In our world, nothing lasts forever: after birth and flourishing, sunset inevitably follows. This rule also applies to states. Hundreds of states have been created and collapsed over thousands of years of historical epoch. We will find out which of them existed on Earth for the longest time, until they fell apart for one reason or another. Perhaps some of them did not amaze the world with their grandeur and brilliance, but they were strong with their centuries-old history.
Portuguese Colonial Empire
560 years (1415 -1975)
The prerequisites for the creation of the Portuguese Colonial Empire appeared simultaneously with the beginning of the Great Geographical Discoveries. By 1415, the Portuguese navigators, of course, had not yet reached the shores of America, but they were already actively exploring the African continent, starting to search for a short sea route to India. The Portuguese declared open lands their property, erecting forts and fortresses everywhere.
By its heyday, the Portuguese Colonial Empire had fortifications in West Africa, East and South Asia, India and the Americas. The Portuguese Empire became the first state in history to unite territories on four continents under its flag. Thanks to the trade in spices and jewelry, the Portuguese treasury was bursting with gold and silver, which allowed the state to exist for such a long time.
Napoleonic wars, internal contradictions and external enemies nevertheless undermined the power of the state, and by the beginning of the 20th century there was no trace left of the former greatness of the Portuguese Colonial Empire. Officially, the empire ceased to exist in 1975, when democracy was established in the metropolis.
624 years (1299 AD -1923 AD)
The state, founded by Turkic tribes in 1299, reached its peak in the 17th century. The huge multinational Ottoman Empire stretched from the borders of Austria to the Caspian Sea, owning territories in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Wars with the Russian Empire, the loss in the First World War, internal contradictions and constant Christian uprisings undermined the strength of the Ottoman Empire. In 1923, the monarchy was abolished and the Republic of Turkey established in its place.
Khmer Empire
629 years (802 AD -1431 AD)
Not everyone has heard of the existence of the Khmer Empire, which is one of the oldest state entities in history. The Khmer Empire was formed as a result of the unification of the Khmer tribes living in the 8th century AD. in Indochina. During its highest power, the Khmer Empire included the territories of Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos. But its rulers did not calculate the gigantic costs of building temples and palaces, which gradually devastated the treasury. The weakened state in the first half of the 15th century finally finished off the invasion of the Thai tribes that had begun.
Kanem
676 years (700 AD -1376 AD)
Despite the fact that individually African tribes do not pose a danger, united, they can create a strong and warlike state. This is how the Kanem Empire was formed, located for almost 700 years on the territory of modern Libya, Nigeria and Chad.
Territory of Kanem | commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kanem-Bornu.svg The reason for the fall of a strong empire was internal strife after the death of the last emperor, who had no heirs. Taking advantage of this, various tribes located on the borders invaded the empire from different sides, hastening its fall. The surviving indigenous people were forced to leave the cities and return to a nomadic way of life.
Holy Roman Empire
844 (962 AD - 1806 AD)
The Holy Roman Empire is not the same Roman Empire whose iron legions captured almost the entire world known to ancient Europe. The Holy Roman Empire was not even located in Italy, but on the territory of modern Germany, Austria, Holland, the Czech Republic and part of Italy. The unification of the lands took place in 962, and the new Empire was intended to be a continuation of the Western Roman Empire. The European order and discipline allowed this state to exist for eight and a half centuries, while the complex system of state administration, degraded, weakened the central authority, which led to the decline and collapse of the Holy Roman Empire.
Kingdom of Silla
992 (57 BC - 935 AD)
At the end of the first century BC. on the Korean peninsula, three kingdoms fought desperately for a place under the sun, one of which - Silla - managed to defeat its enemies, annexed their lands and founded a powerful dynasty that lasted almost a thousand years, which ingloriously disappeared in the fires of civil war.
994 (980 AD -1974 AD)
We often think that before the arrival of European colonizers, Africa was a completely wild area inhabited by primitive tribes. But on the African continent, there was a place for an empire that existed for almost a thousand years! Founded in 802 by the united Ethiopian tribes, the empire did not “hold out” 6 years before its millennium, disintegrating as a result of a coup d'état.
1100 years (697 AD - 1797 AD)
The Most Serene Republic of Venice with its capital Venice was founded in 697 due to the forced unification of communities against the troops of the Lombards - Germanic tribes who settled in the upper reaches of Italy during the Great Migration of Nations. The extremely favorable geographical position at the crossroads of most trade routes immediately made the Republic one of the richest and most influential states in Europe. However, the discovery of America and the sea route to India was the beginning of the end for this state. The volume of goods entering Europe through Venice decreased - merchants began to prefer more convenient and safe sea routes. The Republic of Venice finally ceased to exist in 1797, when the troops of Napoleon Bonaparte occupied Venice without resistance.
papal states
1118 years (752 AD - 1870 AD)
Papal States | Wikipedia After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the influence of Christianity in Europe increased more and more: influential people accepted Christianity, whole lands were given to churches, donations were made. The day was not far off when the Catholic Church would gain political power in Europe: this happened in 752, when the Frankish king Pepin the Short gave the pope a large area in the center of the Apennine Peninsula. Since then, the power of the popes has fluctuated depending on the place of religion in European society: from absolute power in the Middle Ages, to a gradual loss of influence closer to the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1870, the lands of the Papal States came under the control of Italy, and only the Vatican, a city-state in Rome, remained for the Catholic Church.
Kingdom of Kush
about 1200 years (9th century BC - 350 AD)
The Kingdom of Kush has always been in the shadow of another state - Egypt, which at all times has attracted the attention of historians and chroniclers. Located in the northern part of modern Sudan, the state of Kush posed a serious danger to its neighbors, and during its heyday controlled almost the entire territory of Egypt. We do not know the detailed history of the kingdom of Kush, but the chronicles note that in 350 Kush was conquered by the Aksumite kingdom.
The Roman Empire
1480 years (27 BC - 1453 AD)
Rome is an eternal place on seven hills! At least, that's what the inhabitants of the Western Roman Empire thought: it seemed that the eternal city would never fall before the onslaught of enemies. But times have changed: after the civil war and the founding of the empire, 500 years have passed, and Rome was conquered by the invading Germanic tribes, marking the fall of the western part of the empire. However, the Eastern Roman Empire, often referred to as Byzantium, continued to exist until 1453, when Constantinople fell under the pressure of the Turks.
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10
- Square: 13 million km 2
- Highest Bloom: 720 - 750
A feudal state that existed from 661 to 750. The ruling dynasty is the Umayyads. The capital was in Damascus. The head of state is the caliph. Spiritual and secular power was concentrated in his hands, which was inherited. The Umayyad Caliphate continued the aggressive policy of the Righteous Caliphate and conquered North Africa, part of the Iberian Peninsula, Central Asia, Sindh, Tabaristan and Jurjan.
9
- Square: 13 million km 2
- Highest Bloom: 557
One of the largest ancient states in the history of mankind in Asia, created by the tribes of the Turks, 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, Sasanian Iran, the Chinese states of Northern Zhou, Northern Qi were tributaries of the Kaganate since 576, and from the same year the Turkic Kaganate seized the North Caucasus and Crimea from Byzantium.
8
- Square: 14 million km 2
- Highest Bloom: 1310
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 Revolt of 1351-1368.
7
- Square: 14.5 million km2
- Highest Bloom: 1721
The official name of the Russian state in the period from 1547 to 1721. The predecessor of the Russian kingdom was Specific Russia, as well as the Moscow principality. In 1547, Prince Ivan IV (the Terrible) was crowned the first Russian tsar. He dissolved all the destinies and declared himself the only king. The Russian kingdom thus received centralized control and hope for stability in the country.
6
- Square: 14.7 million km2
- Highest Bloom: 1790
It was the last imperial dynasty of China. She ruled the country from 1644 to 1912 with a brief restoration in 1917 (the latter lasted only 11 days). The Qing era was preceded by the Ming dynasty and followed by the Republic of China. The multicultural Qing Empire existed for almost three centuries and formed the territorial base for the modern Chinese state. Qing China reached its greatest extent in the 18th century, when it extended its power over 18 traditional provinces, as well as the territories of modern Northeast China, Inner Mongolia, Outer Mongolia, Xinjiang and Tibet.
5
- Square: 20 million km 2
- Highest Bloom: 1790
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 the end of the 20th century.
4
- Square: 22.4 million km2
- Highest Bloom: 1945 - 1991
A state that existed from 1922 to 1991 on the territory of Eastern Europe, Northern, parts of Central and Eastern 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.
3
- Square: 23.7 million km2
- Highest Bloom: 1866
It was the largest continental monarchy that ever existed. According to the general census of 1897, the population was 129 million people. During the February Revolution of 1917, the monarchy collapses. During the Civil War of 1918-1921, a general collapse of statehood occurs, up to 80 short-lived states are formed on the territory of the former Russian Empire, by 1924 most of this territory is united in the USSR.
2
- Square: 38 million km 2
- Highest Bloom: 1265 - 1361
A state that emerged in the 13th century as a result of the conquests of Genghis Khan and his successors and included the largest contiguous territory in world history from the Danube to the Sea of Japan and from Novgorod to Southeast Asia. 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.
1
- Square: 42.75 million km2
- Highest Bloom: 1918
The largest ever existing state in the history of mankind with colonies on all inhabited continents. The total population of the empire was approximately 480 million people. The United Kingdom currently retains sovereignty over 14 territories outside the British Isles. In 2002, they received the status of British Overseas Territories. Some of these areas are uninhabited. The rest are self-governing to varying degrees and depend on the UK for foreign affairs and defence.
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 the modern so-called empires of the United States and the Soviet Union. Below is a ranking of the ten greatest empires in the world.
At the height of its power (XVI-XVII), the Ottoman Empire was located on three continents at once, controlling most of Southeast Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. It consisted of 29 provinces and numerous vassal states, some of which were later absorbed into the empire. The Ottoman Empire has been at the center of interaction between the Eastern and Western worlds for six centuries. In 1922, the Ottoman Empire ceased to exist.
The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the four Islamic Caliphates (system of government) established after the death of Muhammad. The empire under the rule of the Umayyad dynasty covered more than five million square kilometers, making it one of the largest in the world, as well as the largest Arab-Muslim empire ever established in history.
Persian Empire (Achaemenid)
The Persian Empire basically unified all of Central Asia, which consisted of many different cultures, kingdoms, empires and tribes. It was the largest empire in ancient history. At the peak of its power, the empire covered about 8 million square kilometers.
The Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire was part of the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages. The permanent capital and civilizational center of the Byzantine Empire was Constantinople. During its existence (more than a thousand years), the empire remained one of the most powerful economic, cultural and military forces in Europe despite setbacks and loss of territory, especially during the Roman-Persian and Byzantine-Arab wars. The Empire received a mortal blow in 1204 on the Fourth Crusade.
The Han Dynasty is considered a golden age in Chinese history in terms of scientific advancement, technological progress, economic, cultural and political stability. Even to this day, most Chinese call themselves the Han people. Today, the Han people are considered the largest ethnic group in the world. The dynasty ruled China for nearly 400 years.
The British Empire covered more than 13 million square kilometers, which is about a quarter of the earth's landmass of our planet. The population of the empire was approximately 480 million people (approximately one-fourth of humanity). The British Empire is by far one of the most powerful empires that has ever existed in human history.
In the Middle Ages, the Holy Roman Empire was considered the "superpower" of its time. It consisted of eastern France, all of Germany, northern Italy, and part of western Poland. It was officially dissolved on August 6, 1806, after which there appeared: Switzerland, Holland, the Austrian Empire, Belgium, the Prussian Empire, the Principalities of Liechtenstein, the Confederation of the Rhine and the first French Empire.
The Russian Empire existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution in 1917. She was the heir to the kingdom of Russia, and the forerunner of the Soviet Union. The Russian Empire was the third largest of the ever-existing states, second only to the British and Mongolian empires.
It all started when Temujin (later known as Genghis Khan, considered one of the most brutal rulers in history) vowed in his youth to bring the world to its knees. The Mongol Empire was the largest adjacent empire in human history. The capital of the state was the city of Karakorum. The Mongols were fearless and ruthless warriors, but they had little experience in managing such a vast territory, which caused the Mongol Empire to quickly fall.
Ancient Rome made a great contribution to the development of law, art, literature, architecture, technology, religion and language in the Western world. In fact, many historians consider the Roman Empire to be the "ideal empire" because it was powerful, fair, long-lived, large, well-defended, and economically advanced. The calculation showed that from its foundation to the fall, a whopping 2214 years passed. It follows from this that the Roman Empire is the greatest empire of the ancient world.
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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 of the largest empires in history, the Roman one occupies only the 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 13th century, the Caliphate, torn apart by internal conflicts, was 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 western coast of the 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, Sasanian Iran, the Chinese states of Northern Zhou, Northern Qi were tributaries of the Kaganate since 576, and from the same year the Turkic Kaganate seized the North Caucasus and Crimea from Byzantium.
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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
