yuan Uls, Great Yuan State, Dai Ön Yeke Mongghul Ulus.PNG Dai Ön Yeke Mongghul Ulus; Chinese example: 元朝, pinyin: Yuáncháo; Vietnamese. Nhà Nguyên (Nguyên triều), House (Dynasty) of Nguyen) was a Mongol state whose main territory was China (1271-1368). Founded by Genghis Khan's grandson, the Mongol Khan Kublai Khan, who completed his 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 was recorded during the subsequent Ming Dynasty and is called "Yuan Shi".
9. Umayyad Caliphate (13.0 million km²)
Highest flowering - 720-750.
Omayyad (arab. الأمويوild) or Banu Umaya (arab. Lfa أuction) - the Khalifov dynasty founded by Muavia in 661. Omeyayad of the Sufyanid and Marvanid branches ruled in the Damask Caliphate until the middle of the 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 the caliph Hisham Abd al-Rahman, who founded the dynasty in Spain (Cordoba Caliphate). 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 peak - 1938
Evolution of the French Colonial Empire (year is indicated in the upper left corner):
The French colonial empire (French L’Empire colonial français) is the totality of the colonial possessions of France in the period between 1546-1962. Like the British Empire, France had colonial territories in all regions of the world, but its colonial policies differed significantly from Britain's. The remnants of the once vast colonial empire are the modern overseas departments of France (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, etc.) and a special territory sui generis (the island of New Caledonia). The modern legacy of the French colonial era is also the union of French-speaking countries (Francophonie).
Seizing power over the world is the dream of at least half of the villains from comic books and superhero blockbusters. Some less bloodthirsty individuals (controversial, of course) go about conquering new lands the old-fashioned way: send dreamers or adventurers to explore, and then take the territory from others. However, sometimes (okay, it’s extremely rare) conquerors offer mutually beneficial cooperation and peaceful coexistence. In the modern world, no one has taken it upon themselves to lead a new empire (underground and criminal grounds do not count), but back in the middle of the twentieth century, no one thought that the Age of Empires had come to an end. Let's start with 500 BC and follow the milestones of the history of the 25 most grandiose empires of our planet. To simplify understanding, the selected dates indicate the peak of the state's development. 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 Power (or the Persian Empire at number one) is already impressive. At the zenith of their power, in 550 before the birth of Jesus Christ, the Achaemenid territory reached 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 rapidly developed in the empire, roads and post offices were built everywhere. The progress is commendable. And every self-respecting ruler did the same.
Empire of Alexander the Great - 323 BC
The Great Conquest of the Great 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 Hellenistic powerful union, glorifying the ancient Greek civilization for centuries, along with Aristotle and mass orgies. At the height of its power, the Macedonian Empire covered 3.5% of the landmass, making it the 21st largest in human history (the losing Persians did surpass Alexander, but that didn't help them much).
Mauryan Empire - 250 BC
Don’t you want imperialism the Indian way?
The death of Alexander the Great came as a complete surprise to his comrades, who were mired in squabbling over pieces of the empire. At this time, distant lands were left to their own devices, which the local rulers did not miss the opportunity to take advantage of: 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 leadership 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
During the 4th and 3rd centuries BC. China was divided into several small fiefdoms, constantly at war with each other. Of course, wars among sedentary peoples attracted the steppe people like kites. The nomadic Xiongnu tribes easily carried out raids on weakened feudal fragmentation provinces in the north. At its height, the Xiongnu Empire occupied 6% of the landmass 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 about the Han Dynasty, we should not forget about its Western part, which reached the peak of power a century after the Eastern. Of course, its territories are incomparable with the conquests of the Xiongnu, but its area of 3.8 million square kilometers with a population of 57 million people makes one feel respected and put the Western Han at 17th place in the hit parade of empires. In their desire to expand their borders, the Han pushed the Xiongnu to the north and captured the territories of modern Vietnam and Korea. Thanks to the diplomatic talent of the diplomat and traveler Zhang Qian, the dynasty's contacts were expanded to Rome, and the Great Silk Road was opened.
Eastern Han Dynasty - 100
The youngest brother from the Han clan
The Eastern Han Dynasty lasted for nearly two centuries, through riots, conspiracies, political crises, and a faltering economy. Despite its apparent weakness, this empire was the 12th largest in history, leapfrogging its predecessor. Dynastic territories occupied 4.2 million square kilometers (4.4% of the land area).
Roman Empire - 117
Hail Caesar and other imperial habits - everything came from Rome
Due to its wide popularity, the Roman Empire is considered almost the coolest in the world (thanks to American cinema and chroniclers of the Caesars) - legions of soldiers, the Roman Senate, an almost modern standard of living and other wonders of the Dream Factory. By far, at the height of its power, Rome presided over the most extensive and sophisticated political-social structure in Western civilization. The total area of the lands subject to the Senate and the Emperor did not exceed 2.6 million square kilometers, placing the homeland 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 out of nowhere
The Turkic Khaganate occupied the territories that are now central and northern China. The history of the origin 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 area. This puts them in 15th place on the list of largest empires.
One of the largest: The 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 disparate Muslim communities. Very little time separated the Caliphate from power over Egypt, Syria and the territory of the former Persian Empire. At the time of its greatest power, the area of this state was almost 4 million square kilometers, making it the 14th largest in the entire 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 entities in the Arab world. He grew up during the civil war among the Muslim movements 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 home to 29% of the planet's inhabitants (62 million people) and its area was 7.45% of the planetary total, making the Umayyad Caliphate the eighth largest empire in history.
Abbasid Caliphate - 750
Empire created by the descendants of the prophet
The age of power of the Umayyads turned out to be short-lived: the caliphate lasted 30 years, and then was captured by the Abbasids, who were led in rebellion by the descendants of the younger uncle of the Prophet Muhammad (as they themselves declared, of course). According to the Abbasids, their “purer” bloodline 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, the descendants of Muhammad controlled about 8 million square kilometers of land, which puts their possessions at the seventh level in the list greatest empires. However, 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 Tibet's main weapon
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 because in the West gigantic Muslim states were being born and dying in full swing, and in the East the Tang dynasty, which was in a monolithic alliance with the Arabs, was in full swing. We can say that Tibet at 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 destroyed by the growing influence of Buddhism and civil war, not external enemies.
Tang Dynasty - 820
The period that became the dawn Chinese culture and art
The Tang Dynasty was the first state entity in China to choose cosmopolitanism and exchange of cultural experiences with other powers. The invention dates back to the Tang Golden Age printing press, engravings, the flowering of painting and literature. Two poets, Li Bai and Du Fu, considered among the greatest Chinese history- lived precisely 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 territories of the dynasty accounted for 3.6% of the total 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 the size of 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 a fool and clearly understood that his power rested on the authority of the leader. To ensure stability and prosperity for the empire, he divided the territories under his rule among his many children, thereby ensuring the law of succession to the throne and division of power. Thus, even individual parts of the Khanate were powerful state formations. The brightest and most powerful “process” Mongol Empire became the Golden Horde, which occupied 4.03% of the world's landmass.
Yuan Dynasty - 1310
An empire that sank into oblivion without reaching maturity
Thanks to the military talents of one of Genghis Khan's many grandsons, 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 Empire had become the largest independent part of the Mongol Empire, covering an area of 8.5 million square kilometers. To the shame of the descendants of the great conqueror, Yuan also became one of the list of short-lived empires: riots that flared up throughout the 14th century led to the overthrow of the authorities already in 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, the Ming still controlled 4.36% of the land area and ranked 13th in the list of major powers. This period also became known for the construction of the largest Chinese (and world) fleet and the rapid development of maritime trade with almost the entire 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 the East from the 13th century, until it fell during the First World War, giving way to the Turkish Republic in 1922.
Qing Dynasty - 1790
The last gasps of the empire before the red era
The Qing, the last imperial dynasty of China, left an impressive legacy: 10% of the planet's territory 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 his throne. It was these events that allowed the birth of the only country in the world that successfully used a combination of socialist rule with a capitalist economy - the People's Republic of China (PRC).
Spanish Empire - 1810
Temporary Queen of the Seas
Spain, for a long time remaining in the shadows European powers, by the end of the 18th century, owned vast territories throughout the Earth. Thanks to its powerful fleet (the long-invincible Spanish Armada), Madrid controlled most of the Caribbean islands, almost all of South America, parts 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 metropolis and the 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-living in Europe: for six centuries it claimed its rights to lands outside the territorial borders of the state and ceased to exist only on December 20, 1999.
Brazilian Empire - 1889
Gray horse among world powers
Originating as part of Portugal's colonial empire, the Brazilian Empire began its journey in 1822 by declaring independence. The young state immediately attracted attention, which gave rise to military conflicts with Uruguay and Great Britain. Oddly enough, Brazil emerged victorious from both disputes, declaring itself to the whole world as a country with a progressive view of 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, on par with the most developed countries of that time, raising the population level from 15.5 to 171 million people (in 1895). Not only the original Russian lands came under the rule of the Russian emperor, 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 rulers of the planet
In order to compete with Spain, Britain, Portugal, and the United Provinces, France had to go a long way in colonizing overseas lands. The first step towards this was the conquest of Algeria in 1830. By the 20s of the 20th century, France owned lands in Africa, Southeast Asia, South America and the Middle East. 7.7% of the world's territory and 5% of the world's population came under French rule.
British Empire - 1920
The greatest power of all time
This may be obvious, but it is no less surprising: the British Empire was the most powerful and largest empire for the entire existence of man on planet Earth. The total area of land subject to the English crown was 26 million sq. km (and this is more than 30% greater than the area of the Mongol Empire). A quarter of the world's population was under British rule. The result of such global expansion was the penetration of the English language and culture into all, even the most remote corners of the world.
Most people consider the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997 to be the end of British imperialism. However, if you look at the world map with an open mind, 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 humanity, were not outstanding in size. They, ancient civilizations, as a source of wisdom and progress, should be discussed separately.
