Top 10 Greatest Conquerors in History

From the time of Sargon the Akkad of ancient Sumeria until French hero Napoleon Bonaparte, numerous conquerors left trails of victories around their path and gained power/influence as a result of their conquest.
There are the following 3 different types of underlying criteria worthwhile to be noted while being considered as one of the greatest conquerors in history.
1) Positions should be established based on how much lands occupied by conquerors at its greatest extent.
2) Conqueror should be a ruler of his empire as well.
3) Incursions/raids would not be included as conquest unless and until a conqueror can occupy territories by force then establishing his hold on a particular land either through his vassals or directly administrated them through his governors.

10. Darius the Great (1,600,000 km²)

Darius the Great (550-486 BC), King of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia. Under his rule, the Persian Empire reached its greatest territorial extent from modern-day Pakistan in the east to Sudan in the west. Under Darius's command, the Achaemenid military greatly expanded into southwest Egypt and into the Nubian lands of Libya and coastal Sudan. In 516 BC, Darius embarked on an eastward campaign towards central Asia, Bactria (modern Afghanistan), Indus Valley, and conquered them all. His military campaign brought further success against those Scythians in the north and on westward expansion, he conquered many Greek city-states around the Aegean Sea such as Paeonia and Macedonia including the area of Thrace in the Balkans. After the huge conquest of Cyrus the Great (5,500,000 km², excluding the kingdom of Persis i.e. 122,608 km² land area), Northeastern Egypt, and entire Cyprus by Cambyses II (800,000 km²), Darius truly earns the reputation as the most effective ruler and conqueror who not only conquered and ruled vast expanding empire but also a capable administrator who reform the system of taxation. Darius died in 486 BC possibly from fever.

9. Ahmed Shah Abdali (1,800,000 km²)

Ahmed Shah Abdali (1722-1772 AC), founder of the Durrani Empire in Afghanistan and considered as Baba (father) of Afghanistan because he is one who led the foundation of the modern state of Afghanistan. Initially, he acted as a young soldier in Nader Shah’s army. When the Afsharid Empire collapsed after the death of Nader Shah in 1747, he establishes his own kingdom in Afghanistan. After his coronation as King in 1747 AC, Ahmed Shah Abdali started a conquest that eventually conquered the entire regions of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Northeastern Iran. Ahmed Shah began his military conquest by occupying the Ghazni from the Ghiljis. His army contains mostly of Pushtun tribesmen of his region. He annexed the Mashhad in 1751, the capital of Nader Shah’s Afsharid Empire of Persia. During his campaign in India, he was fighting against Sikhs in 1757 beaten them badly and destroy their famous Golden Temple, and also defeated the Marathas in a famous Third Battle of Panipat in 1761. Ahmed Shah Abdali was died on Oct 16, 1772, in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

8. Napoleon Bonaparte (3,000,000 km²)

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821 AC), founder of the First French Empire and its first ruler. Napoleon rose to prominence after the French Revolution, taking seats at the center stage. A brilliant military strategist and leader of the French army, under his command French able to conquer and rule large swathes of Europe including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, even occupied Egypt and parts of Palestine. No doubt, he was the last great conqueror in recorded history and left lasting footprints in modern military history. He devises outstanding military strategies that surpass his outnumbered enemies and make him one of the greatest military geniuses of all time. 

7. Attila the Hun (4,000,000 Km²) 

Attila the Hun (406-453 AC), Scourge of Europe/Terror of the West invaded (434 to 453) both eastern and western Roman Empire several times and created great havoc across Europe. Upon that terror, he carved an empire that finally annexed large parts of Europe. Belong to the Hunnic tribes of Central Asia. Huns initially appeared around the Volga region and migrated towards Central Europe. Attila inherited the Hunnic Empire along with his brother Bleda upon the death of Rugila in 434. Rugila was the brother of Mundzak who was the father of Attila and Bleda. After the defeat of the Huns by Sassanian Persians in Armenia, Attila invaded and looted the eastern and western Roman Empire. He and his brother several times successfully invaded the Byzantine Empire. He defeated the army of Byzantines outside the walls of Constantinople but unable to take over its capital. Hunnic hordes withdraw when their demands were met and collected a huge tribute from Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius. While on his way back home Bleda died (probably around 445) following the withdrawal from Byzantium. Now Attila left as sole ruler. In 447, he successfully invaded Thrace. Later he turned his intentions towards the western world where he annihilated modern Germany (captured it by force), made a successful onslaught on Western Roman Empire (but unable to attain Rome). His final expansion was halted at the Battle of Catalaunian Plains where combined Visigothic–Roman Alliance gain strategic victory and stop the advancement of Hunnic Hordes. After that, he pillaged some Italian domains and died in 453 AC, before made an invasion of Italy again. He conquered an area from the Volga River in the east to the Rhine River in the west.

6. Mahmud of Ghazni (4,500,000 km²)

Mahmud of Ghazni (971-1030 AC) was the third ruler of the Ghaznavid Empire from 998 to 1030. He was born in the city of Ghazni, Afghanistan. Mahmud initially revolted against his brother Ismail and with the help of his other brother Abu’l-Muzaffar, he defeated Ismail at the Battle of Ghazni and establishes his control over the whole kingdom. After that, Mahmud set out to invade India. In 1001, he met his resistance from Kabul Shahis of Raja Jayapala at the battle of Peshawar in which his army defeated them. In 1002, he invaded Sistan and overthrown Khalaf ibn Ahmad, ending the Saffarid dynasty. Later on, he made numerous encroachments into northern India and captured most of the Indian territory from the northwest. However, modern-day Pakistan was almost entirely under his administration except for Northwestern parts of India which he gave them to Hindus, Buddhist, and Jain kings as vassals of his empire (1,100,000 Km²). His attack on Somnath Temple in 1025 is recorded as one of the most famous events in history in which he raided Gujarat, plundering the Somnath temple and fracturing its jyotirlinga. In 1027, he occupies northeastern Iran from the Buyids dynasty and capturing the Rey, Isfahan, and Hamadan. Before his death at 1030 AC, he conquered an empire that included entire modern Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Northwestern parts of India, Northeastern parts of Iran, and Turkmenistan. 

5. Nader Shah of Persia (5,000,000 Km²) 

Nader Shah Afshar Qoli Baig (1688-1747 AC) was one of the most powerful Iranian rulers ever walked on earth. Ruling as shah of Persia from 1736 to 1747 because of his military prowess he was capable enough to conquer vast territory. He is considered as Napoleon or Alexander of Iran because of his brilliant military strategies which were proved throughout his multiple campaigns across Caucasus, Middle East, South, and Central Asia including the Battles of Murche-Khort, Mihmandust, Herat, Kirkuk, Yeghevard, Khyber Pass, Kars, and Karnal. He rose to prominence during the period of turmoil in Iran after an uprising by the Hotaki Pushtuns who dethroned the weak Safavid Sultan Husayn, while on the other hand the Ottomans and Russians had captured Iranian lands for themselves. Nader assembled the Iranian forces once again and defeated the invaders as well as unseated the last Safavid ruler. Under his short-lived empire enlarged enough to encompasses the entire regions of Iran, Caucasus, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, most of the Iraq, Uzbekistan, and Persian Gulf regions, besides made a successful incursion into northwest India. He was the last great Asian conqueror in history. He was assassinated in 1747 AC.

4. Alexander the Great (5,200,000 Km²)

Alexander III of Macedon (356-323 BC), famously known as Alexander the Great was king of Macedon, an ancient Greek kingdom and member of the Argead dynasty. Born in Pella, Greece, and succeeded his father, King Philip II, at the age of 20. He spent the next 13 years of his ruling life as a conqueror. He is generally considered as an undefeated military commander in over dozens of battles despite facing his outnumbered opponents. Alexander's military prodigies included in the Battles of Granicus, Issus, Gaugamela, Hydaspes, etc. Only his death can stop his plan for Arabian conquest.  

3. Cyrus the Great (5,500,000 Km²) 

Cyrus the Great (600-530 BC) was the founder of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia. It was the first Persian Empire. Under his command, the Persian kingdom expanded vastly and embraced all the territories from the Aegean Sea to the Arabian Sea. Cyrus the Great created the greatest and largest empire of ancient history and perhaps also the greatest ancient conqueror as well. Under Darius the Great, grandson of Cyrus the Great, the empire reached its greatest territorial zenith from Pakistan in the east to Sudan in the west and from parts of the Arabian Peninsula in the south to parts of Russia in the north. His regal titles were The Great King, King of Anshan, King of Media, King of Lydia, King of Babylon, and King of the Four Corners of the World. The rule of Cyrus the Great lasted for 30 years. Cyrus built his empire by first annexing the Median Empire, then the Lydian Empire, and eventually the Neo-Babylonian Empire. His Central Asian campaigns were entirely successful in which he subjected every nation without exception. Today, Cyrus is considered a national hero of Iran. 

2. Genghis Khan the Great (5,600,000 Km²) 

Genghis Khan (1162-1227 AC) was one of the mightiest warlords of all time. Emerged from the steppes of modern-day Mongolia, Genghis Khan ruled an empire from the Sea of Japan to the Sea of Caspian. His real name is Temujin. Genghis Khan rose to power after the unification of all Mongol tribes under his command in 1206 (He had conquered 2,000,000 Km² total land area during the unification of all Mongol tribes). Genghis initiated his first attack on the Western Xia dynasty of Tanguts (1207) and defeated them, then he conquered a powerful Jin dynasty of Jurchens (1215) in Northern China (Conquered 1,800,000 Km² land area out of 2,300,000 Km²).

From 1211 to 1218 his armies invaded Central Asia and in 1219 Genghis Khan personally led his military expedition against the Khwarezmian Empire (Conquered 1,700,000 Km² landmass out of 3,600,000 Km²). However, he personally not conquered every state/empire that brought into his large empire, even he not completely conquered the Jin and Khwarezmian Empire, his son and successor Ogedei completed the entire conquest of both Jin and Khwarezmian Empire after his death. Besides, even in his massive Mongol Empire (12,000,000 Km²) more than half of his territory was incorporated/conquered by his son Jochi (Siberian landmass) and his two most successful commanders Subutai (Kazakhstan except for few parts of southern landmass) and Jebe (Modern day entire Xinjiang province of China). Genghis Khan sent Jebe to conquer the Kara-Khitan khanate (1,500,000 Km²) in 1218, which he successfully conquered this empire up to the region of Lake Balkhash in eastern Kazakhstan and Subutai to defeat the Merkits and their Cumun-Kapchak allies in central Kazakhstan (1217-1220), Subutai defeated the Merkits and their allies and conquered the region up to the Caspian Sea (2,200,000 Km²) in western Kazakhstan and his son Jochi to conquer the forest people of Siberia (2,000,000 Km²) in 1207 AC, he conquered the entire region up to the Tuva, all tribes were submitted with little resistance except Yenisei Kyrgyz (but eventually they also defeated) and far eastern Siberian regions (800,000 Km²) were probably conquered by Jochi or Subutai as part of the Mongol expansion. 

Before his death (1227), he has successfully conquered the entire Xia Empire (1,000,000 Km²) in northwestern parts of China. His empire is more than twice the size of a Roman Empire and spread a new wave of terror across the world. His descendants doubling the size of his empire and spread the entire Mongolian landmass from Eastern Europe to the Pacific Ocean.

1. Timur the Great (17,000,000 Km²) 

Timur the Great (1336-1405 AC), known in the West as Tamerlane (also spelled as Taimur), was undoubtedly the greatest conqueror and military campaigner in human history. Timur was born in Kesh, 50 miles south of Samarkand, Central Asia. He belongs to the Barlas clan of Tartar origin. His army is multi-ethnic and multi-linguistic besides ferocious and feared throughout Asia, Africa, and Europe (Old World). 15 to 20 million people had died from his conquest (5% of the total world's population at that time). Timur was a military genius and brilliant strategist; under his banner Tartar hordes conquered the entire landmass from western parts of China in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west and from Moscow in the north (Russia) to Delhi (India) in the south. As Commander-in-Chief of his formidable army, Emir Timur remained undefeated in all battles despite fighting 4 decades (1363-1403 AC) of constant wars. 
After the disintegration of the Mongol Empire, the four khanates emerged from it, the Chagatai khanate, Il-khanate, Golden horde khanate, Yuan khanate, which later became known as the Northern Yuan Dynasty after the conquest of Peking (Dadu) by Chinese leader Hongwu in 1368 AC. Timurid army conquered all the remnants of four khanates in which the western section of the entire Mongol Empire was personally subdued by Timur and Northern Yuan Empire was annexed by one of the Timurid general Timur Buyansher in 1404. Timur Buyansher converted to Islam when he arrived at Samarkand, the court of Emir Timur in 1403. With the help of the Timurid army, he conquered the entire Northern Yuan Empire in 1404 and became the vassal of Timur. 
Initially, Timur occupied large parts of Transoxiana (in modern-day Central Asia) and Khorasan region from 1363 (Samarkand in 1366, and Balkh in 1369), and was recognized as the sole ruler over them in 1370. From 1370 to 1405, Timur embarked on a series of global conquest that rocks the foundation of Europe and Asia. From 1370 to 1390, he annexed the entire Turkistan (entire Central Asia and Westernmost parts of China). From 1380 to 1390, he occupied the entire regions of Khorasan and Persia. Later on, Timur deeply penetrated into the Siberian lands for more than 700 miles of the uninhabited region then west about 1000 miles, advancing in a front more than 10 miles wide and met the forces of Tokhtamysh, Khan of the Golden horde at the Battle of the Kondurcha river in 1390. During the battle, Timur emerged as victorious. From 1390 to 1396, he invaded the modern-day Caucasus, Russia, Ukraine, and defeated the armies of Tartars, Mongols, Cumans, Volga Bulgars, Russians, Italian colonies around Azov (Russia) & Crimea (Ukraine), Georgians, and Armenians. Timur appointed the vassal leader of the Golden horde; Timur Qutlugh and general Edigu, who later on defeated the army of archduke Vytautas the Great. Vytautas with the help of the Pope organized a crusade against the Timurid hordes. With the help of 38,000 soldiers, 50 princes from different states, and sophisticated weapons; Vytautas marched against the Timurid hordes in 1399. His army contains mostly of Lithuanians, Wallachians (Romanians), Moldavians, Poles (Polish), and Teutons (Germans) who were annihilated by the Timurid hordes at the Battle of Vorskla River. It was the final major Crusade against Muslims. In 1395, Timur also defeated the Russians and occupied Moscow. Only Persian revolt can further stop his advancement in Europe, Timur swiftly returns Persia and restores the order at the point of his sword's blade. Next, he invaded India in 1397 on the pretext that the Muslims were too tolerant of Hindu subjects. His invasion of India was terrified, he slew tens of thousands of Hindus and left a trail of carnage all across the way. Before the battle of Delhi, he butchered 100,000 captive Hindus. Mahmud of Tughlaq with his 50,000 force of his army with 120 war elephants arrived before Timur in the Battle of Delhi. Timur defeated the Tughlaq forces and sacked Delhi. Timur left Delhi in December 1398 and marched on Meerut. Then he rode up to Haridwar and sacked the holy city on January 23, 1399.  Before the end of 1399, Timur started a war with the Ottomans of Turkey and the Mamelukes of Egypt. In 1400, Timur invaded Christian Georgia and Armenia. Besides, he also defeated the powerful Egyptian Mamluk army in 1400 and conquered Syria. He invaded Baghdad in June 1401 and captures Iraq. Finally, he invaded the Ottoman territory and defeated the Great Ottoman Sultan Bayezid Yaldrim in 1402 at the Battle of Ankara. Timur also decisively defeated the Christian knight Hospitalers in Smyrna (1403), permanently wipe out the Crusaders in the face of the earth. After the end of the westward campaign, Timur marched towards Samarkand while he crossed all his way back to the home he occupied the invincible castle of Georgia and gain control over the Caucasus at the start of 1404. Before the end of 1404, he planned to conquer the Ming Empire of China. Timur (Tamerlane) died from fever in Otrar, Kazakhstan on February 17, 1405, while he was on his way to conquer the last great empire that stood in his way of complete world domination. 
Unlike Cyrus, Alexander, Attila, and Genghis, neither he was a son of a king nor son of a mighty chieftain who holds any territory. As a son of a small tribal chieftain in Transoxiana who governed the small town (Kesh) near Samarkand; Timur started his empire from scratch to rule half of the known world. Unlike Genghis Khan, Timur wasn't relied on his sons and generals to conquer the empires; he personally led military campaigns against his enemies wherever he went, except the conquest of the Northern Yuan Empire by Timur Buyansher (1404) and conquest of greater parts of Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1399) by Timur Qutlugh. As a conqueror, he conquered lands more than anyone else in history; his conquest is truly gargantuan which included the entire regions of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan), Transcaucasia (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan), Mogulistan/Xinjiang (western China), entire countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Kuwait, Israel (except southern parts), Turkey (except Byzantine Pontus), Northwestern parts of India, western Mongolia, eastern Ukraine, and much of Russia (southern parts of European Russia and western Siberia).