5 Most Powerful Empires

[Shofercia]

1. Napoleonic Empire
2. Mughal Empire
3. Austria-Hungary
4. Prussian Empire
5. British Empire

How is it that the nation on the bottom kicks the crap out of the nation on the top?

they had a lot of help?

I agree, it took the Allies 8 Coalitions of at least 4 nations per coalition 17 years to defeat Napoleon. That was a little one-sided.

And even then he had to invade Russia to get his ass kicked. If Napoleon didn't invade Russia, French would be the language of the day.


I'd say the Empire with the greatest potential was the Franco-Russia alliance. No one would mess with that shit. Also possible if the US and USSR allied after WWII.

As for top five (in chronological order):

Roman Empire
Mongol Empire
Chinese Empire
Russian Empire
Napoleonic Empire

What?! No British?! Nope. Sorry, I believe that you actually have to win wars against real opponents, not those Zulus hurling spears at ya, or the Native Americans with arrows, or send your criminals with guns to a faraway place. Let's not forget that the British lost Normandy to the French in the 100 Years' War...

Also no Alexander of Macedon because you have to last a bit to become an empire.

[Maurepas]

1. Napoleonic Empire
2. Mughal Empire
3. Austria-Hungary
4. Prussian Empire
5. British Empire

How is it that the nation on the bottom kicks the crap out of the nation on the top?

they had a lot of help?

I agree, it took the Allies 8 Coalitions of at least 4 nations per coalition 17 years to defeat Napoleon. That was a little one-sided.

And even then he had to invade Russia to get his ass kicked. If Napoleon didn't invade Russia, French would be the language of the day.


I'd say the Empire with the greatest potential was the Franco-Russia alliance. No one would mess with that shit. Also possible if the US and USSR allied after WWII.

As for top five (in chronological order):

Roman Empire
Mongol Empire
Chinese Empire
Russian Empire
Napoleonic Empire

What?! No British?! Nope. Sorry, I believe that you actually have to win wars against real opponents, not those Zulus hurling spears at ya, or the Native Americans with arrows, or send your criminals with guns to a faraway place. Let's not forget that the British lost Normandy to the French in the 100 Years' War...

Also no Alexander of Macedon because you have to last a bit to become an empire.

Beating Napoleonic France, the Chinese, and the Russians dont count?

[Mustika]

The Mongol Empire is not sustained after the death of the great Khans. An empire should be long-lasting.

[Merieu]

1. McDonalds
2. Burger King
3. Pizza Hut
4. Taco Bell
5. Wendy's

[Arumdaum]

1. Napoleonic Empire
2. Mughal Empire
3. Austria-Hungary
4. Prussian Empire
5. British Empire

How is it that the nation on the bottom kicks the crap out of the nation on the top?

they had a lot of help?

I agree, it took the Allies 8 Coalitions of at least 4 nations per coalition 17 years to defeat Napoleon. That was a little one-sided.

And even then he had to invade Russia to get his ass kicked. If Napoleon didn't invade Russia, French would be the language of the day.


I'd say the Empire with the greatest potential was the Franco-Russia alliance. No one would mess with that shit. Also possible if the US and USSR allied after WWII.

As for top five (in chronological order):

Roman Empire
Mongol Empire
Chinese Empire
Russian Empire
Napoleonic Empire

What?! No British?! Nope. Sorry, I believe that you actually have to win wars against real opponents, not those Zulus hurling spears at ya, or the Native Americans with arrows, or send your criminals with guns to a faraway place. Let's not forget that the British lost Normandy to the French in the 100 Years' War...

Also no Alexander of Macedon because you have to last a bit to become an empire.

Beating Napoleonic France, the Chinese, and the Russians dont count?

China was finally technologically behind, but I'm sure the Russians and French count. But Napoleon was basically because of Russia.

[The Parkus Empire]

Beating Napoleonic France, the Chinese, and the Russians dont count?

Beating Napoleonic France: Shitload of help. If anything, Britain contributed the least to France's downfall, spending most of their time egging on other nations.

Chinese: The Chinese had far inferior technology.

Yes, Russia counts. It stood one-on-one against the U.S. for Empire status after WWII, and such was its competition with Britain after the Napoleonic Wars.

[Maurepas]

China was finally technologically behind, but I'm sure the Russians and French count. But Napoleon was basically because of Russia.

Napoleon's mistakes at Waterloo were of considerable importance too...


And with the Russians I was referring to the Crimean War...

[Arumdaum]

The Mongol Empire is not sustained after the death of the great Khans. An empire should be long-lasting.

the Alexandrian Empire basically lasted for about twelve years, that's not much. The Mongol Empire lasted one-hundred sixty-two years, which is a lot more.

EDIT: I just realized this is my 911st count.

[Barringtonia]

If anything, Britain contributed the least to France's downfall, spending most of their time egging on other nations..

Not really, Britain's naval dominance meant Napoleon was fairly restricted in what he could do.

I also have some issue with 'Chinese Empire' - what does it mean exactly?

It would be somewhat akin to saying 'European Empire' and just ignoring all the internal battles that went on.

[Lackadaisical2]

If anything, Britain contributed the least to France's downfall, spending most of their time egging on other nations..

Not really, Britain's naval dominance meant Napoleon was fairly restricted in what he could do.

I also have some issue with 'Chinese Empire' - what does it mean exactly?

It would be somewhat akin to saying 'European Empire' and just ignoring all the internal battles that went on.

yay someone who agrees with me about China.

[Fortareata]

China was finally technologically behind, but I'm sure the Russians and French count. But Napoleon was basically because of Russia.

Napoleon's mistakes at Waterloo were of considerable importance too...


And with the Russians I was referring to the Crimean War...

The French and the Sardinians helped the Brits in the Crimean War, didn't they?

[The Parkus Empire]

Napoleon's mistakes at Waterloo were of considerable importance too...


And with the Russians I was referring to the Crimean War...

Not really: Bonaparte was mainly defeated by the Battle of Leipzig. The Hundred Days was just a bit of an epilogue. What is more, it would have been an epilogue he would have won if it were just him against Britain: there is no way in fuck Wellesley could have pulled that shit-off without Prussian back-up (though his skill is still highly commendable).

[The Parkus Empire]

If anything, Britain contributed the least to France's downfall, spending most of their time egging on other nations..

Not really, Britain's naval dominance meant Napoleon was fairly restricted in what he could do.

I also have some issue with 'Chinese Empire' - what does it mean exactly?

It would be somewhat akin to saying 'European Empire' and just ignoring all the internal battles that went on.

Well, some posters even picked the "Greek Empire", whatever the fuck that means.

[Querinos]

1. British Empire
2. British Empire
3. British Empire
4. British Empire
5. America

The world speaks OUR language!

Umm... What about Spain?

[Barringtonia]

If anything, Britain contributed the least to France's downfall, spending most of their time egging on other nations..

Not really, Britain's naval dominance meant Napoleon was fairly restricted in what he could do.

I also have some issue with 'Chinese Empire' - what does it mean exactly?

It would be somewhat akin to saying 'European Empire' and just ignoring all the internal battles that went on.

Well, some posters even picked the "Greek Empire", whatever the fuck that means.

In terms of overseas influence, one might say the Yuan Dynasty was the most powerful but then it's hard to separate it from the legacy of the Mongolian Empire.

The Song was the most technically advanced but not really expansionist so much.

Someone asked about the criteria, I would say that it's 'length of power', 'area of land controlled outside domestic borders' and 'legacy influence'.

Hence my choices.

[Fortareata]

If anything, Britain contributed the least to France's downfall, spending most of their time egging on other nations..

Not really, Britain's naval dominance meant Napoleon was fairly restricted in what he could do.

I also have some issue with 'Chinese Empire' - what does it mean exactly?

It would be somewhat akin to saying 'European Empire' and just ignoring all the internal battles that went on.

Well, some posters even picked the "Greek Empire", whatever the fuck that means.

I think they meant the Byzantine Empire. It was pretty powerful in its zenith, but experienced a long and complicated history of decline, semi-resurgence, more decline, more resurgence, more decline, and ultimate downfall. At least it lasted for more than a thousand years. And it had Greek Fire. I must add that it had Greek Fire.

[The Parkus Empire]

1. British Empire
2. British Empire
3. British Empire
4. British Empire
5. America

The world speaks OUR language!

Umm... What about Spain?

Or Virginia?

[Maurepas]

If anything, Britain contributed the least to France's downfall, spending most of their time egging on other nations..

Not really, Britain's naval dominance meant Napoleon was fairly restricted in what he could do.

I also have some issue with 'Chinese Empire' - what does it mean exactly?

It would be somewhat akin to saying 'European Empire' and just ignoring all the internal battles that went on.

Well, some posters even picked the "Greek Empire", whatever the fuck that means.

Maybe Byzantium, or The Eastern Roman Empire...which was sometimes known as the "Empire of the Greeks" to contemporaries?

[Nouvelle Rhodes]

Alexander's Empire
British Empire
Spanish-Portuguese Empire
First French Empire
American Epire--An Empire of culture. No one is immigrating from a third 
world country to China, no one wants to dance like the North Koreans, 
and no one wants to get an MBA at Moscow University

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

If anything, Britain contributed the least to France's downfall, spending most of their time egging on other nations..

Not really, Britain's naval dominance meant Napoleon was fairly restricted in what he could do.

I also have some issue with 'Chinese Empire' - what does it mean exactly?

It would be somewhat akin to saying 'European Empire' and just ignoring all the internal battles that went on.

Well, some posters even picked the "Greek Empire", whatever the fuck that means.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greece
Before the conquest of the Roman Empire, Greece was a potency. Before Rome, Greece was the center of the Ancient World. Maybe labeling it an 'empire' is slightly wrong, but you can't deny that it was huge in its time.

[Avenio]

Well, some posters even picked the "Greek Empire", whatever the fuck that means.

I think they meant the Byzantine Empire. It was pretty powerful in its zenith, but experienced a long and complicated history of decline, semi-resurgence, more decline, more resurgence, more decline, and ultimate downfall. At least it lasted for more than a thousand years. And it had Greek Fire. I must add that it had Greek Fire.[/quote]

Well, the Byzantines did control much of the trade between the Orient and Europe, but I wouldn't call them a great empire. Most of their conquests were during the reign of one or two Emperors (Justinian and Basil II), and much of the Emperors succeeding them allowed the Empire to stagnate, and their conquests didn't last long.

Maybe Byzantium, or The Eastern Roman Empire...which was sometimes known as the "Empire of the Greeks" to contemporaries?

I always thought the Byzantines referred to themselves as "The Roman Empire", as they were, in effect, the continuation of Roman civilization.

[Amanlu]

Ive been readin this thread and what about the German Empire during WW1? They came to power and became extremely powerful in a much shorter time then the British and were kickin ass against the French, British, and Russia. Only until America came did they feel that they couldn't win. And dont even start with the joke of the help from Austria-Hungary, or the Ottoman Empire. Their militaries couldnt do shit. Also, the Germans in WW2. Hitler was fuckin crazy and his Nazi stuff was fucked up but you have to commend their military prowess. They completely rolled over France and the other nations and only lost because Britain, Russia, and the United States were against them. They inflicted far more casualties on the Russians then the Russians ever inflicted on them and they were basically alone again because Italy and Bulgaria had horrible militaries also. Once again, I am not advocating Naziism, that shit was fucked up but you have to admire the mobilization and military genius of the German people in both instances.

[Avenio]

If anything, Britain contributed the least to France's downfall, spending most of their time egging on other nations..

Not really, Britain's naval dominance meant Napoleon was fairly restricted in what he could do.

I also have some issue with 'Chinese Empire' - what does it mean exactly?

It would be somewhat akin to saying 'European Empire' and just ignoring all the internal battles that went on.

Well, some posters even picked the "Greek Empire", whatever the fuck that means.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greece
Before the conquest of the Roman Empire, Greece was a potency. Before Rome, Greece was the center of the Ancient World. Maybe labeling it an 'empire' is slightly wrong, but you can't deny that it was huge in its time.

Indeed. Whether it was united or not, the Diadochi states essentially maintained Alexander's conquests for quite some time, and several of the successor states remained until the Roman invasions of the 1st century BC.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

If anything, Britain contributed the least to France's downfall, spending most of their time egging on other nations..

Not really, Britain's naval dominance meant Napoleon was fairly restricted in what he could do.

I also have some issue with 'Chinese Empire' - what does it mean exactly?

It would be somewhat akin to saying 'European Empire' and just ignoring all the internal battles that went on.

Well, some posters even picked the "Greek Empire", whatever the fuck that means.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greece
Before the conquest of the Roman Empire, Greece was a potency. Before Rome, Greece was the center of the Ancient World. Maybe labeling it an 'empire' is slightly wrong, but you can't deny that it was huge in its time.

Indeed. Whether it was united or not, the Diadochi states essentially maintained Alexander's conquests for quite some time, and several of the successor states remained until the Roman invasions of the 1st century BC.

Indeed, so yes, I pick Ancient Greece to be on this list.

[Maurepas]

Maybe Byzantium, or The Eastern Roman Empire...which was sometimes known as the "Empire of the Greeks" to contemporaries?

I always thought the Byzantines referred to themselves as "The Roman Empire", as they were, in effect, the continuation of Roman civilization.

They did, but their contemporaries had other names for them,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_ ... menclature

The Empire preserved Romano-Hellenistic traditions, but due to the increasing predominance of the Greek language, it was usually known to most of its western and northern contemporaries as the Empire of the Greeks. The use of the term Empire of the Greeks (Latin: Imperium Graecorum) in the West to refer to the Eastern Roman Empire also implied a rejection of the empire's claim to be the Roman Empire. The claims of the Eastern Roman Empire to Roman inheritance had been actively contested in the West at the time of the Roman Empress Irene of Athens, due to the coronation of Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor year 800, by Pope Leo III, who needing help against enemies in Rome, saw the throne of the Roman Empire as vacant (lacking a male occupant). Whenever the Popes or the rulers of the West made use of the name Roman to refer to the eastern Roman Emperors, they preferred the term Imperator Romaniæ instead of Imperator Romanorum, a title that Westerners maintained applied only to Charlemagne and his successors.