List of medieval great powers: Difference between revisions

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			{{Short description\|None}}
	{{TOCnestright\|before=\|maxwidth=200px\|after=<div class="plainlinks" style="float:right;"></div>}}<!-- this is normally placed after the first or second long paragraph of introductions, but the way the phrases and links wrap here with such a location, I think it best, taken together with its length, to just put it here.--->
			The term "''']'''" has only been used in historiography and political science since the ] in 1815.<ref>{{cite book\|last=Fueter\|first=Eduard\|title=World history, 1815–1930\|publisher=Harcourt, Brace and Company\|year=1922\|location=United States of America\|pages=–28, 36–44\|isbn=1-58477-077-5\|url=https://archive.org/details/worldhistory01fuetgoog\|quote=Great Powers Congress of Vienna.}}</ref> ], the ], first used the term in its diplomatic context in 1814 in reference to the ]. Use of the term in the historiography of the ] is therefore idiosyncratic to each author. In historiography of the pre-modern period, it is more typical to talk of ]s.

			] distinguishes "Great Powers", an elite group of states that manages the international legal order, from "great powers", empires or states whose military and political might define an era.<ref name=GS68>Gerry Simpson, ''Great Powers and Outlaw States: Unequal Sovereigns in the International Legal Order'' (Cambridge University Press, 2004), p. 68, uses the Vikings as an example of a great power that was not a Great Power.</ref>
	{{Main\|Regional power\|International power\|Great power\|List of time periods}}

			The following is a list of empires that have been called ] during the ]:
	This survey article deals with the world most powerful ] and ]s before the ] was held in ] (late 1814), a date used by historians as an ] ].

			*] (throughout)<ref name=WE>William Eckhardt, ''Civilizations, Empires, and Wars: A Quantitative History of War'' (McFarland, 1992), p. 113: "Medieval Great Powers included China throughout, Persia (500-600, 900-50, 1400-50), Byzantium (500-1050), Tu Chueh (550-600), Tibet (650- 1250), Muslim (650-850), Turkey (650, 1050-1100, 1450-1500), Prati (850), Khazar (850-900), Kiev (900-1050), Bujid (950), Fatimid (950-1050), Liao (950-1150), Ghaznavid (1050), Al-mohad (1150-1250), Egypt (1250-1450), Mongolia (1250-1450), Khmer (1250), Mali (1300, 1450), Chagatai (1350), Lithuania (1450), Inca (1500) and Russia (1500)."</ref><ref name=SJP>Szabolcs József Polgár, "The Character of the Trade between the Nomads and their Settled Neighbours in Eurasia in the Middle Ages", ''Studia Uralo-altaica'' '''53''' (2019): 253, contrasts "the nomads of the Eurasian steppe with their settled neighbours", calling the former "steppe empires (that is, the greatest nomadic confederations)" and the latter "medieval great powers". He gives China, Sassanian Persia, the Caliphate and the Eastern Roman Empire as medieval great powers.</ref>
	A '''Great power or Nation or Empire''' is a ] or ] that, through its great ], ] and ] strength, is able to exert power and influence over not only its own region of the world, but far beyond to others. The term "Great Power" was coined in the diplomatic discourse of the Congress and later used extensively in academic discourse and eventually by the press about the preceding eras, and refers explicitly to international powers after the Congress of Vienna (late September, 1814, to ], ]). It is the object of this article to extend the concept of great power status to the eras before the Congress in order to provide coverage of the whole of human history in the same terms.
			*] (400-668)<ref>{{cite book \|last1=Gardner \|first1=Robert \|title=Averting Global War: Regional Challenges, Overextension, and Options for American Strategy \|date=2016 \|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan \|page=158 \|isbn=9780230108714 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VbtiAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA158 \|access-date=14 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite book\|last1=Roberts\|first1=John Morris\|last2=Westad\|first2=Odd Arne\|title=The History of the World\|publisher=Oxford University Press\|isbn=978-0199936762\|page=443\|url={{GBurl\|id=A2cfZkU5aQgC\|q=koguryo+powerful+empire}}\|access-date=13 November 2023\|language=en\|year=2013}}</ref>
			*] (], 500–600; ], 900–950; ], 1400–1450)<ref name=WE/><ref name=SJP/>
			*] (500–1050)<ref name=WE/><ref name=SJP/>
			*] (550–600)<ref name=WE/>
			*] (650–1250)<ref name=WE/>
			*The ] (650–850)<ref name=WE/><ref name=SJP/>
			*] (751–843)<ref>]: ''Medieval Europe.'' Williams and Norgate, London 1911, : "These crowded years of war leave the Frankish Empire established as the one ''great power'' west of the Elbe and Adriatic."</ref><ref>]: ''The life of Charlemagne (Charles The Great)'', London 1897, p. 11</ref>
			*Turks (], 650; ], 1050–1100; ], 1450–1500)<ref name=WE/>
			*]<ref name=GS68/> (800–1050)
			*] (803–963)<ref>Daniel Ziemann: ''. Eine frühmittelalterliche Großmacht zwischen Byzanz und Abendland.'' (German: ''An early medieval great power between Byzantium and the Occident'') In: Online handbook on the history of South-East Europe. Volume I ''Rule and politics in Southeastern Europe until 1800''. Published by the ''Institute for East and Southeast European Studies'' of the ], Regensburg 2016</ref>
			*] (850)<ref name=WE/>
			*] (850–900)<ref name=WE/>
			*] (900–1050)<ref name=WE/>
			*] (950)<ref name=WE/>
			*] (950–1050)<ref name=WE/>
			*] (950–1150)<ref name=WE/>
			*] (950–1200)<ref>Frank Rexroth: ''Deutsche Geschichte im Mittelalter.'' ], Munich 2005, {{ISBN\|978-3-406-48007-2}}, p. 22 (''"The special proximity of the Ottonian and early Salian rulers to the Imperial Church was to contribute quite considerably to the rise of the East Frankish Empire to a European great power, as was already noticeable in the 940s".'')</ref><ref> Johannes Haller and Heinrich Dannenbauer: ''Von den Karolingern zu den Staufern: Die altdeutsche Kaiserzeit (900–1250).'' ], Berlin 1970, p. 129 ('' “It became apparent that the German leadership in the West“'' '' “had ceased to exist and that the new French great power was rising in its place.” '')</ref>
			*] (1050)<ref name=WE/>
			*] (since 1100)<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Rise and Fall of Venice \|url=https://claremontreviewofbooks.com/digital/rise-and-fall-of-venice/ \|access-date=2024-07-05 \|website=Claremont Review of Books \|language=en-US}}</ref>
			*] (1150–1250)<ref name=WE/>
			*] (1250–1450)<ref name=WE/>
			*] (1250–1450)<ref name=WE/>
			*] (1250)<ref name=WE/>
			*] (1300, 1450)<ref name=WE/>
			*] (since 1300)<ref>Jürgen Miethke: ''Philipp IV. der Schöne (German: ]) 1285 – 1314'' In: Joachim Ehlers, Heribert Müller, Bernd Schneidmüller: ''Die Französische Könige des Mittelalters von Odo bis Karl VIII. (German: The French kings of the Middle Ages: from Odo to Charles VIII 888 – 1498)'', ] Munich 2006, {{ISBN\|978-3-406-54739-3}}, p. 184: “France finally grew into a European great power, even defining in the first place what it means to be a European great power”</ref>
			*] (1350)<ref name=WE/>
			*] (1450)<ref name=WE/>
			*] (since 1479)<ref>Jack S. Levy: ''War in the Modern Great Power System 1495 – 1975.'' The University Press of Kentucky, Lexington 1983, {{ISBN\|978-0-8131-5339-1}}, p. 20</ref>
			*] (1500)<ref name=WE/>
			*] (1500)<ref name=WE/>

			== See also ==
	;<big>Significance of the Congress</big>
			* ]
	{{dablink\|For the derivation of the term, "Great Power" and the context of its first use in diplomatic corespondence, see first several sections of the article: ].}}
			* ]

			* ]
	In ] and the ], in general, the Congress of Vienna was not just the diplomatic aftermath of the ]— which in their decades had upset the nature of Europe, confused the "natural order", changed ownership or control of divers things, places and populations— but also a landmark event on its own merits— during which, the shape of ], and by extension as later events show, the ] came to span the globe in a new phase of ] and ] hegemony in what might be termed, the second era of ]. In short, as an ], the Congress has few peers for the modern world came into being—simply because it and the war, along with the technological advances which accompanied them affected in time every nation and place on the globe and birthed the world of the ] with its world spanning (hot and cold) wars which prefaced the current historic era.

	For some parts of the globe, it was but the first era experienced, but the distinction is in the rise of the nation-state founded solidly on ] possessing both the will and the means to exercise power (not infrequently by use of military force) vice that of the earlier merchantilistic hegemonies which only occasionally gathered the interest or ire of the ruling monarch.

	==Ancient Powers==
	===Ancient Near East===
	{{main\|Ancient Near East}}
	], showing the great powers of the period: Egypt (green), ] (yellow), the ] kingdom of Babylon (purple), Assyria (grey), and Mittani (red). Lighter areas show direct control, darker areas represent spheres of influence. The extent of the Achaean/Mycenaean civilization is shown in orange.]]

	The terms '''ancient Near East''' or '''ancient Orient''' encompass the early ]s predating ] in the region roughly corresponding to that described by the modern term ], during the time roughly spanning the ] from the rise of ] and ] in the ] to the expansion of the ] in the ].

	The ancient Near East is generally understood as encompassing ] (modern ] and ]), ] (]), ], ], the ] (], ], ], ], ]), and ] (]).

	] arrive in Sumer, and build shrine and settlement at ].]]
	====Sumer and Akkad====
	{{main\|Sumer\|Akkadian Empire}}
	'''Sumer''' (or ''Šumer'') was one of the early civilizations of the ], located in the southern part of ] (southeastern ]) from the time of the earliest records in the mid ] until the rise of ] in the late ]. The term "Sumerian" applies to all speakers of the ]. Sumer together with ] and the ] is considered the first settled society in the world to have manifested all the features needed to qualify fully as a "]".

	]
	====Ancient Egypt====
	{{main\|Ancient Egypt}}
	Ancient Egypt was one of the world's first civilizations, with its beginnings in the fertile Nile valley around 3000BC. ] reached the zenith of its power during the ] (1570–1070 BC) under great pharaohs such as ] and ]. It expanded far south into ] and held wide territories in the ]. Ancient Egypt was an example of a nation that used mainly ] to become a major power. It was one of the first nations to have a system of writing and large scale construction projects. However, as neighboring civilizations developed militaries capable of crossing Egypt's natural barriers, the Egyptian armies were not always able to repel them and so by 1000 BC Egyptian influence as an independent civilization waned.<ref></ref>

	] extension of the ] is shown.]]
	====Elam====
	{{main\|Elam}}
	'''Elam''' is one of the oldest recorded ]s. Its culture played a crucial role in the ], especially during the ] that succeeded it, when the ] remained in official use. As such, the Elamite period is considered a starting point for the ].

	Elamite strength was based on an ability to hold various areas together under a coordinated government that permitted the maximum interchange of the natural resources unique to each region. Traditionally, this was done through a federated governmental structure.

	]
	====The Hurrian kingdoms====
	{{main\|Hurrians}}
	The '''Hurrians''' refer to a people who inhabited northern Mesopotamia beginning approximately ]. The Hurrian peoples were not incredibly united, existing as quasi-feudal kingdoms, the most prominent being the ] kingdom, which was at its height towards the close of the ]. By the ], the Hurrian kingdoms had been conquered by foreign powers, chiefly the Assyrians.

	]
	====Assyria====
	{{main\|Assyria}}
	In the earliest historical times, the term '''Assyria''' referred to a region on the Upper ] river, named for its original capital, the ancient city of ]. Later, as a nation and empire that came to control all of the ], ] and much of ], the term "Assyria proper" referred to roughly the northern half of ] (the southern half being ]), with ] as its capital.

	The Assyrian homeland was located near a mountainous region, extending along the Tigris as far as the high Gordiaean or Carduchian mountain range of ], sometimes known as the "Mountains of Ashur".

	The Assyrian kings controlled a large kingdom at three different times in history. These are called the Old, Middle, and Neo-Assyrian kingdoms, or periods. The most powerful and best-known nation of these periods is the Neo-Assyrian kingdom, 911-612 BC.

	]

	====Hittite Empire====
	{{main\|Hittite Empire}}

	The '''Hittites''' were an ancient people who spoke an ], and established a kingdom centered at ] (Hittite <sup>URU</sup>''{{unicode\|Ḫattuša}}'') in north-central ] from the ]. In the ], the Hittite empire was at its height, encompassing central ], north-western ] as far as ], and upper ]. After ], the empire disintegrated into several independent "]" city-states, some surviving until as late as the 8th century BC.

	The Hittites were also famous for their skill in building and using ]s. The Hittites were pioneers of the ], manufacturing ] artifacts from as early as the ], making them possibly even the first to do so. The Hittites passed much knowledge and lore from the ] to the newly arrived ] in ].

	===Persian Empire===
	{{main\|Persian Empire}}

	====Achaemenid Empire====
	{{main\|Achaemenid Empire}}
	]
	The '''Achaemenid Empire''' (559 BC–330 BC) was the first of the ]s to rule over significant portions of ]. At the height of its power, the Empire spanned over three continents. It also eventually incorporated the following territories: in the east modern ] and beyond into central Asia, and parts of ]; in the north and west all of ] (modern ]), the upper ] peninsula (]), and most of the ] coastal regions; in the west and southwest the territories of modern ], northern ], ], ], ], ], all significant population centers of ancient ] and as far west as portions of ]. Encompassing approximately 7.5 million square kilometers, the Achaemenid Empire was territorially the largest empire of ]. In its time it had political power over neighboring countries, and had high cultural and economic achievements during its lengthy rule over a vast region from its picturesque capital at ].

	====Sassanid Empire====
	]
	]
	{{main\|Sassanid Empire}}
	{{see also\|Parthia}}
	The '''Sassanid Empire''' is the name used for the fourth Iranian dynasty, and the second ] (226 - 651). The empire's territory encompassed all of today's ], ], ], ], eastern parts of ], and parts of ], ], ], ] and ]. During ]'s rule in 590–628 ], ], ], ] were also briefly annexed to the Empire. The Sassanid era, encompassing the length of the ] period, is considered to be one of the most important and influential historical periods in Iran. In many ways the Sassanid period witnessed the highest achievement of ], and constituted the last great Iranian Empire before the ] and adoption of ].

	]

	===Greek powers===
	{{main\|Ancient Greece}}
	====Athens====
	]
	{{main\|Athens}}
	The '''History of Ancient Athens''' is one of the longest of any city in ] and in the world. ] has been continuously inhabited for at least 3,000 years. It became the leading city of ] in the first millennium BC. Its cultural achievements during the 5th century BC laid the foundations of ]. During the ], Athens experienced decline and then a recovery under the ]. Athens was relatively prosperous during the ], benefiting from ] trade.

	The 5th century BC marked the zenith of Athens as a center of literature, philosophy (see ]) and the arts (see ]). Some of the most important figures of Western cultural and intellectual history lived in Athens during this period: the dramatists ], ], ] and ], the philosophers ], ] and ],

	====Sparta====
	]
	{{main\|Sparta}}

	In antiquity Sparta was a ] Greek ] state, originally centered in ]. As a ] devoted to military training, Sparta possessed the most formidable army in the Greek world, and after achieving notable victories over the ] and ] Empires, regarded itself as the natural protector of Greece.<ref name="bost">The Macedonian Empire: the era of warfare under Philip II and Alexander the Great, 359-323 B.C. - James R.</ref> ] or ] ({{polytonic\|Λακεδαίμων}}) was the name of the wider ] centered at the city of Sparta, though the name "Sparta" is now used for both.

	Following the victories in the Messenian Wars (631 BC), Sparta's reputation as a land-fighting force was unequaled.<ref>"A Historical Commentary on Thucydides" - David Cartwright, p. 176</ref> In 480 BC a small Spartan unit under King ] made a legendary ] against a massive, invading Persian army at the ]. One year later, Sparta assembled at full strength and lead a Greek alliance against the Persians at ]. There, a decisive Greek victory put an end to the ] along with Persian ambition of expanding into Europe. Even though this war was won by a pan-Greek army, credit was given to Sparta, who besides being the protagonist at Thermopylae and Plataea, had been the nominal leader of the entire Greek expedition.<ref>Britannica ed. 2006, "Sparta"</ref>

	In later Classical times, Sparta along with ], ] and ] had been the main regional powers fighting for supremacy against each other. As a result of the ], Sparta, a traditionally continental culture, became a naval power. At the peak of her power she subdued many of the key Greek states and even managed to overpower the powerful Athenian navy. By the end of the 5th century she stood out as a state which had defeated at war both the ] and ] Empires, a period which marks the ].
	Sparta was, above all, a militarist state, and emphasis on military fitness began virtually at birth.

	]
	====Macedonian Empire====
	{{main\|Macedon}}
	'''Macedon''' or '''Macedonia''' (from ] '''{{Polytonic\|Μακεδονία}}''' ''Makedonía''; see also ]) was the name of an ancient kingdom in the northern-most part of ], bordering the kingdom of ] on the west and the region of ] to the east.<ref name="Britannica">"Macedonia" - Britannica 2006</ref> For a brief period it became the most powerful state in the ancient ] after ] conquered most of the known world, inaugurating the ] of ].

	]

	===Carthage===
	{{main\|Carthaginian Empire}}
	] was a major power over the Western Mediterranean between 575 BC and 272 BC.{{Fact\|date=May 2008}} Carthage as a major power was originally a ]n settlement, and when Tyre fell to the Assyrians Carthage assumed power over the former settlements of the region. The foundation of Carthaginian power was seafaring trade throughout the Western Mediterranean (following the tracks of the Phoenicians). Although ] was originally a land based military power, eventually it saw Carthage an enemy and built a navy to challenge them, which led to the three Punic Wars between these powers. The last of these eliminated Carthage as an independent civilization, and left Rome as the most impressive power in the Western Mediterranean.

	]

	===Hellenistic Kingdoms===
	{{main\|Hellenistic civilization}}
	====Seleucid Empire====
	{{main\|Seleucid Empire}}
	]
	====Ptolemaic Egypt====
	{{main\|Ptolemaic Egypt\|Ptolemaic dynasty}}

	=== South Asian powers ===
	For most of its history, ] (]) was divided into numerous states. Very few South Asian powers dominated most of the region. However, several South Asian empires were able to expand across Southern Asia, and sometimes into parts of the ], ] and ].

	] at its greatest extent under ].]]
	==== Maurya Empire ====
	{{main\|Maurya Empire}}
	The ] was the first political entity to unite most of the Indian subcontinent and expand into Central Asia and the Middle East. Its soft power further spread into much of ] and ] due to its military victories over these regions. Its cultural influence also extended into ] and ]. The Empire was founded in 322 BC by ]. Chandragupta waged a war against the nearby ] powers and won, forcing the Greeks to surrender large amounts of land. Under the reign of ], the empire became pacifist and turned to spreading its soft power in the form of ].<ref> </ref>

	] (ruled 375-415)]]
	==== Gupta Empire ====
	{{main\|Gupta Empire}}
	]

	===China===
	{{main\|History of China}}

	====Qin Dynasty====
	{{main\|Qin Dynasty}}
	The Qin Dynasty was preceded by the ] ] and followed by the ] in ]. The unification of China in 221 BCE under the ] marked the beginning of Imperial China, a period which lasted until the fall of the ] in ]. The Qin Dynasty left a legacy of a centralized and bureaucratic state that would be carried onto successive dynasties.

	====Han Dynasty====
	{{main\|Han Dynasty}}
	]
	The Han Dynasty (206 BC – AD 220), lasting 400 years, is commonly considered within China to be one of the greatest periods in the entire ]. At its height, the Han empire extended over a vast territory of 6 million km² and housed a population of approximately 55 million. During this time period, ] became a military, economic, and cultural powerhouse. The empire extended its political and ] over ], ], ], ], and ] before it finally collapsed under a combination of domestic and external pressures. The Han Dynasty was arguably the strongest empire in the world during the reign of Emperor Wu, though was established as the largest.

	===Roman Empire===
	] under ] (98 - 117). This would be the Empire's peak territorial power]]
	{{main\|Roman Empire}}
	The ] is widely known as ]'s largest and most powerful ]. After the ] Rome was already the biggest empire on the planet but its expansion continued with the invasions of Greece and Asia Minor. By 27 BC Rome had control over half of ] as well as Northern Africa and large amounts of the Middle East. The ], together with the ] of ] were the two major empires at this time. Rome also had a developed culture, building on the earlier ].

	From the time of ] to the ], Rome dominated ], comprising the majority of its population. Roman expansion began long before the state was changed into an Empire and reached its zenith under emperor Trajan with the conquest of ] in AD ]. At this territorial peak, the Roman Empire controlled approximately 5,900,000km²(2,300,000 sq.mi.) of land surface. ]'s influence upon the culture, law, technology, arts, language, religion, government, military, and architecture of ] continues to this day.

	== Medieval Powers ==
	{{Unreferenced\|date=December 2006}}
	[[Image:LocationByzantineEmpire.png‎\|thumb\|250px\|right\|The Byzantine Empire at its greatest extent c. 550.
	Territories in violet reconquered during reign of Justinian the Great]]

	===Byzantine Empire (330 - 1453)===
	{{main\|Byzantine Empire}}
	The Byzantine Empire is the modern name for the medieval ], which survived another 1000 years after the fall of the ], and even managed to reconquer great parts of it. ] cultural heritage survived there and gave birth to the ] after its capital, ], was captured by the ] in the fifteenth century. The ] were the only Europeans to produce fine silk which was an important source of their wealth along with trade. ] was a major military power with a huge army and strong fleet, and was a major cultural and religious center. It was the stronghold of ] and thus influenced many states. It fought against the ] to the south, the ] to the north and the Crusaders, who managed to seize Constantinople in 1204. The Byzantines restored their state in 1261, but its strength never recovered and it was eventually destroyed and replaced by the nascent ] in 1453.

	===Arab Empire (632 - 1258)===
	{{main\|Arab Empire\|Muslim conquests}}
	In 622, a new world religion emerged, ], founded by ] in Arabia. After his death, his successors began a century of rapid ] expansion across most of the known world, establishing the Arab Empire as the largest empire the world had yet seen.{{Fact\|date=April 2008}}
	] under the ] and ]s. {{legend\|#a1584e\|Expansion under the Prophet ], 622-632}} {{legend\|#ef9070\|Expansion during the ], 632-661}} {{legend\|#fad07d\|Expansion during the ] ], 661-750}}]]
	====Rashidun Caliphate====
	{{main\|Rashidun\|Rashidun Empire}}
	Under the Rashidun ], the ] ]s defeated the powerful ] ] during the ] and the ] during the ]. The Arabs eventually conquered the ] and ] under the famous general ], as well as ] and ], all within a decade.

	====Umayyad Caliphate====
	{{main\|Umayyad}}
	The Umayyad Caliphate completed the Muslim expansion after conquering ], ], ], and parts of the ] and ]. As a result, the Arab Empire became the largest empire the world had yet seen. However, Umayyad expeditions into the ] and ] were unsuccessful, as they were eventually stopped by the ] and Byzantines in 718 and the ] in 732. Nonetheless, the Caliphate remained a huge military power with mighty navy.

	===Al-Andalus===

	].]]

	'''Al-Andalus''' (]: الأندلس) was the Arabic name given to those parts of the ] governed by ]s, or ], at various times in the period between 711 and 1492.<ref>"Andalus, al-" ''Oxford Dictionary of Islam''. John L. Esposito, Ed. Oxford University Press. 2003. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Accessed ] ].</ref> As a political domain or domains, it was successively a province of the ] ] initiated successfully by the Caliph ] (711-750), the Emirate of Córdoba (c. 750-929), the ] (929-1031), and finally the Caliphate of Córdoba's '']'' (successor) kingdoms.

	====Abbasid Caliphate====
	{{main\|Abbasid\|Islamic Golden Age}}
	] ] at its greatest extent]]

	The period of the Abbasid Caliphate is considered the ]. The empire was rich with flourishing trade across ], ] and ]. Its culture was thriving, influenced by the ], and boasted great achievements in its ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. Many cities grew with large populations, beautiful palaces and gardens such as ], which had a population of a million at its peak, as well as ], ] and ]. The Caliphate eventually diminished in size, and was further reduced during the ]. The Caliphate later disintegrated after invasions from the ] from the east, ending with the ].

	====Fatimid====
	]
	The '''Fatimids''', '''Fatimid Caliphate''' or '''al-Fātimiyyūn''' (] الفاطميون) is the ] ] dynasty that ruled over varying areas of the ], ], and the ] from ] ] to ], and established the Egyptian city of ] as their capital.

	===Bulgaria (880s - 930s)===
	{{main\|Bulgarian Empire}}
	</ref>]]
	In 681 the Bulgarians established a powerful state which played a major military and cultural role in Medieval Europe . ] decisively defeated the ] in the ] (718) and stopped the ] invasion in the eastern parts of the continent effectively stopping the migrations of the barbarian tribes (], ], ]) further to the west. It destroyed the ] Khanate in 806. With the adoption of ] and the invention of the ], the ] became the cultural and spiritual centre of the whole ] world. The ] became the first National Church in ] to gain its independence in 927 with its own Patriarch. The Bulgarian Empire reached its biggest size in the early 900s stretching from the Black Sea to Bosnia.

	]
	===Ghaznavid Empire (960s - 998)===
	{{main\|Ghaznavid Empire}}

	===Kingdom of Hungary (1300s - 1380s)===
	{{main\|History of Hungary\|Kingdom of Hungary in the Middle Ages }}

	===Frankish Empire (790s - 840s)===
	{{main\|Frankish Empire}}
	]
	The ] were united for the first time by ] in the late 5th century. In 732 they managed to defeat the ] at ], thereby halting their invasion of ]. During the reign of ], it reached its greatest extent, encompassing most of the territory of the ], and eventually he was proclaimed Emperor by the Pope in 800. He Christianised the pagan peoples he defeated. This was a period of cultural revival known as the ] with important educational and writing reforms. The empire disintegrated into three parts after the death of his son ], from which later emerged ] and ].

	===Holy Roman Empire (840s - 1510s)===
	{{main\|Holy Roman Empire}}
	]

	The '''Holy Roman Empire''' was a mainly ] conglomeration of lands in ] during the ] and the ]. It was also known as the '''Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation''' from the late 15th century onwards. For centuries historians have treated the Holy Roman Empire as completely distinct from the Roman Empire of classical times.

	At its post-] peak, the Holy Roman Empire encompassed the territories of present-day ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and the ] as well as large parts of modern ], ] and ].

	===Angevin Empire (1154-1453)===
	] territory in ] during the ].]]
	{{Main\|Angevin Empire}}
	The Angevin Empire was a collection of states ruled by the ]. The Plantagenets ruled over the ], the ], the ], the ] and various French counties (consituting approximatley half of ]), the ], and the ]. Their empire in France stretched from the ] to the ] over the ] to the ].

	The empire started when Plantegenet ] was made ]. Territories throughout eastern and northern France possessed by the Platagenets prior to Henry II being made King of England were passed onto the Kingdom of England as English territories in France. Successive Plantegenet Kings of England possessed large areas of territory in France throughout much of the ], and eventually claimed to be ], which lead to centuries of conflict between England and France.

	The end of the empire began when the Plantagenets were defeated by the King of France, ], of the ], which left their empire split in two, losing the provinces ] and ]. This defeat, which left the ruling Plantagenets with their English territories and ] in France, set the scene for the ]. The war lasted 116 years and despite many great English victories against vastly larger forces such as the ], ], ], and ], the French eventually conquered the majority of France, except for enclaves such as ], which ended the empire.

	The term 'Angevin Empire' is a modern construction as the empire had no such collective term at the time.

	===Ayyubid Sultanate (1171 - 1246)===
	]
	{{main\|Ayyubid Dynasty}}
	The Ayybid Sultanate in the Middle East managed to rebuild the weakened Arab State, uniting Egypt, Syria, Hijas and parts of Iraq Libya and Sudan under its control, they managed to kick out the Crusader States.

	===Kingdoms of Aragon (1340s - 1480)===
	{{main\|Crown of Aragon}}
	]

	The '''Crown of Aragon''' was a ] ] in the later ] that controlled a large portion of the present-day ] ], ] ], as well as possessions stretching across the ] as far as ]. It originated in 1137, when the ] and the possessions of the ] merged by ] into what later would be known as the Crown of Aragon. In 1479 a new dynastic union merged the Crown of Aragon with the ], thus making the dawn of the ]. The Crown of Aragon lasted through 1716, when it was abolished by the ] as a result of the Aragonese defeat in the ].

	===Kingdom of Castile (1230 - 1480)===
	{{main\|Kingdom of Castile\|Crown of Castile}}
	]

	The '''Kingdom of Castile''' was one of the medieval kingdoms of the ]. It was created as a politically autonomous entity in the 9th century: it was called County of Castile and was held in ]age from the ], which was latter incorporated. Its name is supposed to be related to the host of ]s constructed in the region. It was one of the ancestor kingdoms of the ].

	]
	===Papacy===
	{{main\|History of the Roman Catholic Church\|Papacy}}

	]
	===Mali Empire (1310s - 1360)===
	{{main\|Mali Empire}}
	The '''Mali Empire''' was a ] state of ]. The empire was founded by ] and became renowned for the generosity and wealth of its rulers, especially ] ]. The Mali Empire had profound cultural influences on West Africa allowing the spread of its language, laws and customs along the ]. Musa was a devoted Muslim and ] scholarship flourished under his rule, The ] in ] reached its height, bringing together Islamic scholars from all over the ].

	===China (630s - 1590s)===
	The start of the ] in ] after the end of the turbulent and chaotic Northern and Southern Dynasty marks China as one of the most powerful countries in the world economically and militarily. Below are some of the dynasties that occurred during this era:
	] under the ] (yellow) and its neighbouring states in 660 CE.]]
	====Tang Dynasty 630s - 760s====
	{{main\|Tang Dynasty}}
	The Tang Dynasty, with its capital at ] (present-day ]), the most populous city in the world at the time, is regarded by historians as a high point in Chinese civilization — equal to or surpassing that of the ] - as well as a golden age of cosmopolitan culture. Its territory, acquired through the military campaigns of its early rulers, was greater than that of the Han period, and rivaled that of the later ] and ]. The influence of ] reached the highest peak in history and the result can even be found in countries around modern ]. During its height, ] ] was one of the greatest powers of the time.

	====Song Dynasty 990s - 1080s====
	{{main\|Song Dynasty}}
	]
	During the ], the wealth of ] attracted numerous attacks from the north and the dynasty gradually retreated to the south. For the first time in history, China needed to donate its wealth annually to buy peace. Ironically, the development of Chinese culture reached the highest peak in history due to the artistic character of the emperors. The technological advancement and policies also led to rapid growth of wealth and improvement of living standard.

	====Yuan Dynasty 1270s - 1320s====
	{{main\|Yuan Dynasty}}
	]
	The Yuan Dynasty ({{zh-c\|c=元朝}}; ]: Yuáncháo; ]: Dai Ön Yeke Mongghul Ulus), lasting officially from 1271 to 1368, followed the ] and preceded the ] in the ]. The dynasty was established by ethnic ], and it had nominal control over the entire ] (stretching from ] to the ] to ]); however, the Mongol rulers in Asia were only interested in China. Later successors did not even attempt to stake claim over the ] title and saw themselves as ], as the Yuan Dynasty grew from being an Imperial Mongol administration under ] to becoming a basically Chinese institution under his successors.

	====Ming Dynasty 1370s - 1590s====
	{{main\|Ming Dynasty}}
	]]]
	The ] was the last ethnic ]-led dynasty in ], supplanting the ]-led ] before falling to the ]-led ]. At its pinnacle, the Ming Empire was one of greatest powers of its time. Ming rule saw the construction of a vast ], including four-masted ships of 1,500 tons displacement, and a ] of 1,000,000 troops. Over 100,000 tons of iron per year were produced in ] (roughly 1 kg per inhabitant), and many books were printed using ]. Internally, the ] was refurbished to its current state, and the ] was renovated, thus boasting domestic trade.

	===Mongol Empire (1210s - 1270s)===
	{{main\|Mongol Empire\|Golden Horde\|Chagatai Khan\|Ilkhanate}}
	]
	The '''Mongol Empire''' was the largest contiguous land ] in ], covering over 33 million km² at its peak, with an estimated population of over 100 million people. The Mongol Empire was founded by ] in 1206, and at its height, it encompassed the majority of the territories from ] to ]. The Mongol Empire helped bring political stability and re-establish the ].

	]
	=== Chola Empire ===
	{{main\|Chola Empire}}
	The Chola Empire had significant influence in ] and much of ].

	== Powers from 1400-1815 ==
	{{Unreferenced\|date=December 2006}}

	===France (1450s - 1945)===
	]
	]
	{{main\|France in the Middle Ages}}
	{{main\|French Empire}}

	]
	===Venice (1480s - 1710s)===
	{{main\|Republic of Venice}}
	]

	===China (1660s - 1800s)===
	{{main\|Qing Dynasty}}
	The Qing Dynasty, occasionally known as the Manchu Dynasty, was the ruling ] of ] from ] to ]. The Qing Dynasty was the last ]. During its reign, the Qing Dynasty consolidated its grip on China, integrated with ], and saw the height of ] influence. The collapse of the Qing dynasty in 1912 brought an end to over 2,000 years of imperial China rule.

	===Persian Empire (1580s - 1690s)===
	{{main\|Safavid dynasty}}
	] borders.]]

	The Safavids (1501-1722) are considered as the greatest ] since the ]. The Safavid empire originated from ] in ] in northern Iran. It was Turkic-speaking dynasty whose classical and cultural language was Persian.<ref></ref><ref>[http://www.tau.ac.il/dayancenter/mel/lewis.html Iran in History
	] by ]</ref> The Safavid dynasty had its origins in a long established ], called the '']''. The Safavids established an independent unified Iranian state for the first time after the Islamic conquest of Persia and reasserted Iranian political identity, and established ] as the official religion in Iran.

	===United Kingdom (1600 - 1997)===
	{{main\|British Empire}}
	], constituting approximately 25% of the world's surface and 25% of the world's people. <ref>Angus Maddison. ''The World Economy: A Millennial Perspective'' (p. 98, 242). ], Paris, 2001.</ref>]]
	The '''British Empire''' was the ] in world history and between 1815-1918 was the foremost ]. The empire began in the ] as a combination of factors lead to its creation, such as the growth in British trade with ] and the ], the success of the ], numerous British maritime explorations around the world, and a large ].

	British colonies were created along the east coast of ] but by the late ] most of these colonies rebelled, leading to the ] between and formation of the ], leaving only British colonies in ] and the ] under British control.

	However, shortly after the loss of most British colonies in North America the ] began in 1803, in which ] was at war with ]. After France's defeat in 1815 Great Britain took possession of much of the ], mostly territories in North America and India.

	It was after this period during the ] that the ] became the first country in the world to industrialise, giving birth to the ]. This rapid industrial growth in the United Kingdom earlier than its rivals meant the United Kingdom became the world's largest industrial power. Combined with a large Royal Navy, that rapidly grew to become the world's largest navy, giving Great Britain control of the seas and international trade routes aiding the British Empire grow faster than ever before. The empire colonised large parts of ], including such territories as ], ], ], ], ], and ], most of ], colonies in the ], such as ], ], and ], and took control over all the ], making it the world's largest empire.

	After victory in the ] the empire gained control of territories such as ], ], from the ] and ], and ] from the ]. By this point in 1920 the British empire had grown to become ], controlling approximately 25% of the world's land surface and 25% of the world's population.<ref>Angus Maddison. ''The World Economy: A Millennial Perspective'' (p. 98, 242). ], Paris, 2001.</ref> It covered about 36.6 million km² (14.2 million square miles),<ref>Bruce R. Gordon. (See for sources used.)</ref>. Because of its magnitude, it was often referred to as ].

	The economic damage to the United Kingdom and social changes in the United Kingdom and throughout the world caused by First World War followed only two decades later by the ] caused the empire to slowly break up as colonies were given independence. Much of the reason the empire ceased was because many colonies by the mid 20th century were no longer as undeveloped as at the arrival of British control nor as dependent and social changes throughout the world during the first half of the 20th century gave rise to national identity. The United Kingdom reeling from the economic cost two successive world wars and changing social attitudes towards empire could no longer afford to maintain the empire if the United Kingdom was to recover the United Kingdom's economy, pay for the newly created ], and fight the newly emerged ] with the ].

	Nonetheless, most former colonies of the British Empire remained members of the ], with ] as head of the Comonwealth. Some members have retained the ] as their ] as ]. A few small territories remain under British control as ].

	===The Low Countries/The Netherlands===
	{{main\|Dutch Empire}}
	] held at various points in history. Dark green indicates colonies that either were, or originated from, land controlled by the ], light green the ].]]
	The '''Dutch Empire'''{{ref\|name}} is the name given to the various territories controlled by ] from the 17th to the 20th century. Their skills in ] and ] aided the building of an over seas colonal Empire from the 16th to 20th centuries. The Dutch initially built up colonial possessions on the basis of indirect state capitalist ], with the dominant ]. A cultural flowering roughly spanning the 17th century is known as the ], in which Dutch trade, science, and art were among the most acclaimed in the world.

	===Mughal Empire (1550s - 1700s)===

	{{main\|Mughal Empire}}
	]

	The Mughal empire at its greatest territorial extent ruled most of the ], and parts of what is now ].

	The Mughal Empire was established in 1526 by the ] prince ], when he defeated ]. Under ] the Empire grew considerably. The empire commanded wealth and resources unparalleled in Indian history. The Mughal period would see a blending of ]n, ]ian and ] artistic, intellectual and literary traditions more than any other in Indian history.

	===The Ottoman Empire (1450s - 1680s)===
	{{main\|Ottoman Empire}}
	]
	'''Ottoman Empire''' (] to ]) was a ] state, which at the height of its power (] - ]) spanned three continents (see: ]) controlling much of ], the ] and most of ]. The empire has been called by historians a "Universal Empire" due to both ] and ] traditions.<ref>H. Inaicik "The rise of the Ottoman Empire" in P.M. Holt, A.K. S. Lambstone, and B. Lewis (eds), "'''The Cambridge History of Islam'''" (Cambridge University). pages 295-200</ref>

	The empire was at the center of interactions between the ] and ] worlds for six centuries. The Ottoman Empire was the only Islamic power to seriously challenge the rising power of ] between the ] and ]. With ] (or ]) as its capital, the Empire was in some respects an Islamic ] of earlier Mediterranean empires - the ] and ] empires.

	===Poland-Lithuania (1569s - 1795s)===
	{{main\|Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth}}
	]
	The '''Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth''', also known as the '''First Polish Republic''', ({{lang-pl\|Pierwsza ] Polska}} or ''Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów''; {{lang-lt\|Abiejų tautų respublika}}) or as the "First Republic," was one of the largest, most powerful and most populous<ref name="pbs map">, last accessed on ] 2006 ''At its apogee, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth comprised some {{convert\|400000\|sqmi\|km2}} and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million.'' For population comparisons, see also those maps: , . </ref> countries in ] ] ] ]. Its political structure — that of a semi-federal, semi-confederal ] ] — was formed in ] by the ], which united the ] and the ], and lasted in this form until the adoption of the ].

	]

	===Portugal===
	{{main\|Portuguese Empire}}
	The '''Portuguese Empire''' was the first ] in history, and also the earliest and longest lived of the ]an ] empires, existing from ] to ].

	]'s small size and population restricted the empire to a collection of small but well defended outposts along the shoreline. The height of the empire power was reached in the ] but the indifference of the ] kings and the competition with new colonial empires like the ], ] and ] started its long and gradual decline. After the ] Portugal concentrated in the ] of ] and ].

	] in blue]]
	===Prussia===
	{{main\|Prussia}}
	The ] dominated northern ] politically, economically, and in terms of population, and was the core of the unified ] formed in 1867, which became part of the ] or '']'' in 1871.

	Prussia attained its greatest importance in the 18th and 19th centuries. During the 18th century, it became a ]an great power under the reign of ] (1740–86). During the 19th century, Chancellor ] pursued a policy of uniting the German principalities into a "]" which would exclude the ].

	===Russia===
	{{main\|Russian Empire}}
	]
	The Russian Empire as a state, existed from 1721 until it was declared a ] the 1st of September 1917.
	The Russian Empire formed from what was ] under ]. Peter I, (1672–1725), played a major role in bringing his country into the European state system, and laid the foundations of a modern state in ]. From its modest beginnings in the 14th century, Russia had become the largest state in the world by Peter's time. Three times the size of continental Europe, it spanned the ] from the ] to the ].

	===Spain===
	]
	{{main\|Spanish Empire}}
	In the 16th century Spain and Portugal were in the vanguard of European global exploration and colonial expansion and the opening of trade routes across the oceans, with trade flourishing across the Atlantic Ocean between Spain and the Americas and across the Pacific Ocean between Asia-Pacific and Mexico via the Philippines. Conquistadors toppled the Aztec, Inca, and Maya civilizations, and laid claim to vast stretches of land in North and South America. For a time, the Spanish Empire dominated the oceans with its experienced navy and ruled the European battlefield with its fearsome and well trained infantry, the famous tercios: in the words of the prominent French historian Pierre Vilar, "enacting the most extraordinary epic in human history". Spain enjoyed a cultural golden age in the 16th and 17th centuries being the worlds foremost power. Also the Spanish and British Empires were the only recognized empires in which "the sun never sets."

	From 1580 to 1640 the ] and the ] were conjoined in a ] of its ], during the period of the ], though the empires continued to be administered separately.

	From the middle of the 16th century silver and gold from the American mines increasingly financed the military capability of Habsburg Spain in its long series of European and North African wars. Until the loss of its American colonies in the 19th century, Spain maintained the largest empire in the world even though it suffered fluctuating military and economic fortunes from the 1640s. Confronted by the new experiences, difficulties and suffering created by empire-building, Spanish thinkers formulated some of the first modern thoughts on natural law, sovereignty, international law, war, and economics — they even questioned the legitimacy of imperialism — in related schools of thought referred to collectively as the School of Salamanca.

	Constant contention with rival powers caused territorial, commercial, and religious conflict that contributed to the slow decline of Spanish power from the mid-17th century. In the ], Spain warred constantly with the Ottoman Empire; on the European continent, ] became comparably strong. Overseas, Spain was initially rivaled by ], and later by the ] and ]. In addition, English-, French-, and Dutch-sponsored piracy, overextension of Spanish military commitments in its territories, increasing government corruption, and economic stagnation caused by military expenditures ultimately contributed to the empire's weakening.
	].]]
	Spain's European empire was finally undone by the Peace of Utrecht (1713), which stripped Spain of its remaining territories in Italy and the Low Countries. Spain's fortunes improved thereafter, but it remained a second rate power in Continental European politics.

	However, Spain maintained and enlarged its vast overseas empire until the 19th century, when the shock of the Peninsular War sparked declarations of independence in Quito (1809), ] and ] (1811) and successive revolutions that split away its territories on the mainland (the Spanish Main) of the Americas. Spain retained significant fragments of its empire in the Caribbean (Cuba and Puerto Rico); Asia (Philippines), and Oceania (Guam, Micronesia, Palau, and Northern Marianas) until the Spanish–American War of 1898. Spanish participation in the Scramble for Africa was minimal: Spanish Morocco was held until 1956 and Spanish Guinea and the Spanish Sahara were held until 1968 and 1975 respectively. The Canary Islands, Ceuta, Melilla and the other plazas de soberanía on the northern African coast have remained part of Spain.

	===Sweden===
	{{main\|Swedish Empire}}
	] in 1658.]]
	The seventeenth century saw ] as one of the ]s in Europe. Sweden also had colonial possessions as a minor ] that existed from 1638-1663 and later 1784-1878.

	Sweden was during Imperial times the most powerful country of northern Europe and the ]. Sweden's Imperial status took its start with ] as king, and his successful participation in the Thirty Years' War, which made Sweden the recognized leader of Continental Protestantism in ] until 1721 when the Empire collapsed.{{Fact\|date=April 2007}} Sweden's Imperial status during this period is largely credited to ]'s major changes on the Swedish economy in the mid-1500s, and his introduction of ].{{Fact\|date=April 2007}}

	The mid 1600s and the early 1700s were Sweden's most successful years as a Great Power. Sweden reached its largest territorial extent during the rule of ] (1622–1660) after the ] in 1658. However, after more than a half century of almost constant warfare the Swedish economy had deteriorated. It would become the lifetime task of Charles' son, ] (1655-1697), to rebuild the economy and refit the army. His legacy to his son, the coming ruler of Sweden ], was one of the finest arsenals in the world, a large standing army and a great fleet. Sweden's largest threat at this time, ], had a larger army but was far behind in both equipment and training. The Swedish army crushed the Russians at the ] in 1700, one of the first battles of the ]. This led to an overambitious ] in 1707, however, ending in a decisive Russian victory at the ] (1709). The campaign had a successful opening for Sweden, which came to occupy half of ] and making Charles able to claim the Polish throne. But after a long march exposed by ] raids, the Russian Tsar ]'s scorched-earth techniques and the ], the Swedes stood weakened with a shattered confidence, and enormously outnumbered against the Russian army at Poltava. The defeat meant the beginning of the end for Sweden as Empire.

	Even though Sweden had lost almost half of its army during these times of intense war, Charles XII still attempted to invade Norway 1716, and the Swedish Empire crumbled when having to sign the ] losing the war 1721. Three years earlier the king had been shot during a siege attempt at ] (] ]). The lands Sweden had to cede clearly marked the end of Sweden's role as the foremost nation of the Baltic Sea with Russia taking its place. It also made Russia able to step forward as a new ], and become one of Europe's leading nations.

	In the eighteenth century, Sweden did not have enough resources to maintain its territories outside Scandinavia and most of them were lost, culminating with the 1809 loss of the territory once named ] (Eastern district) and the eastern part of ] to Russia: these parts became the semi-autonomous (]) of Finland of ].

	After Denmark-Norway was defeated in the ], Norway was ceded to the king of Sweden on ], 1814, at the ]. The ] attempts to keep their status as a sovereign state were rejected by the Swedish king, ]. He launched a military campaign against Norway on July 27, 1814, ending in the ], which forced ] into a ] with Sweden, which was not dissolved until 1905. The 1814 campaign was also the last war in which Sweden participated as a combatant.

	==References==		==References==
	{{~~reflist\|2~~}}		{{Reflist}}

	==~~See~~ ~~also~~==		==Further reading==
			* Cooper, F. (2008). ''Empires and Political Imagination in World History''. Princeton : Princeton University Press.
	*]
			* Doyle, M. W. (1986). ''Empires''. Ithaca, N.Y: Cornell University Press.
	*]
			* English, Edward D. ed. ''Encyclopedia Of The Medieval World'' (2 vol. 2004).
			* Farrington, K. (2003). ''Historical Atlas of Empires''. London: Mercury.
			* Harrison, T., & J. Paul Getty Museum. (2009). ''The Great Empires of the Ancient World''. Los Angeles, Calif: J. Paul Getty Museum.
			* Khan, A. (2004). ''A Historical Atlas of India''. New York: Rosen Pub.
			* Jordan, William Chester. (1996) ''The Middle Ages: An Encyclopedia for Students'' (4 Volumes)
			* Labberton, R. H. (1884). ''''. New York.
			* Litwin, H. (2016), , ''BUM Magazine'', October 2016.
			* Loyn, H. R. (1989) ''The Middle Ages: A Concise Encyclopedia.'' (1989)
			* Morris, I., & Scheidel, W. (2009). ''The Dynamics of Ancient Empires: State power from Assyria to Byzantium''. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
			* Pella, John & Erik Ringmar, , Cambridge: Open Book, forthcoming.
			* Petitjean, P., ], Moulin, A. M., & Equipe REHSEIS (Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France)). (1992). ''Science and Empires: Historical Studies about Scientific Development and European Expansion''. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
			* Shepherd, W. R., & C.S. Hammond & Company. (1911). ''''. New York: Henry Holt and Co.
			* Stearns, Peter N. ed. ''The Encyclopedia of World History'' (2001).

	{{International power}}		{{International power}}
			{{Empires}}

	]		]
			]
			]
			]
			]

Latest revision as of 18:25, 2 January 2025

The term "great power" has only been used in historiography and political science since the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Lord Castlereagh, the British Foreign Secretary, first used the term in its diplomatic context in 1814 in reference to the Treaty of Chaumont. Use of the term in the historiography of the Middle Ages is therefore idiosyncratic to each author. In historiography of the pre-modern period, it is more typical to talk of empires.

Gerry Simpson distinguishes "Great Powers", an elite group of states that manages the international legal order, from "great powers", empires or states whose military and political might define an era.

The following is a list of empires that have been called great powers during the Middle Ages:

China (throughout)
Goguryeo (400-668)
Iran (Sasanians, 500–600; Samanids, 900–950; Timurids, 1400–1450)
Byzantine Empire (500–1050)
Göktürk Khaganate (550–600)
Tibetan Empire (650–1250)
The Caliphates (650–850)
Carolingian Empire (751–843)
Turks (Onoq, 650; Seljuks, 1050–1100; Ottomans, 1450–1500)
Vikings (800–1050)
Bulgarian Empire (803–963)
Pratihara Empire (850)
Khazar Khaganate (850–900)
Kievan Rus' (900–1050)
Buyid Dynasty (950)
Fatimid Caliphate (950–1050)
Liao Dynasty (950–1150)
Holy Roman Empire (950–1200)
Ghaznavid Dynasty (1050)
Republic of Venice (since 1100)
Almohad Caliphate (1150–1250)
Mamluk Sultanate of Egypt (1250–1450)
Mongol Empire (1250–1450)
Khmer Empire (1250)
Mali Empire (1300, 1450)
Kingdom of France (since 1300)
Chagatai Khanate (1350)
Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1450)
Spanish Empire (since 1479)
Inca Empire (1500)
Grand Duchy of Moscow (1500)

References

Fueter, Eduard (1922). World history, 1815–1930. United States of America: Harcourt, Brace and Company. pp. 25–28, 36–44. ISBN 1-58477-077-5. Great Powers Congress of Vienna.
^ Gerry Simpson, Great Powers and Outlaw States: Unequal Sovereigns in the International Legal Order (Cambridge University Press, 2004), p. 68, uses the Vikings as an example of a great power that was not a Great Power.
^ William Eckhardt, Civilizations, Empires, and Wars: A Quantitative History of War (McFarland, 1992), p. 113: "Medieval Great Powers included China throughout, Persia (500-600, 900-50, 1400-50), Byzantium (500-1050), Tu Chueh (550-600), Tibet (650- 1250), Muslim (650-850), Turkey (650, 1050-1100, 1450-1500), Prati (850), Khazar (850-900), Kiev (900-1050), Bujid (950), Fatimid (950-1050), Liao (950-1150), Ghaznavid (1050), Al-mohad (1150-1250), Egypt (1250-1450), Mongolia (1250-1450), Khmer (1250), Mali (1300, 1450), Chagatai (1350), Lithuania (1450), Inca (1500) and Russia (1500)."
^ Szabolcs József Polgár, "The Character of the Trade between the Nomads and their Settled Neighbours in Eurasia in the Middle Ages", Studia Uralo-altaica 53 (2019): 253, contrasts "the nomads of the Eurasian steppe with their settled neighbours", calling the former "steppe empires (that is, the greatest nomadic confederations)" and the latter "medieval great powers". He gives China, Sassanian Persia, the Caliphate and the Eastern Roman Empire as medieval great powers.
Gardner, Robert (2016). Averting Global War: Regional Challenges, Overextension, and Options for American Strategy. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 158. ISBN 9780230108714. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
Roberts, John Morris; Westad, Odd Arne (2013). The History of the World. Oxford University Press. p. 443. ISBN 978-0199936762. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
Henry Davis: Medieval Europe. Williams and Norgate, London 1911, p. 55: "These crowded years of war leave the Frankish Empire established as the one great power west of the Elbe and Adriatic."
Thomas Hodgkin: The life of Charlemagne (Charles The Great), London 1897, p. 11
Daniel Ziemann: Das Erste bulgarische Reich. Eine frühmittelalterliche Großmacht zwischen Byzanz und Abendland. (German: An early medieval great power between Byzantium and the Occident) In: Online handbook on the history of South-East Europe. Volume I Rule and politics in Southeastern Europe until 1800. Published by the Institute for East and Southeast European Studies of the Leibniz Association, Regensburg 2016
Frank Rexroth: Deutsche Geschichte im Mittelalter. C.H. Beck, Munich 2005, ISBN 978-3-406-48007-2, p. 22 ("The special proximity of the Ottonian and early Salian rulers to the Imperial Church was to contribute quite considerably to the rise of the East Frankish Empire to a European great power, as was already noticeable in the 940s".)
Johannes Haller and Heinrich Dannenbauer: Von den Karolingern zu den Staufern: Die altdeutsche Kaiserzeit (900–1250). Walter de Gruyter, Berlin 1970, p. 129 ( “It became apparent that the German leadership in the West“ “had ceased to exist and that the new French great power was rising in its place.” )
"Rise and Fall of Venice". Claremont Review of Books. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
Jürgen Miethke: Philipp IV. der Schöne (German: Philip IV of France) 1285 – 1314 In: Joachim Ehlers, Heribert Müller, Bernd Schneidmüller: Die Französische Könige des Mittelalters von Odo bis Karl VIII. (German: The French kings of the Middle Ages: from Odo to Charles VIII 888 – 1498), C. H. Beck Munich 2006, ISBN 978-3-406-54739-3, p. 184: “France finally grew into a European great power, even defining in the first place what it means to be a European great power”
Jack S. Levy: War in the Modern Great Power System 1495 – 1975. The University Press of Kentucky, Lexington 1983, ISBN 978-0-8131-5339-1, p. 20

Latest revision as of 18:25, 2 January 2025

See also

References

Further reading