The biggest empire of all time. biggest empire

At the time of the highest prosperity of the Roman Empire, its dominion extended to vast territories - their total area was about 2.51 million square kilometers. However, in the list largest empires in history, Roman takes only nineteenth place.

What do you think, which one is the first one?

Mongolian

Russian

Spanish

british

Qing Empire

Turkic Khaganate

Japanese empire

Arab Caliphate

Macedonian Empire

Now we will find out the correct answer ...-

Millennia of human existence passed under the sign of wars and expansions. Great states arose, grew and collapsed, which changed (and some continue to change) the face of the modern world.
An empire is the most powerful type of state, where various countries and peoples are united under the rule of a single monarch (emperor). Let's take a look at the ten biggest empires that have ever appeared on the world stage. Oddly enough, but in our list you will not find either the Roman, or the Ottoman, or even the empire of Alexander the Great - history has seen more.

10. Arab Caliphate

Population: -

State area: - 6.7

Capital: 630-656 Medina / 656 - 661 Mecca / 661 - 754 Damascus / 754 - 762 Al-Kufa / 762 - 836 Baghdad / 836 - 892 Samarra / 892 - 1258 Baghdad

Beginning of domination: 632 g

Fall of the empire: 1258

The existence of this empire marked the so-called. The "golden era of Islam" - the period from the 7th to the 13th century AD. e. The caliphate was founded immediately after the death of the founder of the Muslim faith, Muhammad, in 632, and the Medina community founded by the prophet became its core. Centuries of Arab conquests increased the area of ​​the empire to 13 million square meters. km, covering territories in all three parts of the Old World. By the middle of the XIII century, the Caliphate, torn apart internal conflicts, so weakened that it was easily captured first by the Mongols, and then by the Ottomans - the founders of another great Persian empire.

9. Japanese Empire

Population: 97,770,000

State area: 7.4 million km2

Capital: Tokyo

Beginning of reign: 1868

Fall of an empire: 1947

Japan is the only empire on the modern political map. Now this status is rather formal, but 70 years ago it was Tokyo that was the main center of imperialism in Asia. Japan - an ally of the Third Reich and fascist Italy - then tried to establish control over the west coast Pacific Ocean, sharing a vast front with the Americans. At this time, the peak of the territorial scope of the empire came, which controlled almost the entire maritime space and 7.4 million square meters. km of land from Sakhalin to New Guinea.

8. Portuguese Empire

Population: 50 million (480 BC) / 35 million (330 BC)

State area: - 10.4 million km2

Capital: Coimbra, Lisbon

Fall of the Empire: October 5, 1910
Since the 16th century, the Portuguese have been looking for ways to break through the Spanish isolation in the Iberian Peninsula. In 1497, they opened a sea route to India, which marked the beginning of the growth of the Portuguese colonial empire. Three years earlier, the Tordesillas Treaty was concluded between the “sworn neighbors”, which actually divided the world known at that time between the two countries, on unfavorable last conditions for the Portuguese. But this did not stop them from collecting more than 10 million square meters. km of land, most of which was occupied by Brazil. The handover of Macau to the Chinese in 1999 ended Portugal's colonial history.

7. Turkic Khaganate

Area - 13 million km2

one of the largest ancient states in the history of mankind in Asia, created by a tribal union of the Turks (Turkuts) headed by rulers from the Ashina clan. During the period of greatest expansion (the end of the 6th century), it controlled the territories of China (Manchuria), Mongolia, Altai, East Turkestan, West Turkestan (Central Asia), Kazakhstan and the North Caucasus. In addition, tributaries of the Kaganate were Sassanian Iran, the Chinese states of Northern Zhou, Northern Qi since 576 and from the same year the Turkic Kaganate is tearing away from Byzantium North Caucasus and Crimea.

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6. French Empire

Population: -

State area: 13.5 million square meters km

Capital: Paris

Beginning of reign: 1546

Fall of an empire: 1940

France became the third European power (after Spain and Portugal) to become interested in overseas territories. Starting from 1546 - the time of the founding of New France (now Quebec, Canada) - the formation of Francophonie in the world begins. Having lost the American opposition to the Anglo-Saxons, and also inspired by the conquests of Napoleon, the French occupied almost all of West Africa. In the middle of the twentieth century, the area of ​​the empire reached 13.5 million square meters. km, more than 110 million people lived in it. By 1962, most of the French colonies had become independent states.
Chinese Empire

5. Chinese Empire (Qing Empire)

Population: 383,100,000

State area: 14.7 million km2

Capital: Mukden (1636–1644), Beijing (1644–1912)

Beginning of reign: 1616

Fall of the empire: 1912

The most ancient empire of Asia, the cradle of oriental culture. The first Chinese dynasties ruled from the 2nd millennium BC. e., but a single empire was created only in 221 BC. e. During the reign of Qing - the last monarchical dynasty of the Middle Kingdom - the empire occupied a record area of ​​14.7 million square meters. km. This is 1.5 times more than that of the modern Chinese state, mainly due to Mongolia, now independent. In 1911, the Xinhai Revolution broke out, putting an end to the monarchy in China, turning the empire into a republic.

4. Spanish Empire

Population: 60 million

State area: 20,000,000 km2

Capital: Toledo (1492-1561) / Madrid (1561-1601) / Valladolid (1601-1606) / Madrid (1606-1898)

Fall of the empire: 1898

The period of Spain's world domination began with the voyages of Columbus, who opened up new horizons for Catholic missionary work and territorial expansion. In the 16th century, almost the entire Western Hemisphere was "at the feet" of the Spanish king with his "invincible armada". It was at this time that Spain was called “the country where the sun never sets”, because its possessions covered the seventh part of the land (about 20 million sq. Km) and almost half of the sea routes in all corners of the planet. The greatest empires of the Incas and Aztecs fell to the conquistadors, and in their place a predominantly Hispanic Latin America was formed.

3. Russian Empire

Population: 60 million

Population: 181.5 million (1916)

State area: 23,700,000 km2

Capital: St. Petersburg, Moscow

Fall of the empire: 1917

The largest continental monarchy in human history. Its roots reach the times of the Moscow principality, then the kingdom. In 1721, Peter I proclaimed the imperial status of Russia, which owned vast territories from Finland to Chukotka. At the end of the 19th century, the state reached its geographical peak: 24.5 million square meters. km, about 130 million inhabitants, over 100 ethnic groups and nationalities. At one time, Russian possessions were the lands of Alaska (until it was sold by the Americans in 1867), as well as part of California.

2. Mongol Empire

Population: more than 110,000,000 people (1279)

State area: 38,000,000 km2 (1279)

Capital: Karakorum, Khanbalik

Beginning of reign: 1206

Fall of the empire: 1368

The greatest empire of all times and peoples, whose meaning of existence was one - war. The great Mongolian state was formed in 1206 under the leadership of Genghis Khan, having grown over several decades to 38 million square meters. km, from the Baltic Sea to Vietnam, and at the same time killing every tenth inhabitant of the Earth. By the end of the 13th century, its uluses covered a quarter of the land and a third of the world's population, which then numbered almost half a billion people. The ethno-political framework of modern Eurasia was formed on the fragments of the empire.

1. British Empire

Population: 458,000,000 (approximately 24% of the world's population in 1922)

State area: 42.75 km2 (1922)

Capital London

Beginning of reign: 1497

Empire Fall: 1949 (1997)

The British Empire is the largest ever existing state in the history of mankind with colonies on all inhabited continents.
For 400 years of its formation, it has withstood the competition for world domination with other "colonial titans": France, Holland, Spain, Portugal. During its heyday, London controlled a quarter of the world's land (over 34 million square kilometers) on all inhabited continents, as well as vast expanses of the ocean. Formally, it still exists in the form of the Commonwealth, while countries such as Canada and Australia actually remain subject to the British crown.
The international status of the English language is the main legacy of Pax Britannica. and

From the school history course, we know about the emergence of the first states on earth with their peculiar way of life, culture and art. distant and in many ways mysterious life people of the past times were excited and awakened fantasy. And, probably, for many it would be interesting to see maps of the greatest empires of antiquity, placed side by side. Such a comparison makes it possible to feel the size of the once gigantic state formations and the place they occupy on Earth and in the history of mankind.

The ancient empires were characterized by long-term political stability and well-established communications to the most remote outskirts, without which it is impossible to manage vast territories. All great empires had large armies: the passion for conquest was almost manic. And the rulers of such states sometimes achieved impressive success, subjugating vast lands on which gigantic empires arose. But time passed, and the giant left the stage of history.

First empire

Egypt. 3000-30 years before new era

This empire lasted three millennia - longer than any other. The state arose more than 3000 BC. e., and when the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt took place (2686-2181), the so-called Old Kingdom was formed. The whole life of the country was connected with the Nile River, with its fertile valley and delta near the Mediterranean Sea. The pharaoh ruled Egypt, governors and officials sat on the ground. Officers, scribes, surveyors and local priests were ranked among the elite of society. The pharaoh was considered a living deity, and he performed all the most important sacrifices himself.

The Egyptians fanatically believed in the afterlife, cultural objects and majestic buildings - pyramids and temples - were dedicated to it. The walls of the burial chambers, covered with hieroglyphs, told more about the life of the ancient state than other archaeological finds.

The history of Egypt is divided into two periods. The first - from its foundation to 332 BC, when Alexander the Great conquered the country. And the second period - the reign of the Ptolemaic dynasty - the descendants of one of the commanders of Alexander the Great. In 30 BC, Egypt was conquered by a younger and mighty empire- Roman.

Cradle of Western culture

Greece. 700-146 BC


The southern part of the Balkan Peninsula was inhabited by people tens of thousands of years ago. But only from the 7th century BC, one can speak of Greece as a large, culturally homogeneous entity, albeit with reservations: the country was an alliance of city-states that united at the time of an external threat, such as to repel Persian aggression.

Culture, religion and, above all, language were the framework within which the history of this country proceeded. In 510 BC, most of the cities were freed from the autocracy of the kings. Athens soon became a democracy, but only male citizens had the right to vote.

The state structure, culture and science of Greece became a model and an inexhaustible source of wisdom for almost all the later states of Europe. Already the Greek scientists were wondering about life and the universe. It was in Greece that the foundations of such sciences as medicine, mathematics, astronomy and philosophy were laid. Greek culture stopped its development when the Romans took over the country. The decisive battle took place in 146 BC near the city of Corinth, when the troops of the Greek Achaean Union were defeated.

Dominion of the "King of Kings"


Persia. 600-331 BC

In the 7th century BC, the nomadic tribes of the Iranian Highlands revolted against Assyrian rule. The victors founded the state of Media, which later, together with Babylonia and other neighboring countries, turned into a world power. By the end of the 6th century BC, she, led by Cyrus II, and then his successors, who belonged to the Achaemenid dynasty, continued to conquer. In the west, the lands of the empire went to the Aegean Sea, in the east its border passed along the Indus River, in the south, in Africa, the possessions reached the first rapids of the Nile. (Most of Greece was occupied during the Greco-Persian War by the troops of the Persian king Xerxes in 480 BC.)

The monarch was called the "King of Kings", he stood at the head of the army and was the supreme judge. The possessions were divided into 20 satrapies, where the king's viceroy ruled in his name. The subjects spoke four languages: Old Persian, Babylonian, Elamite and Aramaic.

In 331 BC, Alexander the Great defeated the hordes of Darius II, the last of the Achaemenid dynasty. Thus ended the history of this great empire.

Peace and love - for all

India. 322-185 BC

Traditions devoted to the history of India and its rulers are very fragmentary. Few information refers to the time when the founder of the religious doctrine of Buddha (566-486 BC), the first real person in the history of India, lived.

In the first half of the 1st millennium BC, many small states arose in the northeastern part of India. One of them - Magadha - rose thanks to successful wars of conquest. King Ashoka, who belonged to the Maurya dynasty, expanded his possessions so much that they already occupied almost all of present-day India, Pakistan and part of Afghanistan. The officials of the administration and a strong army obeyed the king. At first, Ashoka was known as a cruel commander, but, becoming a follower of the Buddha, he preached peace, love and tolerance and received the nickname "Converted". This king built hospitals, fought against deforestation, and pursued a soft policy towards his people. His decrees that have come down to us, carved on rocks, columns, are the oldest, accurately dated epigraphic monuments of India, telling about government, social relations, religion and culture.

Even before his rise, Ashoka divided the population into four castes. The first two were privileged - priests and warriors. The invasion of the Bactrian Greeks and internal strife in the country led the empire to collapse.

The beginning of more than two thousand years of history

China. 221-210 BC

During the period called in the history of China Zhanyu, many years of struggle waged by many small kingdoms brought victory to the Qin kingdom. It united the conquered lands and in 221 BC formed the first Chinese empire headed by Qin Shi Huangdi. The emperor carried out reforms that strengthened the young state. The country was divided into districts, military garrisons were established to maintain order and tranquility, a network of roads and canals was being built, the same education was introduced for officials, and a single monetary system operated throughout the kingdom. The monarch approved the order in which people were obliged to work where the interests and needs of the state required it. Even such a curious law was introduced: all wagons must have an equal distance between the wheels so that they move along the same tracks. In the same reign, the Great Wall of China was created: it connected separate sections of defensive structures built earlier by the northern kingdoms.

In 210, Qing Shi Huangdi died. But subsequent dynasties left intact the foundations of empire building laid by its founder. In any case, the last dynasty of emperors of China ceased to exist at the beginning of our century, and the borders of the state remain practically unchanged to this day.

An army that maintains order

Rome. 509 BC - 330 AD


In 509 BC, the Romans expelled the Etruscan king Tarquinius the Proud from Rome. Rome became a republic. By 264 BC, her troops captured the entire Apennine Peninsula. After that, expansion began in all directions of the world, and by 117 AD, the state stretched its borders from west to east - from the Atlantic Ocean to the Caspian Sea, and from south to north - from the rapids of the Nile and the coast of all of North Africa to the borders with Scotland and along the lower Danube.

For 500 years, Rome was ruled by two annually elected consuls and a senate in charge of state property and finances, foreign policy, military affairs and religion.

In 30 BC, Rome becomes an empire headed by Caesar, and in essence - a monarch. The first Caesar was Augustus. A large and well-trained army participated in the construction of a huge network of roads, their total length is more than 80,000 kilometers. Excellent roads made the army very mobile and made it possible to quickly reach the most remote corners of the empire. The proconsuls appointed by Rome in the provinces - governors and officials loyal to Caesar - also helped to keep the country from disintegration. This was facilitated by the settlements of soldiers who served in the service, located in the conquered lands.

The Roman state, unlike many other giants of the past, fully met the concept of "empire". It also became a model for future contenders for world domination. European countries have inherited a lot from the culture of Rome, as well as the principles of building parliaments and political parties.

The uprisings of peasants, slaves and the urban plebs, the ever-increasing pressure of the Germanic and other barbarian tribes from the north forced Emperor Constantine I to move the capital of the state to the city of Byzantium, later called Constantinople. This happened in 330 AD. After Constantine, the Roman Empire was actually divided into two - Western and Eastern, which were ruled by two emperors.

Christianity - the stronghold of the empire


Byzantium. 330-1453 AD

Byzantium arose from the eastern remnants of the Roman Empire. The capital was Constantinople, founded by Emperor Constantine I in 324-330 on the site of the colony of Byzantium (hence the name of the state). From that moment began the isolation of Byzantium in the depths of the Roman Empire. An important role in the life of this state was played by the Christian religion, which became the ideological foundation of the empire and the stronghold of Orthodoxy.

Byzantium existed for over a thousand years. It reached its political and military power during the reign of Emperor Justinian I, in the 6th century AD. It was then that, having a strong army, Byzantium conquered the western and southern lands of the former Roman Empire. But within these limits, the empire did not last long. In 1204, Constantinople fell under the blows of the crusaders, which never rose again, and in 1453 the Ottoman Turks captured the capital of Byzantium.

in the name of Allah

Arab Caliphate. 600-1258 AD

The sermons of the Prophet Muhammad laid the foundation for the religious and political movement in Western Arabia. Called "Islam", it contributed to the creation of a centralized state in Arabia. However, soon as a result of successful conquests, a vast Muslim empire, the Caliphate, was born. The presented map shows the greatest extent of the conquests of the Arabs, who fought under the green banner of Islam. In the East, the Caliphate included the western part of India. The Arab world has left indelible marks in the history of mankind, in literature, mathematics and astronomy.

From the beginning of the 9th century, the Caliphate gradually begins to fall apart - weakness economic ties, the vastness of the territories subordinated to the Arabs, which had their own culture and traditions, did not contribute to unity. In 1258, the Mongols conquered Baghdad, and the Caliphate broke up into several Arab states.

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.
The uniqueness of Ancient Rome is 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 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 Ancient Russian state turned out to be the successor of 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 opened 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 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.

In the period of its power - by the end of the XIII century, 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 Golden Horde.

The economic policy of the 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.
For almost the entire period of the empire's existence, its structure had the character of a 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 house. 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. The total 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.

Russian Empire (1721–1917)

The history of the Russian Empire dates back to October 22, 1721, after the adoption by Peter I of the title of Emperor of All Russia. From that time until 1905, the monarch who became the head of the state was endowed with absolute fullness of power.

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 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 all of Europe,” is one of the key phrases of the Testament, which will haunt the minds of Europeans for a long time to come.

It is in history that answers to many questions of our time can be found. Do you know about the largest empire that ever existed on the planet? TravelAsk will tell about two world giants of the past.

The largest empire by area

The British Empire is the largest state that has ever existed in the history of mankind. Of course here we are talking not only about the continent, but also about colonies on all inhabited continents. Just think: that was even less than a hundred years ago. At different times, the area of ​​Britain was different, but the maximum is 42.75 million square meters. km (of which 8.1 million sq. km are territories in Antarctica). This is two and a half times more than today's territory of Russia. This is 22% sushi. The heyday of the British Empire came in 1918.

The total population of Britain at its peak was about 480 million people (about one-fourth of humanity). That is why English is so widespread. This is a direct legacy of the British Empire.

How the state was born

The British Empire grew over a long period of about 200 years. The 20th century was the culmination of its growth: at that time, the state possessed various territories on all continents. For this, it is called the empire, "over which the sun never sets."

And it all started in the 18th century quite peacefully: with trade and diplomacy, occasionally with colonial conquests.

The empire helped spread British technology, trade, the English language and its form of government around the world. Of course, the basis of power was the navy, which was used everywhere. He ensured freedom of navigation, fought slavery and piracy (slavery was abolished in Britain at the beginning of the 19th century). This made the world a safer place. It turns out that instead of seeking power over vast inland territories for the sake of possessing resources, the empire relied on trade and control over strategically important points. It was this strategy that made the British Empire the most powerful.

The British Empire was very diverse, including territories on all continents, which created a great diversity of cultures. The state included a very heterogeneous population, thanks to which it was able to manage various regions either directly or through local rulers, these are excellent skills for the government. Just think: British power extended to India, Egypt, Canada, New Zealand and many other countries.

When the decolonization of the United Kingdom began, the British tried to introduce parliamentary democracy and the rule of law in the former colonies, but this was far from successful everywhere. The influence of Great Britain on its former territories is still noticeable today: most of the colonies decided that the Commonwealth of Nations replaced the Empire in psychological terms. Members of the Commonwealth are all former dominions and colonies of the state. Today it includes 17 countries, including the Bahamas and others. That is, they in fact recognize the monarch of Great Britain as their monarch, but on the spot his power is represented by the governor general. But it is worth saying that the title of monarch does not imply any political power over the Commonwealth Realms.

Mongol Empire

The second largest (but not powerful) is the Mongol Empire. It was formed as a result of the conquests of Genghis Khan. Its area is 38 million square meters. km: this is slightly less than the area of ​​​​Britain (and if you consider that Britain owned 8 million square kilometers in Antarctica, then the figure looks even more impressive). The territory of the state stretched from the Danube to the Sea of ​​Japan and from Novgorod to Cambodia. This is the largest continental state in the history of mankind.

The state did not last long: from 1206 to 1368. But this empire influenced the modern world in many ways: it is believed that 8% of the world's population are descendants of Genghis Khan. And this is quite likely: only the eldest son of Temujin had 40 sons.

During its heyday, the Mongol Empire included vast territories Central Asia, Southern Siberia, Eastern Europe, Middle East, China and Tibet. It was the largest land empire in the world.

Its rise is astounding: a group of Mongol tribes, no more than a million in number, managed to conquer empires that were literally hundreds of times larger. How did they achieve this? Thoughtful tactics of action, high mobility, the use of technical and other achievements of the captured peoples, as well as proper organization rear and supplies.

But here, of course, there could be no talk of any diplomacy. The Mongols completely cut out the cities that did not want to obey them. More than one city was swept off the face of the earth. Moreover, Temujin and his descendants destroyed the great and ancient states: the state of Khorezmshahs, the Chinese Empire, the Baghdad Caliphate, Volga Bulgaria. Modern historians say that up to 50% of the total population died in the occupied territories. Thus, the population of Chinese dynasties was 120 million people, after the invasion of the Mongols, it decreased to 60 million.

The consequences of the invasions of the great khan

The commander Temujin united all the Mongol tribes by 1206 and was proclaimed a great khan over all the tribes, receiving the title "Genghis Khan". He captured northern China, devastated Central Asia, conquered all of Central Asia and Iran, ruining the entire region.

The descendants of Genghis Khan ruled an empire that captured most of Eurasia, including almost the entire Middle East, parts of Eastern Europe, China and Russia. Despite all the power, the real threat to the dominance of the Mongol Empire was the enmity between its rulers. The empire split into four khanates. 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. They, in turn, also collapsed or were subdued. In the last quarter of the 14th century, the Mongol Empire ceased to exist.

However, despite such a short reign, the Mongol Empire influenced the unification of many regions. So, for example, the eastern and western parts of Russia and the western regions of China remain united to this day, although in different forms of government. Russia also gained strength: during the Tatar-Mongol yoke, Moscow was granted the status of a tax collector for the Mongols. That is, Russian residents collected tribute and taxes for the Mongols, while the Mongols themselves rarely visited Russian lands. In the end, the Russian people received military power, which allowed Ivan III to overthrow the Mongols under the rule of the Moscow principality.

The British Empire is the largest ever existing state in the history of mankind with colonies on all inhabited continents. largest area empire reached in the mid-30s of the 20th 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.

The Mongol Empire (Mong. Mongolyn ezent guren; Middle Mong. ᠶᠡᠺᠡ ᠮᠣᠨᠭᠣᠯ ᠤᠯᠤᠰ, Yeke Mongγol ulus - the Great Mongolian state, Mong. Their Mongol ulus) - a state that emerged in the 13th century as a result of the conquests of Genghis Khan and included himself 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 it included vast territories of Central Asia, Southern Siberia, Eastern Europe, the 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. 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 until the February Revolution and the proclamation of the republic in 1917 by the Provisional Government.

The Empire was proclaimed on October 22 (2) November 1721 following the results of 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 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 was within the competence of the Constituent Assembly; January 5 (18), 1918 constituent Assembly also declared Russia a republic). However, the legislature 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 field, and improving tax collection. Initially, the country is divided into 8 provinces, headed by governors, endowed 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 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 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 merging the RSFSR, the Ukrainian SSR, the Byelorussian SSR and the Transcaucasian SFSR into one state association with a uniform government, the capital in Moscow, the 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, in 9 of the 15 republics of the USSR, an All-Union referendum on the preservation of the USSR was held, in which more than two-thirds of the voting citizens voted 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, which was stated in the Agreement on the Creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States, signed on December 8, 1991. The USSR officially ceased to exist on December 26, 1991. At the end of 1991 the Russian Federation was recognized as the successor state USSR in international legal relations and took his 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 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 made the first Spanish exploratory expedition to the west across the Atlantic Ocean, opening the New World to Europeans and establishing the first Spanish overseas colonies there. Since then, the Western Hemisphere has become main goal Spanish exploration and colonization.

In the 16th century, the Spaniards created settlements on the islands caribbean, and the conquistadors destroyed such state formations as the Aztec and Inca empires 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 significant part of Italy, lands in Germany and France, colonies in Africa, Asia and Oceania, as well as large territories in the 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 to search for 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 colonies of Spain 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 the end of the 19th 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, the last dynasty of 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 the 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 after the Mongol invasion as part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Poland) 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 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 Caliph Hisham Abd al-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).