It was Genghis Khan, title of the Mongolian chief Temujin, who conquered almost 20 million km2. In second place comes Alexandre, whose domains surpassed 5 million km2. The third is Adolf Hitler, who at the height of the expansion of Nazi Germany came to control more than 3 million km2, beating Napoleon Bonaparte, who conquered about 2 million km2. In this list, we consider only those empires built by the action of a conqueror – a leader who usually used the strength of his armies to dominate vast portions of land. But a great empire is not always born from military power alone. This is what happened, for example, in the case of the British Empire, which in the 19th century became the largest empire ever created, with 37 million km2, a quarter of the planet. At the time ruled by Queen Victoria, the British Empire resulted more from acquisitions made from the 17th century by private entrepreneurs and companies than from wars won by the British.
1- GENGIS KHAN
dominated area – 20 million km2
Territory in relation to Brazil – 2.3 times bigger
Era – From 1200 to 1227
Trajectory – At the head of a nomadic Mongol tribe, Genghis Khan forcibly dominated several rival tribes in Mongolia until 1206. Then he went to fight in Central Asia: 1. In 1211, he attacked the Chin Empire in northern China and took the most important city, Beijing, four years later. 2. Afterwards, he expanded his domains towards the west and conquered a good part of the Asian territory, reaching the shores of the Caspian Sea. After the death of Genghis Khan, his sons and grandsons further expanded the Mongol Empire.
main enemy – Chin Empire (Chinese)
to what end – Died in 1227, under unknown circumstances. Some versions say that he died after falling from a horse, during a hunt or in the middle of a battle.
2- ALEXANDRE
dominated area – 5 million km2
Territory in relation to Brazil – 60% the size of Brazil
Era – Between 335 BC and 323 BC
Trajectory – Heir to the Macedonian Empire, Alexander led his army advancing against the Persians in the territory of present-day Turkey, skirting the Mediterranean coast and conquering Egypt, in North Africa. 2. Afterwards, he dominated much of the Middle East and western Asia, stopping at the western borders of India, as its soldiers refused to follow.
main enemy – Persian Empire
to what end – Died of uncertain motives in 323 BC His domains were divided among his generals, who fought each other and disintegrated the empire
3- HITLER
dominated area – 3 million km2
Territory in relation to Brazil – 40% the size of Brazil
Era – Between 1938 and 1945
Trajectory – 1. Hitler annexed Austria with political maneuvers in 1938 and 2. occupied Czechoslovakia and Poland the following year, starting World War II. 3. In the conflict, he dominated France and a portion of North Africa. 5. Its advance was stopped after it invaded the Soviet Union in 1941.
main enemy – Great Britain, Soviet Union and United States
to what end – Committed suicide in Berlin in 1945, at the end of World War II
4- NAPOLEON
dominated area – 2 million km2
Territory in relation to Brazil – 25% the size of Brazil
Era – Between 1799 and 1815
Trajectory – 1. In 1780, Napoleon defeated the armies of Austria and brought Switzerland and Holland into submission, 2. in addition to annexing territories in present-day Italy. 3. He then invaded his former ally Spain and tried to consolidate his empire, which came to dominate much of Europe. 4. He failed in his attempt to conquer Russia, being definitively defeated in 1815 by troops led by the British.
main enemy – Great Britain and Russia
to what end – Exiled on the island of Saint Helena, in the south Atlantic Ocean, died in 1821