The largest empires in world history
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
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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).