Empire

:For alternative meanings, see Empire (disambiguation)

Empires throughout history

The modern term "empire" derives from the Latin imperium, a word coined in what became possibly the most famous example of this sort of political structure, the Roman Empire founded in 31 BC. The first empire, however, was the empire created by Sargon in Mesopotamia. For many centuries, the term "Empire" in the West applied exclusively to states which considered themselves to be successors to the Roman Empire, such as the Byzantine Empire, the Holy Roman Empire, or, later, the Russian Empire ruled from the "Third Rome" (Moscow). When the two Empires split (Eastern and Western); the Eastern was usurped by the Bulgarian (three times) and Serbian Tsarinates (empires). The Western fell, only to be inherited by the Frankish Empire of Charlemagne. Later, The Holy Roman Empire inherited western Imperialism. In 1204, when Constantinople fell, the western Crusaders created a Latin Empire in Constantinople, while the descendents of the Byzantine (Eastern) Empire went to Asia minor and split to two smaller empires: Niceia and Trebizond. The Byzantine Empire was reconstructed and the Trebizondine fell to the Ottomans. After Eastern Imperialism ended in 1453, it would not be until Peter the Great's crowning in newly constructed St. Petersburg as Czar of Russia that the Eastern Orthodox Imperialism would be rebuilt. The Western Empire was inherited by the Austrian Empire, later known as the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy which ceased to exist in 1918. There were two attempts by Napoleon I and Napoleon III to seize the Western Imperial claim for France. Western Imperialism would also be usurped in the period of 1878-1918 by the German Empire. Over time, other monarchies which viewed themselves as greater in size and power than mere kingdoms used the name or its translation. In 1056, King Ferdinand I of Leon, king also of Castile (peripheral principalities in Europe at the time) proclaimed himself "Emperor of Spain", beginning the Reconquista. Bulgaria furnishes another example). Europeans came to apply the term "empire" to large non-European monarchies, such as the Empire of China or the Mughul (or Mogul) Empire, and to extend it to past policies. The word eventually came to apply loosely to any entity meeting the criteria, whether kings governed or not, even whether a monarchy or not. In some cases synonyms of empire such as tsardom, realm or reich occur.

Related Topics:
Latin - Imperium - Roman Empire - Byzantine Empire - Holy Roman Empire - Russian Empire - 1204 - 1453 - Monarchy - 1918 - Napoleon I - Napoleon III - 1878 - German Empire - Kingdom - 1056 - Ferdinand I of Leon - Reconquista - Bulgaria - Empire of China - Mughul (or Mogul) Empire - Tsar - Realm - Reich

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The actual political concept predates the Romans by several hundred years: empires began to appear soon after the first cities made the necessary administrative structures possible. The Akkadian Empire of Sargon of Akkad furnishes one of the earliest known examples.

Related Topics:
Romans - Akkadian Empire - Sargon of Akkad

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Empires can accrete around different types of state. They have traditionally originated as powerful monarchies under the rule of a hereditary (or in some cases, self-appointed) emperor, but the so-called empires of Athens, Britain and the United States developed under democratic auspices. Brazil leapt from colonial to self-declared empire status in 1822. France has twice made the transition from republic to empire.

Related Topics:
State - Monarchies - Rule - Emperor - Athens - United States - Democratic - Brazil

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Historically, most empires came into being as the result of a militarily strong state conquering other states and incorporating them into a larger political union. Typically, a monarchy or an oligarchy rooted in the original core territory would continue to dominate this union. Many ancient empires maintained control of their subject peoples by controlling the supply of a vital resource, usually water; historians refer to such régimes as "hydraulic empires". The introduction of a common religion also often strengthened empires, as occurred (pace Edward Gibbon) with the adoption of Christianity under Constantine I of the Roman Empire. And cultural influence played a large part in the survival of the Chinese empire and of its semi-imperial sphere of influence.

Related Topics:
Oligarchy - Hydraulic empire - Religion - Edward Gibbon - Christianity - Constantine I of the Roman Empire - Chinese empire - Sphere of influence

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An empire can mutate into some other form of polity. Thus the Bernese empire of conquest no longer appears so imperial, but its territories have become absorbed into the canton of Bern or become cantons or parts of cantons elsewhere in the Swiss Confederation. The Holy Roman Empire, itself in a sense a re-constitution of the Roman Empire, underwent many transformations in its long history, fissuring extensively, experimenting with federalism and re-constituting itself as the Austrian Empire - vastly different in nature and in territory. The former second British Empire has spawned a loose multi-national Commonwealth of Nations, and the old French colonial empire has also left traces of its existence in cultural networks and associations. The Soviet Empire leaves behind it the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Related Topics:
Polity - Bern - Canton of Bern - Swiss Confederation - Holy Roman Empire - Roman Empire - Austrian Empire - British Empire - Commonwealth of Nations - French colonial empire - Soviet Empire - Commonwealth of Independent States

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An Emperor-based empire can readily become (say) a republic by means of a coup (Brazil, 1889; Central African Empire, 1979); or it can become a republic with its dominions reduced to a core territory (Germany (1918 - 1919), Ottoman Empire (1918 - 1923)). The breakup of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918 provides an example of a multi-ethnic superstate fissuring into multiple constituent or new parts: the republics, kingdoms or provinces of Austria, Hungary, Transylvania, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Czechoslovakia, Ruthenia, Galicia...

Related Topics:
Republic - Coup - Brazil - Central African Empire - Germany - Ottoman Empire - Austro-Hungarian Empire - Austria - Hungary - Transylvania - Croatia - Slovenia - Bosnia-Herzegovina - Czechoslovakia - Ruthenia - Galicia

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The world's largest contiguous land empire was the Mongol Empire, created by Genghis Khan in 1206. It encompassed huge portion of Eurasia under Mongol rule. The Mongol Empire was governed by specific written code by Genghis Khan called Yasa. The Mongol Empire was governed by kurultai, and there was freedom of religion, tax exemption and extensive trade routes that were nurtured by the Khan. For example, the Mongol Empire provided political stability to the Silk Road. Other famous empires include the Persians empire. The Persians had numerous great empires, and are not usually know for a particular one, both pre and post islamic Persia had powerful empires. The Macedonians had one great empire, led by Alexander the Great.

Related Topics:
Mongol Empire - Genghis Khan - 1206 - Eurasia - Mongol - Yasa - Kurultai - Freedom of religion - Silk Road

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