Additional realistic cases of large countries being conquered by smaller countries?

[WolfBear]

Which additional realistic cases could you think of (including in alternate history) of large countries being conquered by smaller countries? I could imagine Germany conquering the Soviet Union had it succeeded in conquering and holding Moscow in 1941-1942, in Japan conquering China had it avoided occupying French Indochina and thus provoking the US, and of course in real life's example of Britain conquering India and subsequently holding it for a couple of centuries. I suppose that one could also look at the Mongol conquests of China, Persia, Mesopotamia, Russia, et cetera during the late Middle Ages and the Polish conquest of Muscovy in the 1610s had it actually been successful.

Anyway, which additional examples of this can you think of?

 

[stevep]

Which additional realistic cases could you think of (including in alternate history) of large countries being conquered by smaller countries? I could imagine Germany conquering the Soviet Union had it succeeded in conquering and holding Moscow in 1941-1942, in Japan conquering China had it avoided occupying French Indochina and thus provoking the US, and of course in real life's example of Britain conquering India and subsequently holding it for a couple of centuries. I suppose that one could also look at the Mongol conquests of China, Persia, Mesopotamia, Russia, et cetera during the late Middle Ages and the Polish conquest of Muscovy in the 1610s had it actually been successful.

Anyway, which additional examples of this can you think of?

Well possibly the most famous ones in western history would be Macedonia under Alexander and then that small settlement on the Tiber. Mind you the Iranians/Persians were a relatively small and unknown tribe subordinate to the Medes before Cyrus the Great went on his conquest spree and everywhere in pretty much the civilized world other than Egypt - which was conquered by his son - was under Persian rule by his death.

Again another famous one in the wider west would be the Arabs under Islam.

A more ancient one was the Nubians conquering Egypt for IIRC a couple of centuries, reversing the traditional imbalance of power between then.

More recently the Zulu's under Shaka who converted a relatively small tribe into a major empire in southern Africa and one that stays a prominent group in S Africa today.

There are many such examples across history.

 

[Ash's Boomstick]

The existence of both the First and Second British Empires can be attributed to this, especially when you realise just how small the landmass of the United Kingdom really is.

 

[bintananth]

The Portugese Empire.

Portugal is about the same size as Maine.