AHC: Largest empire possible?

[Thanksforallthefish]

Now, I know there's a lot of debate of what constitutes an "empire", but for the sake of this thread let's define as a territory controlled directly by a single government or people. So either the Mongols, the British empire or any others could fall in this definition.

With that said; what is the largest empire in land extension possible? It doesn't matter if it falls apart in a few years, it has to be the largest possible territory administered by a single government or group of people.

[jkarr]

Originally Posted by Thanksforallthefish

Now, I know there's a lot of debate of what constitutes an "empire", but for the sake of this thread let's define as a territory controlled directly by a single government or people. So either the Mongols, the British empire or any others could fall in this definition.

With that said; what is the largest empire in land extension possible? It doesn't matter if it falls apart in a few years, it has to be the largest possible territory administered by a single government or group of people.

tough one really...id say the british is probaly ht emost realisticly stable one (which in parts wasnt that much) but for your definition you could have a unified eurasian state, possiblly due to china-russia-europe becoming more economically and politicaly the same if china and russia never went communist...you could aslo, in the future, if things ever get better (which i doubt) have hte un actually form a world state...or a state with the members it recognises

[Xhavnak]

You can increase the British empire in a variety of non ASB ways to slowly make it larger than OTL and still stable, realistically though it was just about the largest possible.

[pearsonwright]

Originally Posted by Xhavnak

You can increase the British empire in a variety of non ASB ways to slowly make it larger than OTL and still stable, realistically though it was just about the largest possible.

Maybe the great war puts them against France and they get Most of French Africa?

[Xhavnak]

Originally Posted by pearsonwright

Maybe the great war puts them against France and they get Most of French Africa?

Britain and Germany on the same side with Britain gaining French Sahara would probably make just about the largest possible empire, not sure how good control would be though.

[Beedok]

"England" wins the hundred years war, or some other thing that unites France and England. Then the French grab Iberia. Now all the major colonisers are one state! World empire here we go.

[The Dude Bro]

Emperor Charles V manages to consolidate his vast Empire by changing the succession laws to ensure that all of his lands pass to one heir. This heir, whether it is Ferdinand of Phillip, now controls the Holy Roman Empire, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Brugandy, and Spain's vast overseas empire in one realm, and from this base of support it wouldn't take much to expand the Hapsburg realms, with the initial targets like being France, Poland, and the Ottoman Empire.

[TurkishCapybara]

Originally Posted by Beedok

"England" wins the hundred years war, or some other thing that unites France and England. Then the French grab Iberia. Now all the major colonisers are one state! World empire here we go.

...Then it conquers Latin America and completely crashes.

[MarshalBraginsky]

I'm thinking a Russian Empire that never collapses as one of the largest, most enduring empire possible.

[Ganesha]

Originally Posted by MarshalBraginsky

I'm thinking a Russian Empire that never collapses as one of the largest, most enduring empire possible.

You could have the Russians put more investment into North America (not sure why they would, though) so that substantial parts of Canada's great northern interior end up in Russian hands. That could easily add a million square miles or more to Russia's area.

Cheers,
Ganesha

[MarshalBraginsky]

Originally Posted by Ganesha

You could have the Russians put more investment into North America (not sure why they would, though) so that substantial parts of Canada's great northern interior end up in Russian hands. That could easily add a million square miles or more to Russia's area.

Cheers,
Ganesha

A Russian dominated Arctic would be plausible, but that would be just another set of large real estate. Alternatively, Russia's expansion in the Pacific would also help. I was going to a rewrite of one of my other Russia TLs.

[Thanksforallthefish]

Originally Posted by The Dude Bro

Emperor Charles V manages to consolidate his vast Empire by changing the succession laws to ensure that all of his lands pass to one heir. This heir, whether it is Ferdinand of Phillip, now controls the Holy Roman Empire, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Brugandy, and Spain's vast overseas empire in one realm, and from this base of support it wouldn't take much to expand the Hapsburg realms, with the initial targets like being France, Poland, and the Ottoman Empire.

That sounds like the best plan to start a bloody succession war. Unless the union lasts several centuries before expanding.

Originally Posted by MarshalBraginsky

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ganesha
You could have the Russians put more investment into North America (not sure why they would, though) so that substantial parts of Canada's great northern interior end up in Russian hands. That could easily add a million square miles or more to Russia's area.

Cheers,
Ganesha

A Russian dominated Arctic would be plausible, but that would be just another set of large real estate. Alternatively, Russia's expansion in the Pacific would also help. I was going to a rewrite of one of my other Russia TLs.

Maybe Russia invading Japan and taking over Manchuria and Korea? This, with a Russian North America, could lead to a massive empire, probably bigger in land area that the Mongol Empire.

[Ganesha]

Originally Posted by MarshalBraginsky

A Russian dominated Arctic would be plausible, but that would be just another set of large real estate. Alternatively, Russia's expansion in the Pacific would also help. I was going to a rewrite of one of my other Russia TLs.

Another big, pretty empty set of real estate is Australia. Is there any chance of Russia colonizing Australia, or is that ASB?

Cheers,
Ganesha

[MarshalBraginsky]

Originally Posted by Ganesha

Another big, pretty empty set of real estate is Australia. Is there any chance of Russia colonizing Australia, or is that ASB?

Cheers,
Ganesha

ASB, most likely. Probably because Russia could only project power in the Pacific so much that any more logistical problems would result in its collapse.

[King of Rome]

The Capitalist Empire dominates most of the globe today, man.

[The Dude Bro]

Originally Posted by Thanksforallthefish

That sounds like the best plan to start a bloody succession war. Unless the union lasts several centuries before expanding.

Perhaps Charles V doesn't have any issue or perhaps he outlives most of his major relatives, necessitating a succession union due to a proper lack of successors?

If a succession war does happen, perhaps Ferdinand or Phillip simply win out over the other and unite the Empire?

[Fardell]

A British-Russian Personal Union. (Possibly George III and Catherine [The Act of Settlement doesn't seem to rule out an Orthodox monarch].)

Of course it's still two distinct states, but technically under the rule of one person.

[Timmy811]

Britain keeps control of the 13th colonies, goes on to gain control of most of North America as well as India and Africa.

[snerfuplz]

Further Caliphate conquests could work.

[miguelrj]

Originally Posted by Thanksforallthefish

Now, I know there's a lot of debate of what constitutes an "empire", but for the sake of this thread let's define as a territory controlled directly by a single government or people. So either the Mongols, the British empire or any others could fall in this definition.

With that said; what is the largest empire in land extension possible? It doesn't matter if it falls apart in a few years, it has to be the largest possible territory administered by a single government or group of people.

Franco-British Union in 1940