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The Timurid Empire was founded by and named after Timur (aka Tamerlane), a warlord of Turco-Mongol lineage. The Empire existed in Central Asia and Persia from the late 14th to the early 16th centuries, and it was known for its military conquests and patronage of arts and architecture.

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Established in 1821 after Mexico gained independence from Spain, the Mexican Empire lasted for an incredibly short period of only two years. It was led by Agustín de Iturbide, who later became Emperor Agustín I.

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The Xianbei were a nomadic people who established several states in ancient China during the Han dynasty period (206 BCE–220 CE). At the height of antiquity, the Xianbei state covered an area of approximately 1.7 million sq miles (4.5 million sq km).

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The Tibetan Empire existed from the 7th to the 9th centuries in Central Asia, primarily in what is now Tibet, Bhutan, and parts of China and Nepal. Interestingly, the Empire declined and fragmented in about 850 CE due to a civil war.

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Established by Wang Mang (pictured) in 9 CE, the Xing dynasty was a short-lived dynasty in China that lasted until 23 CE. Wang Mang introduced significant reforms but faced internal unrest and was eventually overthrown by rebels.

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The Northern Yuan dynasty was a successor state to the Mongol Empire, and it existed in Mongolia and parts of China from the 14th to the 17th centuries. It was established by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan's great-grandson.

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Although many people view the Roman Empire as an indomitable force that took over much of the world, it is surprisingly not the largest empire in history (far from it, in fact). With their military prowess, the Romans conquered much of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East from 27 BCE to 476 CE. At its height in 117 CE, the Empire covered more than 1.9 million sq miles (5 million sq km).

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Alexander the Great established the Macedonian Empire in the 4th century BCE, and it encompassed territories from Greece to Egypt and even the Persian Empire.

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This Empire is more colloquially known as the Turkish Empire. It lasted from the 14th to the early 20th centuries, and was centered in Turkey but extended into Southeast Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. It was one of the most powerful and enduring empires in history.

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Certainly a golden age in Chinese civilization, the Tang dynasty ruled from 618 to 907 CE. It's known for its advancements in poetry, art, and science, as well as for its expansion of territory and influence.

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The Achaemenid Empire is the oldest empire on this list. Also known as the Persian Empire, it existed from the 6th to the 4th centuries BCE, covering much of the ancient Near East. It was known for its centralized administration and cultural achievements.

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The Portuguese Navy was among the most powerful in the world in the 18th century, which contributed largely to the Empire’s expansion to overseas territories and colonies from the 15th to the 20th centuries. These included territories in Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

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This was one of the longest-reigning dynasties in Chinese history. It lasted from 206 BCE to 9 CE, and it was known for its stability, economic prosperity, and cultural achievements.

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After the Western Han dynasty collapsed, the Eastern Han dynasty followed and lasted from 25 to 220 CE. Towards its end, the dynasty was characterized by political instability, social unrest, and the rise of powerful warlords.

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The Ming dynasty ruled China from 1368 to 1644, during which the Empire achieved economic prosperity, cultural achievements, and even constructed the best-known sections of the Great Wall of China.

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The Empire of Japan was a historical Japanese state from the 7th to the 20th centuries. It was a feudal state that was defeated–alongside the other Axis powers–in the closing stages of World War II, after which it shrunk to cover the archipelago known today.

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Despite the fact that Brazil was a colony of Portugal, it is still listed as a larger empire, since Portuguese settlers only had effective control over about half of Brazil. The Empire was established in 1822 after Brazil declared independence from Portugal, and it lasted until 1889.

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The 10th-largest empire in history is the Xiongnu Empire, which was an ancient nomadic empire made up of various tribes in Central Asia and Mongolia. It existed from the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century CE, and is prominently known for its conflicts with the Han dynasty.

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The Abbasid Empire was the third Islamic caliphate and was centered in Baghdad from 750 to 1258. The Empire had many cultural and scientific achievements, and this period of time was rightfully known as the Golden Age of Islam.

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After Napoleon was exiled and his wars were brought to a close, the French colonial territories were restored by Britain. These included colonies in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific, spanning a total area of 4.44 million sq miles (11.5 million sq km).

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Arriving in fifth place is the Spanish Empire, a massive power that controlled vast territories in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia from the late 15th to the early 19th centuries.

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The Qing dynasty was the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912, after which the Republic of China was established. To this day, the dynasty is known for its expansion and consolidation of territories. In fact, it was the most populous country in 1907, with 426 million citizens.

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Spanning three continents and lasting from the late 17th to the early 20th centuries, the Russian Empire was the third-largest empire in history, encompassing territories in Europe, Asia, and North America.

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Founded by the infamous Genghis Khan (pictured) in the early 13th century, the Mongol Empire was the largest contiguous land empire in history, stretching from Eastern Europe to the Sea of Japan. The Empire covered an astounding 9.27 million sq miles (24 million sq km).

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The largest empire in history was the British Empire, which covered about a quarter of the world's land area at its peak in the early 20th century. The British Empire had territories on every continent, and has been remembered for its legal, linguistic, and cultural legacy.

Sources: (Britannica) (Statista) (WorldAtlas) (Business Insider)

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This was a Turkic state established in the 6th century CE, and it played a significant role in Central Asian history and the Turkic migrations. After the Khaganate experienced a civil war and collapsed in 603 CE, it was split into its Eastern and Western parts.

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In the 13th century, the Mongol Empire fractured into four separate states, one of which was the Yuan dynasty. It was established by Kublai Khan (pictured) and was the first foreign-led dynasty in China, ruling until 1368.

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The Golden Horde was a successor state to the Mongol Empire. It ruled over vast areas of Eastern Europe and Central Asia from the 13th to the 15th centuries. Interestingly, the state was named after the yellow-gold tents employed by the Mongol Empire.

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A caliphate is an institution under the leadership of an Islamic steward, and the Rashidun Caliphate was the first. It was established after the death of the Prophet Muhammad and lasted from 632 to 661 CE. The caliphate expanded rapidly, conquering territories in the Middle East, North Africa, and Persia.

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The second Islamic caliphate–known as the Umayyad Empire–ruled from 661 to 750 CE. The empire covered a vast multiethnic and multicultural area across North Africa and Central Asia, most of which was, surprisingly, occupied by Christians.

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In the vast tapestry of human civilization, there have been some impressive conquests and legacies that have shaped the fabric of our world’s landscape. From the ancient world to the dawn of modernity, empires have held control for much of human history. And while empires don’t exist anymore, we can’t help but be curious about how big they really were.

Interested? Click through this gallery to see which empires boasted the biggest territories.