Five empires by size or length
Three thousand Egyptian years, the largest contiguous land empire, the longest sultanate, the longest Roman city.
5 questions. Pick an answer to see the explanation. Share your result at the end.
Approximately how long did ancient Egyptian pharaonic civilization last?
Ancient Egyptian civilization lasted from the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under Narmer around 3100 BC to the Roman conquest in 30 BC — approximately 3,000 years, longer than the gap between the death of Cleopatra and the present day. The unification predates the Pyramid of Khufu by approximately 500 years and predates Rome's founding by approximately 2,350 years.
Roughly how large was the Mongol Empire at its 1279 peak — and what was its distinction in world history?
At its 1279 peak under Kublai Khan, the Mongol Empire encompassed approximately 24 million square kilometres — from the Pacific to the Black Sea — and ruled approximately 110 million people. It remains the largest contiguous land empire in recorded history. The British Empire was larger in total area (~35 million km²) but was a maritime empire of scattered overseas territories.
Who was the Ottoman sultan under whom the empire reached its greatest extent and cultural peak?
Suleiman I — called *Kanuni* ('the Lawgiver') in Turkish and *Magnificent* in European usage — reigned for 46 years, the longest of any Ottoman sultan. The empire under him reached its greatest extent (Hungary, North Africa, Mesopotamia, the Persian Gulf), produced its mature legal and administrative system, and built most of the great Ottoman mosques (Sinan's architectural career was Suleimanic). Mehmed II took Constantinople in 1453; Selim I conquered Egypt in 1517; Murad IV reigned much later.
In what year did Constantinople fall to the Ottomans, ending the Byzantine Empire?
Constantinople fell on 29 May 1453 to the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II after a 53-day siege. The last Byzantine emperor, Constantine XI Palaiologos, died fighting at the walls. 1204 is the Fourth Crusade sack of Constantinople (the city was recovered in 1261); 1517 is Luther's 95 Theses; 1648 is the Peace of Westphalia.
In what year was the Ottoman Empire formally abolished?
The Ottoman sultanate was formally abolished by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on 1 November 1922. The last sultan, Mehmed VI, left Constantinople on a British warship two weeks later. The Republic of Turkey was proclaimed on 29 October 1923 (1923 is a common but slightly wrong answer). 1918 is the Mudros armistice; 1908 the Young Turk revolution.