The History of Imperialism Essay Example

Throughout history, empires have risen and fallen all across the globe. It wasn’t until later in history that empires became more adept at imposing control over their subjects. Access to resources is the most important reason to build an empire. In the modern world, the features of an empire are a central authority, an armed force, and a commanding position in the global political arena. Male emperors presided over the majority of empires, and power was handed down the male line. In reality, imperial authority was viewed as male because of the term and emblems of imperial power. The name “emperor” is derived from the Latin word “imperator,” which was once a military honor reserved for the most effective generals of Rome. 

The political economic structures of empires reoccur often throughout the history of the globe before 1500 CE. While the Persian Empire ruled, the Roman Empire and Islamic Empire were the two most powerful empires in their respective territories. Conquests in both situations allowed them to govern a wide range of people. The Mongol Empire had a tremendous impact on many of the countries it conquered, introducing new cultures and ideas. A successful empire must be studied to see how beneficial it has been for the empire’s general population, not just the elites that ruled it. 

For the Persian Empire, transportation, coordination, and Persia’s tolerance policy all played a role in the country’s rise to power. As a result of being accepted by the people they governed, Persian rule was effective since there were seldom rebellions. When it was founded the Achaemenid Persian Empire included 44% of the world’s population at the time, a number that has never been bettered. It was the first great worldwide empire in history. For hundreds of years, the Persian Empire ruled over large swaths of the Middle East, Central Asia, and even sections of South Asia and Europe. For more than 550 years, Cyrus the Great was the ruler of the Persian Empire; his policies helped to make it a success. For example, he granted religious and cultural freedom for the empire’s diverse populace. Because of this, the empire’s numerous nations were less likely to rebel, and the Old Testament called Cyrus the “Anointed of God”. 

For the effectiveness of the Roman Empire, many of the people Rome conquered were granted some type of citizenship as a result of their conquest. Economic growth was fueled by military expansion, which brought slaves and plunder back to Rome, transforming the city and Roman culture in the process. It was a mix of military force, political flexibility, economic development, and a lot of good luck that made Rome the most powerful state in the world by the first century BCE. The Mediterranean region, as well as Rome itself, was profoundly altered as a result of this expansion. 

At the time that it was among the world’s largest empires, Augustus Caesar, commonly known as Octavian or Gaius Octavius, was the Roman emperor who, in 27 BCE, ended the republic’s bloody civil wars and established a stable monarchy in its place. By the end of Augustus’ reign, he had greatly expanded his empire by taking over a huge number of countries. He became emperor in 98 CE, the year Trajan was born. During the Roman Empire’s greatest military expansion in history, Trajan was the emperor. Europe, North Africa, and West Asia were all under its power. The Roman Empire is believed to have covered an area of roughly 5 million square kilometers at its height. It was one of the greatest and most powerful empires in history up to that moment. 

For the effectiveness of the Islamic Empire, literature and philosophy, science and medicine, mathematics, and art were all advanced under the Abbasid Caliphate of the Islamic Empire. From around the 700s to the 1200s, an era known as the Islamic Golden Age spanned the Islamic world. Many quick military victories allowed the Rashidun Caliphate to build a vast dominion. It was not unusual for them to grow for both religious and political purposes at the time. The Rashidun Caliphate had a political edge since they were able to keep Arab tribes stable and united. The Muslim’s treatment of the conquered peoples was another element of their success. During the reigns of the Umayyad dynasty and the Abbasid dynasty, Muslim caliphates strengthened and preserved their authority by structuring their administrations and establishing long lasting political structures, which lasted for centuries. Many Islamic accomplishments may be summarized as this: military prowess and empire building, well-known Islamic towns, academic pursuits such as algebra and navigation and the study of scientific subjects, as well as literary and artistic triumphs. Medicine has helped the world obtain a greater understanding of the human body, which has benefitted those who are ill. 

For the Mongol’s effectiveness: It wasn’t only their light cavalry and bowmen that made the Mongols a force to be reckoned with in Asia in the 13th and 14th centuries CE. They also adapted their adversaries’ tactics and technologies to destroy established military forces in China, Persia, and Eastern Europe. The Mongols adapted well to their new environments and learned to use siege and marine combat techniques that were far removed from their nomadic roots on the Asian steppes. Many battles were won before they even started because to the combination of diplomacy, intelligence, and intimidation. This brutality earned them ominous monikers like “hounds of war” for some of their leaders and “the devil’s horsemen” for some of the troops they sent into combat. The result was an empire unlike any other in history. 

Violent and bloody invasions helped the Mongol Empire grow, but it also built commercial and technological lines between the East and the West. They were able to build a large empire because of their unique military techniques, ferocity, and discipline. When they conquered other civilizations, the Mongols adopted unconventional military methods to their advantage. Most people recognize them for creating an empire that could threaten the strength of China’s great Jin dynasty and conquer land as far as the Caspian Sea from the Mongolian steppes.