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This is an alphabetical list of empires. The table may be resorted by other columns if your browser supports this function.

Contents: Top · 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Empire Origin Capital From To Duration Note
Abbasid Caliphate[citation needed] Iraq Baghdad 750 1258 508 Successor of the Umayyad Caliphate, See also Islamic Empire.
Abd al-Wadid Dynasty[citation needed] Algeria Tlemcen 1235 1556 321
Achaemenid Empire Persia Various, including Pasargadae, Ecbatana, Persepolis, Susa, Babylon 550 BC 330 BC 220 Second Persian Empire,The largest in Classical Antiquity, Founded by Cyrus the Great.
Afsharid Dynasty[citation needed] Persia Mashhad 1736 1796 60
Akkadian Empire Sumer Akkad 2300 BC 2200 BC 100
Aksumite Empire Ethiopia Axum c. 100 c. 940 840 Succeeded by the Ethiopian Empire.
Almohad Dynasty[citation needed] Morocco Marrakech, Seville 1121 1269 148
Almoravid Dynasty[citation needed] Morocco Aghmat (1040-1062) Marrakech, Córdoba (1062-1147) 1040 1147 107
Angevin Empire[citation needed] England, France No official capital. Court was generally held at Angers and Chinon 1154 1242 88
Armenian Empire Armenia Tigranakert 190 BC 428 618 Tigranes the Great took the title king of kings.
Ashanti Empire West Africa Kumasi 1670 1902 372
Assyrian Empire Mesopotamia Assur, later Nineveh 1920 BC 609 BC 1311 Exact origin at Upper Tigris river. See also Neo-Assyrian Empire.
Athenian Empire Ancient Greece Delos island 478 BC 404 BC 74 Also known as Delian League. It was an association of Greek city-states.
Second Athenian Empire Ancient Greece Athens 378 BC 355 BC 23 Second Athenian Empire, headed by Athens primarily for self-defense against the growth of Sparta and the Persian Empire.
Austrian Empire Austria Vienna 1804 1867 63 Preceded by the Holy Roman Empire.
Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria, Hungary Vienna and Budapest 1867 1918 51 Preceded by the Austrian Empire.
Ayyubid Dynasty[citation needed] Middle East Cairo, Damascus, Hama 1171 1341 170 Founded by Saladin, See also Islamic Empire.
Aztec Empire Mesoamerica Tenochtitlan 1325 1521 196 The capital of Mexico, Mexico City, is built on the ruins of Tenochtitlan.
Babylonian Empire Mesopotamia Babylon 1900 BC 1600 BC 300 See also Neo-Babylonian Empire.
Balhae Empire Northern part of Korean Peninsula, Manchuria Sanggyeong 698 926 228 Successor of the Goguryeo Empire.
Belgian Colonial Empire Belgium Brussels 1901 1962 61 Overseas possessions were referred to as "the colonies" rather than an empire.
Bornu Empire Nigeria Ngazargamu 1387 1893 517 The continuation of the Kanem Empire.
Brazilian Empire Brazil Rio de Janeiro 1822 1889 67 Established when the Portuguese Royal Family went into exile in Brazil after the French occupation of Portugal.
Britannic Empire Britain Londinium 286 296 10 Was a break-away state of the Roman Empire. See also Carausian Revolt.
British Empire Britain London 1603 1997 396 End of Empire was formally recognized with the end of British presence in Hong Kong. Was the largest Empire in world history.
First Bulgarian Empire Balkans Pliska, (680-893) Preslav, (893-972) Skopie, (972-992) Ohrid (992-1018) 680 1018 338 Founded by Khan Asparukh. Under Tsar Simeon I became the first powerful Slavic Empire. Falls to the Byzantine Empire under Emperor Basil II.
Second Bulgarian Empire Balkans Tarnovo 1185 1422 237 Successor of the First Bulgarian Empire. Under the Tsars Kaloyan and Ivan Asen II became the most powerful state in the Balkans.
Buyid Dynasty[citation needed] Persia Shiraz 934 1055 121
Byzantine Empire Byzantine Greece Constantinople 330 1453 1123 Term conventionally used since the 19th century to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.
Caliphate of Córdoba[citation needed] Iberian Peninsula Córdoba 756 1031 325 See also Islamic Empire.
Carthaginian Empire North Africa Carthage 650 BC 146 BC 504
Central African Empire Central African Republic Bangui 1976 1979 3 President Jean-Bédel Bokassa declared himself Emperor Bokassa I.
Chagatai Khanate[citation needed] Transoxania Almalik, Qarshi 1225 1687 462 State of the Mongol Empire.
Chalukya Dynasty[citation needed] India Badami 543 753 210
Chera Dynasty[citation needed] Southern India Vanchi Muthur 300 BC 300 600 A Tamil Empire.
Empire of China China Beijing 1915 1916 1 Was a short-lived attempt by Yuan Shikai to reinstate the Imperial Monarchy.
Chinese Empire China Various, including Beijing, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Luoyang, Xi'an, Kaifeng, Zhengzhou 221 BC 1912 2133 Weakened by Western Empires, and the court reluctance for reform, China became a republic in 1912, but continues to occupy most of the area occupied by the Qing dynasty.
Chola Dynasty[citation needed] Southern India Various, including Poompuhar, Urayur, Pazhaiyaarai, Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram 300s BC 1279 1600 A Tamil Empire.
Danish Colonial Empire Denmark Copenhagen 13th century 1953 753 See also List of former Danish colonies.
Delhi Sultanate[citation needed] Indian Subcontinent Delhi 1206 1527 321
Durrani Empire Afghanistan Kandahar and Kabul 1747 1823 76
Dutch Colonial Empire Netherlands Amsterdam 1620 1954 334 See also Dutch East India Company and Dutch West India Company.
Egyptian Empire Egypt Various, including Thebes, Akhetaten, Pi-Ramesses, Memphis 1570 BC 1070 BC 500 See also 18th Dynasty, 19th Dynasty & 20th Dynasty.
Ethiopian Empire Ethiopia Addis Ababa 1137 1974 837
Fatimid Caliphate[citation needed] Egypt Mahdia, (909-969) Cairo (969-1171) 909 1171 262 See also Islamic Empire.
First French Empire France Paris 1804 1814 10
First French Colonial Empire France Paris 1605 1803 198
Second French Empire France Paris 1852 1870 18
Second French Colonial Empire France Paris 1830 1960 130
Frankish Empire France Various, including Soissons, Paris, Reims, Orléans, Metz & Aachen 3rd century 10th century 700
Gallic Empire Rhineland-Palatinate Colonia Agrippina 260 274 14 Broke off from the Roman Empire during the Crisis of the Third Century.
German Empire Germany Berlin 1871 1918 47 See also German Colonial Empire.
Ghana Empire Mauritania, and Western Mali Koumbi Saleh 790 1240 550 The Empire became known in Europe and Arabia as the "Ghana Empire" by the title of its ruler (meaning "Warrior King").
Ghaznavid Dynasty[citation needed] Afghanistan Ghazni later Lahore 963 1187 224
Ghurid Dynasty[citation needed] Afghanistan Firuzkuh 1148 1215 67
Goguryeo Empire Northern part of Korean Peninsula, Manchuria Jolbon, Gungnae, Pyongyang 37 BC 668 705 Predecessor of the Balhae Empire.
Göktürk Khaganate[citation needed] Inner Asia Ötüken 552 747 195 552-603 First empire, 603-658 Double empire, 658-681 Dark age, 681-747 Second empire.
Golden Horde[citation needed] Central Asia Sarai Batu 1240s 1502 260 Break-away state of the Mongol Empire.
Grand Duchy of Lithuania[citation needed] Lithuania Vilnius 12th/13th century 1795 595 Was the largest state in Europe in the 15th century.
Empire of Great Fulo Senegal Tekrur 1514 1776 262
Greater German Reich[citation needed] Germany Berlin, (1933-1945) Flensburg (1945) 1933 1945 12 Nazi Germany signed a treaty (Tripartite Pact) with the Japanese and Italian Empires.
Great Manchu Empire Manchuria Hsinking 1932 1945 13 Created as a Puppet state of the Japanese Empire, with Emperor Puyi (the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty) installed as nominal regent and emperor.
Great Moravian Empire Central Europe Mikulčice-Valy 833 900 67 The word "Moravia" did not refer only to present-day Moravia.
Great Seljuq Empire Aral Sea, Asia Minor, Persia Nishapur and later on Rey 1037 1194 157 Turkish empire, Predessor of the Sultanate of Rum.
Gupta Empire Indian Subcontinent Pataliputra 320 550 230
Empire of Haiti North America Port-au-Prince 1804 1806 2

First Haitian Empire, Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared himself Emperor Jacques I.
Empire of Haiti North America Port-au-Prince 1849 1859 10

Second Haitian Empire, Faustin Soulouque is proclaimed Emperor Faustin I.
Han Dynasty[citation needed] China Chang'an, Luoyang, Xuchang 206 BC 220 426
Empire of Harsha Northern India Kannauj 606 647 41 Founded by Harshavardhana, collapsed after his death.
Hephthalite Empire Afghanistan Kabul 420 567 147
Hittite Empire Anatolia Hattusa 1460 BC 1180 BC 280 See also Neo-Hittite.
Holy Roman Empire Central Europe Not specified 962 1806 844 Officially known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation from 1512 on.
Hotaki Dynasty[citation needed] Afghanistan Isfahan 1709 1738 29
Hoysala Empire India Belur, Halebidu 1026 1343 317
Hunnic Empire Eurasia Not specified 370 469 199
Ilkhanate[citation needed] Persia Maragheh, Tabriz, and Soltaniyeh 1256 1335 79 State of the Mongol Empire.
Imperial State of Iran Persia Tehran 1925 1979 64 Was the last Imperial dynasty of Iran.
Inca Empire (Tawantinsuyo) Andes (Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, parts of Chile, Argentina and Colombia) Cusco 1438 1533 95 The largest empire in pre-Columbian America.
Indian Empire Indian Subcontinent Calcutta, (1858-1912) New Delhi (1912-1947) 1858 1947 89 Queen Victora was proclaimed Empress of India in 1876.
Irish Empire Ireland Armagh 1005 1014 9 Brian Boru is declared "Imperator Scottorum" or "Emperor of the Irish".
Italian Colonial Empire Italy Rome 1885 1943 58 See also Greater Italy.
Japanese Empire Japan Tokyo 1868 1945 77 Emperor's government took control of the country in 1868. Regional hegemony in East Asia ended in 1945.
Jin Dynasty (265–420)[citation needed] China Luoyang, (265-311) Chang'an, (312-316) Jiankang (317-420) 265 420 155 Subdivided into two dynasties. Western Jìn Dynasty, (265-316) Eastern Jìn Dynasty (317-420).
Jin Dynasty (1115–1234)[citation needed] Northern China, Manchuria Huining, Zhongdu, Kaifeng 1115 1234 119 Also known as the Jurchens, were the ancestors of the Manchus who established the Qing Dynasty.
Kanem Empire Chad Njimi 700 1387 687
Kara-Khanid Khanate[citation needed] Turkistan Kashgar 840 1212 372 First Turkic dynasty to embrace Islam.
Khazar Khaganate[citation needed] Pontic steppe, North Caucassus Balanjar, later Atil 7th century 10th century 300 Founded by Western Turks, the members of the royal family embaced Judaism.
Khmer Empire Cambodia Hariharalaya, (802-889) Yasodharapura (889-1431) 802 1431 629 Succeeded from the kingdom of Chenla.
Khilji Dynasty[citation needed] Afghanistan Kabul, and Delhi 1290 1320 30
Khwarezmid Dynasty[citation needed] Persia Urgench 1077 1221 144
Korean Empire Korean Peninsula Hanseong 1897 1910 13
Kushan Empire Afghanistan Various, including Mathura, Peshawar, Begram, Taxila 105 250 145
Kushite Empire Egypt, Nubia Not specified 760 BC 656 BC 96
Latin Empire Thrace, Asia Minor Constantinople 1204 1261 57 See also Latinokratia.
Liao Dynasty[citation needed] China Shangjing 915 1125 210
Lodi Sultanate[citation needed] Afghanistan Delhi 1451 1526 85
Macedonian Empire Hellenistic Greece Pella 334 BC 323 BC 11 Founded by Alexander the Great.
Majapahit Empire Malay Archipelago Majapahit, Wilwatikta 1293 1527 234
Mali Empire West Africa Niani later Ka-ba 1235 1610 375 A Mandinka empire founded by Sundiata Keita.
Mamluk Sultanate[citation needed] Egypt, Syria Cairo 1250 1517 267 See also Islamic Empire.
Maratha Empire Indian Subcontinent Raigad, then later Pune 1674 1820 148 Founded by Shivaji Maharaj, also known as the Maratha Confederacy.
Mauryan Empire Ancient India Pataliputra 321 BC 185 BC 136 Founded by Chandragupta Maurya. Ashoka the Great transformed it into the first Buddhist empire.
Median Empire Persia Ecbatana 625 BC 549 BC 76 First Persian Empire, Founded by Deioces.
First Mexican Empire Mexico Mexico City 1821 1823 2 Preceded the Second Mexican Empire which was short lived (1864–1867). See also Mexican Imperial Orders.
Second Mexican Empire Mexico Mexico City 1864 1867 3 Succeeded the First Mexican Empire which was short lived (1821–1823). See also Mexican Imperial Orders.
Micronesian Empire Micronesia, Pacific Ocean Yap 10th century 15th century 500 A decentralized chieftainship under the dominant influence of Gachapar village in Yap Island.
Ming Dynasty[citation needed] China Nanjing, (1368-1421) Beijing (1421-1644) 1368 1644 276
Mongol Empire Mongolia Karakorum 1206 1368 162 Split into four empires (Yuan Empire, Ilkhanate, Chagatai Khanate and Golden Horde).
Mughal Empire India, Pakistan Agra and Delhi 1526 1858 332 Founded by Babur. "Mughal" is a Persian word for the Mongols.
Nanda Empire Indian Subcontinent Pataliputra 5th century BC 4th century BC 100 Dravidian Empire.
Neo-Assyrian Empire Mesopotamia Assur, later Nineveh 934 BC 609 BC 325 See also Assyrian Empire.
Neo-Babylonian Empire Mesopotamia Babylon 626 BC 539 BC 87 See also Babylonian Empire.
Nguyễn Dynasty[citation needed] Vietnam Phú Xuân 1802 1945 143 Was the last ruling Vietnamese Dynasty.
Empire of Nicaea Bithynia Nicaea 1204 1261 57 Successor state of the Byzantine Empire.
Northern Yuan Khaganate[citation needed] Mongolia Shangdu, Yingchang, Karakorum 1368 1635 267 Created after the expulsion of the Yuan Dynasty from China in 1368.
Norwegian Empire Scandinavia Not specified ? ? ?
Ottoman Empire Anatolia Söğüt, Bursa, Edirne and lastly Constantinople 1299 1922 623 Predecessor of the Republic of Turkey.
Oyo Empire Southwestern Nigeria Oyo-Ile 1400 1905 505
Pala Empire Bengal Pataliputra 750 1174 424
Palmyrene Empire Syria Palmyra 260 273 13 Broke off from the Roman Empire during the Crisis of the Third Century.
Pandyan Empire India Madurai 1st century AD 14th century 1300 Considered by contemporary historians as being the richest country in the world.
Parthian Empire Persia Various, including Asaak, Hecatompylos, Ecbatana, Ctesiphon, Nisa 247 BC 224 471 Third Persian Empire, Founded by Arsaces I.
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth[citation needed] Poland, Lithuania Warsaw, Vilnius 1569 1795 226 Was formed by the Union of Lublin in 1569, between the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
Portuguese Empire Portugal Lisbon, Rio de Janeiro (1815-1821) 1415 1999 584 Was the earliest and longest lived of the colonial Western European empires. See also United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves.
Ptolemaic Empire Egypt Alexandria 305 BC 30 BC 275 See also Diadochi.
Qajar Dynasty[citation needed] Persia Tehran 1794 1925 131
Qin Dynasty[citation needed] China Xianyang 221 BC 206 BC 15 First dynasty of the Imperial Period.
Qing Dynasty[citation needed] China Shenyang, Beijing 1644 1912 268 Last dynasty of the Imperial Period.
Rashidun Caliph[citation needed] Saudi Arabia Medina later to Kufa 632 661 29 Predecessor of the Umayyad Caliphate, See also Islamic Empire.
Rashtrakuta Dynasty[citation needed] India Manyakheta 753 982 239
Roman Empire Italy Rome 509 BC/[NB 1] 27 BC 476(West)/1453(East) 1961 See also Byzantine Empire and Western Roman Empire.
Rouran Khaganate[citation needed] Inner China Not specified 330 555 275
Russian Empire Russia Saint Petersburg 1721 1917 196 Successor state of the Tsardom of Russia.
Safavid Dynasty[citation needed] Persia Tabriz, Qazvin, Esfahan 1501 1736 235
Saffarid Dynasty[citation needed] Afghanistan Zaranj 861 1003 152
Sassanid Dynasty[citation needed] Persia Ctesiphon 224 651 427 Fourth Persian Empire.
Satavahana Dynasty[citation needed] India Kotilingala 230 BC 220 450
Samanid Dynasty[citation needed] Persia Balkh, Bukhara 819 999 180
Scandinavian Empire Scandinavia Not specified 1016 1035 19 See also Viking expansion.
Seleucid Empire Persia, Mesopotamia, Syria Seleucia, then Antioch 312 BC 63 BC 249 See also Diadochi.
Serbian Empire Serbia Skopje, Prizren 1346 1371 25 Founded by Stephen Uroš IV (Dušan the Mighty), fell into feudal disarray after his death.
Shu Empire China Chengdu 221 263 42 See also Three Kingdoms.
Sikh Empire Punjab region Amritsar 1733 1849 116 Preceded the British Empire in the Indian subcontinent.
Song Dynasty[citation needed] China Bianjing, (960-1127) Lin'an (1127-1279) 960 1279 319
Songhai Empire West Africa Gao 1340 1591 251 Former vassal of the Mali Empire which became one of the largest African empires in history.
Spanish Empire Iberian Peninsula Madrid 1402 1975 573 Was founded with the recapture of the Canary Islands from the Moors. Was one of the first global empires.
Sui Dynasty[citation needed] China Chang'an 581 618 137
Sunga Empire Indian Subcontinent Pataliputra, Vidisa 185 BC 73 BC 112 Magadha dynasty that controlled North-central and Eastern India.
Swedish Empire Scandinavia Stockholm 1611 1718 107 See also Swedish overseas colonies.
Tahirid Dynasty[citation needed] Persia Nishapur 821 873 52
Tang Dynasty[citation needed] China Chang'an, (618-904) Luoyang (904-907) 618 907 289 Founded By Li Yuan (aka. Emperor Gaozu of Tang).
Tay Son Dynasty[citation needed] Vietnam Thanglong 1778 1802 24 The empire is the glory of Emperor Quang Trung.
Tibetan Empire Tibet Lhasa 7th century 11th century 400
Timurid Empire Persia and Central Asia Samarkand and later on Herat 1370 1526 156 Persianized form of the Mongolian word kürügän,Turko-Mongol Emrire.
Empire of Trebizond Black Sea Trebizond 1204 1461 257 Successor state of the Byzantine Empire.
Tu'i Tonga Empire Tonga, Pacific Ocean Mu'a 900 1700 800 See History of Tonga.
Turgesh Khaganate[citation needed] Turkistan Balasagun 699 766 67 Founded as a succesor of West Turkish empire.
Umayyad Caliphate[citation needed] Syria Damascus, Córdoba (Capital-in-exile) 661 750 89 Successor of the Rashidun Caliphate, See also Islamic Empire.
Ur III Empire Sumer Ur 2100 BC 2000 BC 100 The dynasty/empire is also known as the Sumerian Renaissance.
Uyghur Khaganate[citation needed] Central Asia Ordubaliq 742 848 106 742-848 Founded as a succesor of Göktürk Khaganate, 848-1036 Gansu state, 856-1209 Turfan state.
Empire of Vietnam Vietnam Huế March 11, 1945 August 23, 1945 166 days Was a short-lived Puppet state of the Japanese Empire.
Vijayanagara Empire South India Vijayanagara 1336 1646 310 The founding of the original kingdom was based on the principality of Anegondi.
Wari Empire Peru, Bolivia Huari/Tiwanaku 500 1100 600 It is a matter of conflict as to whether it was a real organized state that could be called an empire. If so, it would be considered the first empire in the Americas.
Wei Empire China Luoyang 220 265 45 See also Three Kingdoms.
Western Chalukya Empire South India Manyakheta, Basavakalyan 973 1189 212
Western Roman Empire Italy Mediolanum, Ravenna 395 476 129 The western half of the Roman Empire.
Eastern Wu[citation needed] China Wuchang, Jianye 229 280 51 See also Three Kingdoms.
Western Xia Dynasty[citation needed] China, Inner Mongolia, Outer Mongolia Xingqing 1038 1227 189 Also called the Tangut Dynasty.
Xin Dynasty[citation needed] China Chang'an 9 23 14 The Xin Dynasty had only one ruling Emperor.
Yuan Dynasty[citation needed] China, Mongolia Dadu 1271 1368 97 State of the Mongol Empire, the emperor of Yuan was also emperor of all the Mongol Empire (until 1300s).
Zand Dynasty[citation needed] Persia Shiraz 1750 1794 44
Zulu Empire West Zimbabwe and South Africa KwaBulawayo later Ulundi 1818 1897 79

Notes

  1. ^ Roman Republic

References

  • Hunt, L. et al. (1995). Challenge of the West: Peoples & Cultures from the Stone Age to the Global Age. D. C. Heath and Company: Lexington, MA.
  • Black, J. et al. (2004). World History Atlas: Mapping the Human Journey. Dorling Kindersley: New York, NY.

See also








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