Life of an Empires

            People talk about the greatness of the infamous Roman Empire. There are countless books written about the military strategy of the Mongols. Well known and well respected for the accomplishments made, both Empires deserve every praise granted them. However, there are more great Empires than just Rome and Mongolia.

Sure, the Mongols built a empire bigger than Rome in less time, but wasn’t able to withstand test of time for very long. Sure, Rome was large and towards the end, rather permissive, but they collapsed in a pile of burning rubble when the next great thing arrived.

            That next great thing, was the Ottoman Turks. The Ottomans conquered the Roman city of Constantinople and from that point, would have a ruling seat in the modern world from the mid 1400s until the early 20^th century. The Ottoman practice of blending Eurasian practices and Mediterranean culture, created a state where different kinds of rulers could blend together to form a composite empire. The Ottomans not only took over Constantinople and eventually all of Byzantium, but also the territories beyond. Their polity was inclusive unlike than the monotheistic Roman Empire, and more sustainable than the Mongol Khanates. This allowed their rule to flourish where planted. Ottoman emperors ruled by intentionally recruiting people from outside ottoman society and integrating them into Ottoman life. Thus broadening Ottoman understanding of the outside world and deepening a connection to potential allies. Unlike the surrounding countries in Europe and Asia, The Ottoman Empire had little need for physical expansion. Until the Spanish Habsburgs began their ocean expansion, the Ottomans occupied richer land and had more natural resources than their neighboring countries.

            As westward expansion became the obvious route to success, the Spanish King Philip II joined the race to the new world and sent thousands of troops across the ocean to claim land for Spain. Once Spain occupied new lands, they threatened the Ottoman power, and a struggle for supremacy began. Unlike the Ottomans the Spanish drew power from within, promoting internal leaders who already had strong supportive forces. This created a strong sense of national pride and gave Spain the ability to inspire from within. However, even Spain would once day meet its match.

            As with flowers in a field, or paintings on a wall, empires fade. Their glory diminishes and their power grows dull. Empires, just as the men who control them, seem to have a certain life expectancy. The good healthy ones, can run for a few hundreds years. The truly magnificent ones, a thousand years, however, each will come to an end. Maybe the question of empires isn’t which one is the best, or which lived the longest, but which lived its life to the fullest, did the most to improve its situation, and was able to maintain what control was had, for as long as it had it. Rome ended bitterly, but we remember it for its greatness, not its failure. The Turks defeated the Ottomans, but we still remember them. Maybe, a great empire isn’t one that lasted for hundreds of years, but one that made a lasting impression. Maybe a empire, is only what we remember it to be.