What is an empire? Examples from history

Today we will try to understand what an empire is. This term is often used in the modern world, but it had an entirely different meaning in antiquity. And also consider examples of empires that once existed on our land.

Some terminology

Most often today this term is used in figurative meaning. What is an empire for modern man? It is a giant monopoly that controls the whole industry of some kind of activity. It dictates its own rules, sets its own prices, and competitors, as they say, destroy in the bud. There are many examples: a newspaper empire, a hotel empire, an empire in the world of sportswear.

What is the empire for historians? This is a political entity, a super-state, which includes different peoples, countries, communities. They are united either by religion, or ideology, or by ethnic features, or by economics, or by force. Often, such a state included colonies.

It has the main city - the so-called capital of the empire, in which the monarch, called the emperor, dwells. In his hands all power is concentrated, he independently solves all questions about war and peace, about the life and death of his subjects, relying on a powerful bureaucratic apparatus.

Types of empire

So, what is the empire we have figured out, now we will try to determine what kinds it is.

• Ancient: Egyptian, Persian, Roman, Celestial, etc. Characteristic features for them was the sole, often theocratic power of the monarch.
• Colonial: Spanish, British, French, Dutch. These are state entities that arose as a result of the seizure of foreign lands by one country. Their center was the metropolis, and the management was rigid centralized.
• Traditional: German, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, Russian, Japanese. These are multi-level state complexes with a single economic space, an army, an ideological center.

By the middle of the twentieth century, almost all the empires that existed in the world either split into separate states, or fundamentally changed their character.

Holy Roman Empire

It is the most famous empire of all times and peoples, whose possessions extended to most of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Its beginning was the Roman Republic, and the time frame is determined by the interval from 27 years BC. E. For 476 g. Before its collapse, it divided into the Western and Eastern parts. The Western one ceased to exist very soon, the Eastern one, with its center at Constantinople, lasted another millennium.

The legacy of this state education can not be overestimated. The rulers of the empire were built hundreds of cities, built roads and aqueducts. The Romans brought to the light the notions of "right", "justice", "senate", they created a huge and invincible army in which brutal discipline reigned. Her legacy of war is still legendary. And the influence on art and its development in general can not be mentioned - it is obvious. Until now, the Eternal City is the center of Christianity - the Vatican.

The Byzantine Empire, the two French empires, headed by Napoleon the First and Napoleon III, Germany in the forehead with Bismarck and Hitler, claimed the heirs of the once grandiose power, claimed the title of Emperor Mussolini. The Third Rome Ivan the Terrible declared Moscow using Byzantine regalia.

The unofficial emblem of power was the golden eagle, the empire flag itself was absent. There were only banners used by the troops.

The British Empire

It is considered the largest in the territory of all the empires that ever existed. It was called a country where the sun never sets, as the possessions of the British crown were scattered around the globe. It is precisely to the numerous colonies that the English language is obliged to become practically international.

It's amazing how a small island state could turn into a huge empire! But the fact remains: beginning with the colonization of America, England captured lands in Australia, Africa, Australia and Oceania, and Asia.

The laws of the empire were not severe, often the monopoly took care of the development of colonies and infrastructure. However, the ship, legal and economic standards were arranged according to the British model. In many ways, the economy worked for the benefit of the metropolis.

The British successfully used the Roman principle of separation and power, so they could hold the reins in their hands for a long time, simultaneously fighting other contenders for the rule of the world - France, Spain, Holland. Every schoolboy knows the flag of the empire: this is the so-called Union Jack. It looks like a blue cloth with a straight red cross in a white hem and two oblique crosses superimposed on each other, white and red.

Officially, the British Empire ceased to exist in 1949, but so far the United Commonwealth, in which it was transformed, has some influence.

Russian empire

Beginning with a small Moscow principality, and then the kingdom, the Russian Empire existed from 1721 to 1917. The beginning of this state system was put by the great reformer Peter the Great, who built a new capital in the north. Constantly waging wars for the expansion of their possessions, the crown slowly established life in the occupied territories. The composition of the empire was, as it should be, multinational: Poland, Ukraine, Karelia, Ingria, Estland, Livonia, Crimea, Belarus, Alaska, Bessarabia, Azerbaijan, Georgia ... The end of it was the Bolshevik revolution known as the October Revolution. However, lately a lot has been said about the restoration of the monarchy in the country.

Summarize

So, we know that the empire is one country that has spread its influence over large territories. Since today there is not one of them left, one can safely say that these are vestiges of the past. Therefore, attempts to restore anyone to any of them is a matter without prospects. This is a mistake that can bring a lot of grief both to the initiator and everyone around him.