20 IMPERIALIST COUNTRIES IN HISTORY AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS - HISTORY - 2025

The imperialist countries are those whose political, military, economic and social model is based on regressive imperialism, focused on invading and exploiting the resources of another country; or in the progressive one, oriented to the expansion and to improve the quality of life and culture of a civilization, apparently less advanced. In the history of humanity, before and after Christ, the process of colonization or expansion has been a constant that gave rise to great empires.

Although it is true that these models of domination existed since Antiquity, it was at the time of the discoveries in the 15th century -from the expansion of Europe- and during the Second World War when the term imperialism was coined, from the Latin imperare: im means "penetration", and parare means "prepare".

The map shows the territories that were colonies at the time of the British Empire. Source: wikipedia.org

Next, we present a historical journey that includes the modernity of the nations that led the most important processes of colonization and expansion of their territories.

Imperialist countries of the ancient world

Persia

The Persian Empire was one of the largest in ancient times. It arose from the conjunction of the Persian and Median settlers, who settled in the territory that is now known as Iran in 1500 BC. C. They expanded throughout the Middle East under the hand of Darius I, but the expansion was consolidated under the rule of Cyrus II.

In the course of 1500 the western regions of Iran were occupied by the Persians, Indo-European peoples from the Caucasus. This happened during the reign of Ashurbanipal.

A Median chieftain named Cyaxares gathered his people and led them to the Halys River; in this way he expanded his empire after the battle of 585 with the Lydians. Allied with the Babylonians, he destroyed the city of Nineveh and established his kingdom, establishing the capital at Ecbatana.

His successors annexed Egypt to their territories. Then they came into contact with the Hellenes and in the Battle of Plataea they could not defeat the Greeks, although they were outnumbered in political and military forces.

Macedonia

The Macedonian Empire was built by Alexander the Great, who rose to power very young (at 18 years of age) after the murder of his father.

This conquest of territories was one of the most violent and was consummated in just 8 years, after the wars of Gránico, Issos and Gaugamela, which occurred between 333 and 331 BC. It was in this period that Persia was struck down and destroyed by the armies of the young and fierce general.

Later came the occupation of Mesopotamia, the destruction of Persepolis, and the entry into Iran, Sogdania and Bactriana. Alexander the Great entered India and his army refused to continue after the campaign on Hydaspes.

Magno became a tyrant and dismissed any warning. Their possessions were not administered with the criteria of a central government that achieved the union of the conquered territories.

Mongolia

The Mongol Empire was represented by tribes of nomadic horsemen from the plains of Central Asia. They were under the command of Genghis Khan and led an expansionist crusade of such dimensions that it spanned from eastern China to the Islamic Empire and Russia to the west.

The Mongols were extraordinary skilled horsemen and archers. They were agile and swift, which made them a very strong group of warriors feared by other armies. They founded fleeting states between the 5th and 11th centuries in northern China, and others in central Asia in the 11th and 12th centuries.

Likewise, the Mongols did not displace the beliefs, culture and customs of the conquered peoples; on the contrary, they respected them. The time of the so-called Mongolian pax raised the quality of the commerce of the colonized civilizations (1210-1350).

The Huns

This empire was commanded by the fearsome Attila and was established during the 4th century in Europe. Their conquests enabled them to acquire significant racial and cultural diversity, as their ventures spanned India, Iran, and what is now Turkmenistan.

There is a belief that this nomadic people worshiped horses, since they were sacred. The Romans called them uneducated barbarians because, apparently, they had no gods or any kind of belief. They were ranchers and also engaged in hunting and agriculture.

With the army of Attila defeated after the Battle of Nedao in 454, the Empire of the Huns completely disappeared from Europe.

Rome

The Roman Empire was one of the most magnificent reigns in history. Rome conquered the eastern and western Mediterranean after the Punic Wars. Likewise, she defeated the Greek territories and Pergamum, established her power in the Aegean Sea and Asia Minor, consolidated her mandate in Syria and Anatolia, and conquered Gaul in the 1st century BC. C.

Its first emperor was Caesar Augustus and his power extended to Britain, Messia, Thrace and Egypt. After Christ they achieved their last invasions: they conquered in the reign of Trajan, Dacia and Mesopotamia. At this time the Empire reached greater extension.

The Romans left the Italian peninsula forced by the Punic wars, and then they colonized other territories such as Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Hispania, Iliria and others. The government of these emperors was autocratic.

China

Historically, the Chinese Empire was one of the governments that had the greatest political and economic influence on Korea, Japan and Vietnam, its neighboring neighbors; spanned from 221 BC. Until 1912.

It is an ancient culture that transcended 4 thousand years of history through 11 dynasties that took pains to preserve its cultural traits.

The territory of China was ruled for centuries by different independent kingdoms. Each spoke their own language and were defined by specific ethnic groups with their own people.

After the so-called "fighting kingdoms" (a long time of war), the landowners were coerced by the Qin dynasty and its powerful army to become one nation.

Turkey

The Ottoman Empire was characterized as a multi-ethnic and multi-denominational government run by the dynasty of Osmanlí origin. Following the decline of the Seljuk Empire, it gained strength through the conquest of lost territories, previously dominated by them.

The Ottomans took over Constantinople during 1453 to reinforce their empire. Its heyday among the s. XVII and XVI allowed this empire to spread from southeastern Europe to North Africa.

They assumed traits of the traditions and customs of the vassals, enriching their cultural unity from diversity. In the S. XIX became independent many territories and in the s. XX said empire had been dismembered.

Aztec empire

Within Mesoamerica, in the New World, the Aztec Empire stood out, constituting a state that started from the south of Guatemala to the western part of Mexico. It was considered the most extensive and important civilization in the region until the arrival of the Spanish Empire.

The Aztec culture was very diverse due to the influence of ancient peoples that settled in the territory. They were organized and good administrators of their government and strengthened its military aspect; this allowed them to subdue the other Mesoamerican peoples.

Modern empires

"The White Man's Burden" March 16, 1899.

Austro-Hungarian

This empire was formed as a result of the demands of Hungary and its ambition for power over other peoples in 1764. It was led by the Habsburgs. In the 18th century, this empire was made up of 14 different states, multicultural in race, language and customs, among which there was no cohesion or shared identity.

At a time when it was not customary for a woman to exercise power, the Empress Maria Theresa of Habsburg was an affable, good-natured, intelligent, forceful and austere sovereign, which is why she was opposed to the ostentatiousness of the court.

Despite his friendly and simple image, he managed his hobbies and duties perfectly. He also attended dances and theaters, and was in charge of organizing his army.

There were three events that were the most outstanding of his reign: the Austrian War of Succession, the Seven Years' War and the divisions of Poland.

Britain

The British Empire was the largest in history. He claimed territories on every continent and his power as conqueror of nations made him visible throughout the world.

India was its richest and most important colony. As a consequence of colonial rule, the British Empire increased its presence in various parts of the planet. Many relevant countries today correspond to British colonies of earlier times. Such is the case in the United States, Canada, Australia, and other nations.

Initially, its economic policy was based on mercantilism; after the loss of North America, it assumed the free trade model.

Europe wielded the idea of ​​the superiority of the white race, and even so the United Kingdom enacted the law prohibiting trade with slavery, abolishing this condition in 1834. This was intended to be an example for the rest of the colonizing countries.

France

The French Empire, also called the Napoleonic Empire, was a sovereign state whose territory encompassed part of western Europe and central Europe. It had several colonial possessions and its period goes from 1804 to 1814.

Napoleon had the firm intention of turning France into a European power, thus managing to dominate a vast territory.

In the 19th century the new and modern French Empire became the second most important in terms of its economic scope and size. This new empire gave rise to one of the most relevant phenomena that changed the course of history towards modernity: the Industrial Revolution.

Spain

The Spanish Empire had as its objective the conquest of America once the voyages of Columbus opened the doors to one of the most profound colonization processes.

The New World had been discovered and placed at the disposal of the kings of Castile, who realized such a valuable find and set out to carry out new maritime ventures to discover other territories and take possession of them. Thus they consolidated their colonial empire on the new continent.

This conquest displaced all the beliefs, customs and cultures of the indigenous peoples after a fierce process of evangelization and transculturation.

Portuguese colonial empire

The Portuguese colonial empire was not one of the most extensive, but it stood out for having opened the Age of Discovery with the travels of Bartolomé Díaz and Vasco de Gama.

The decline of the Portuguese Empire was gradual, but its most important loss was the Independence of Brazil in 1822, a country discovered by Pedro Álvares Cabral from where Portugal gathered resources such as gold, precious stones, sugar cane, coffee and other resources.

Italy

After Italy was unified during the 19th century, it tried to seize colonies outside its geography whose riches had benefited other countries in Europe.

Mussolini had the idea of ​​creating the new empire of Rome. Although it had no American colonies, in 1939 and 1940 it invaded Albania, Montenegro and Greece with the backing of Germany. China also granted him the city of Tianjin.

German colonial empire

The German colonial Empire existed between 1871 and 1918. After World War I Germany was stripped of its colonies in Africa, Asia and Oceania. Due to the short German colonization, no German cultural influence today has remained in the local cultures.

The Treaty of Versailles of June 28, 1919 divided the German colonies between France, the United Kingdom, the Union of South Africa, Belgium, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Portugal. In this way Belgium and other countries became colonial empires.

Belgian colonial empire

Belgium controlled two colonies during its history; the Belgian Congo from 1908 to 1960 and Ruanda-Urundi from 1922 to 1962. It also had a concession in China and was a joint administrator of the Tangier International Zone in Morocco.

Swedish colonial empire

The Swedish colonial Empire occupied the territories of Norway, Latvia, Russia, Germany, Finland and Estonia. It existed from 1638 to 1663 and from 1785 to 1878. The Swedish colonial possessions were relatively small, as they were never held simultaneously.

In America, Sweden colonized New Sweden, which it lost in 1655; Guadalupe, who later returned to France; the Swedish Gold Coast in Africa, which it lost in the 17th century, and St. Bartholomew in the Antilles, which it sold to France in 1878.

Japan

The Japanese Empire developed a territorial invasion plan that included Formosa (1895) and Korea (1910). In addition, in 1937 he attacked China in the framework of World War II, having as allies Italy and Germany.

He faced the United States and Russia and was defeated by this alliance. Then the division of Korea in South Korea was born, adopted by the North Americans; and North Korea, taken over by the Russians. Both were later made independent.

Russia

The Russian Empire had its beginnings in the 15th century. It spread westward and took over the Tartars under Ivan the Terrible.

From then on it colonized from Siberia to Alaska, and in the 20th century it allied with the United States and defeated Japan, with the pretense of hegemonizing Asia. After the division of Korea -which was under the power of Japan-, it was left with the northern territories.

U.S

The American Empire has exhibited imperialist behavior forever, and especially during the 20th century. He drew a path that aims to protect the world and keep freedom and democracy alive.

Their armies travel the continents under the figure of "combat commandos", whose mission is to protect nations in different parts of the planet.

It has participated in civil wars, coups and countless conflicts outside its own territory. It is estimated that this has been done with an expansionist idea that aims to extend and increase its world power in the geographical area, since by intervening as a power in these conflicts it gives them an international character.

References

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2. "Imperialism" in History and Biographies. Retrieved on March 29, 2019 from History and Biographies: historiaybiogramas.com
3. "The world order" in EOM. Retrieved on March 29, 2019 in EOM: elordenmundial.com
4. Briones, F., Medel, J. "The imperialism of the XIX century" at the University of Bío Bío. Retrieved on March 31, 2019 from Universidad del Bío Bío: ubiobio.cl
5. Noda, Martin. Imperialist Countries and Capitalist Imperialism in La Haine. Retrieved on March 31, 2019 from La Haine: lahaine.org
6. "The Austro-Hungarian Empire" in Universal History. Retrieved on March 31, 2019 from Universal History: mihistoriauniversal.com
7. Pérez Juan "US imperialism" in EOM in Recovered on March 31, 2019 in EOM: elordenmundial.com