is the Crystal Empire really an empire?

[ggg-2 3,553]

it really doesn't fit the exact definition of an empire. what do you think?

[NotoriousSMALL 1,984]

Maybe in the past it was, when ruled by Sombra. I guess it could kinda be like the HRE, which really wasn't an empire for a large portion of it's existence.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

You can probably look at it like you would Constantinople; which at one point, thanks to Arab conquests and a sacking or two from one of the Crusades, was the only remaining city of what we had known as the Byzantine Empire (basically the Eastern Roman Empire). I believe it was still referred as an empire even though it had lost a large portion of its land and power.

 

Similarly, while it's not the traditional empire we think of like Rome or Persia, I think it's fair to say that the Crystal Empire can count as such in due part to influence and power.

 

Of course it's likely subjective anyway.

[Banul 3,831]

Crystal Empire sounds cooler than Crystal Small Plot of Land with Some Houses and a Castle

[cuteycindyhoney 13,307]

It was the seat of Sombra's power. If his evil was not defeated in the past, and again in modern pony times, his empire would have crushed all of Equestria. Now the Crystal Empire is  a happy place, but Empire in name only. 

[deadprofile 1,122]

It still fits the definition of an empire, as far as what we know in regards to what the show reveals. It does not seem to be just one giant city, it must have small towns near it. It is not set in stone politically if the Crystal Empire is a part of the kingdom the Celestial sisters rule, since Cadence is their ruler. Equestria is the entirety of the land, not the specific kingdom the sisters rule, even though it is also referred to as Equestria.

[~SadisticFluttershy~ 779]

I believe that the Crystal Empire is an Empire. It's bigger than Canterlot and Ponyville combined. Manehatten is bigger then most cities.

 

I would love to live in a place like the Crystal Empire. Rich for the rest of my life

I just wish we could see the other places in Equestria. Baltimare, Las Pegasus, Filly Delphia, and other places.

 

Hasbro needs to step up on the exploring and adventures. We must see these places!  :okiedokielokie:

[Tao 7,840]

Im not sure the Crystal Empire is a Empire all to much

like it was back in the hay day under King Sombra.  Given

that Cadance still does seem to answer to the two Sister in

any given whim and such. I think it might be more well.....when

a Lord has lands and villages but answers to the King or

Queen if you ask me...

 

They might have kept the name for sounding cool and

and such...

[ShyPie 164]

We don't know exactly how much land the Crystal Empire encompasses. It could be fairly large and seeing as it has its own Princess I think we can assume it is. Just something else I've thought of regarding the Crystal Empire though; since it was the central ruling point for Sombra, and assuming it was/is an actual empire, consisting of towns/cities not originally part of it but absorbed into it as Sombra spread out and took them over. Then, what happened to all these formerly occupied places now that the Crystal Empire is back and Sombra is gone? Have they just remained under the rule of the Crystal Empire and Cadence? Are they okay with that? Could there actually be some of these places now wanting to break free from their former rule and become independent?

 

I think it would be good if there was a proper official Equestria map that clearly defined all the lands within it. I want to see more locations in general within the show and get to know more of the outer world. Like, what land is Zecora originally from? And is France part of Equestria, since in "The Cutie Pox" Apple Bloom gets a cutie mark that makes her speak French, or is French just a language in Equestria?

[LZRD WZRD 1,929]

Probably not but The Crystal Empire sound better than the Crystal City-State, am I right?

[Gatekeeper Giggle 2,902]

It's a Crystal Empire-Monarchy-Kingdom-City-State-Fiefdom-Castle-Place-Noun. Yes, you have to say the whole thing every time. 

[M'aiq the Liar 5,804]

an extensive group of states or countries under a single supreme authority, formerly especially an emperor or empress.

 

Well, in Sombra's time it may well have controlled all of the northern expanse of Equestria. And depending on the Equestrian definition for "expansive" it could fit the definition.

[King Sejong 859]

   As historian Eugene Weber said about the Holy Roman Empire, it was neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire, in fact Germany was a minor power of confederate regions, even the Byzantine Empire was a misnomer, first Byzantine was never used by the inhabitants, they called themselves Roman or the Greek name Rhomaioi, Byzantine was used by German historians a century after the Ottoman Turk conquest in 1453, however it was a continuation of the East Roman Empire, and continued the Roman-Hellenic legacy into the middle ages, even as its borders shrank due to Arab and Seljuk Turk conquest, perhaps the Crystal Empire is a continued legacy of the previous ruler King Sombra, but like several historical powers, it could be an empire in name only, encompassing a large sway of land, and its huge deposit of crystal, thus it can be possible that the Crystal Empire left some kind of legend or mystery, like the Sumerians or Phoenicians, that was preserved and shared with regions close by, including Canterlot, just like the Romans, using lessons learned from Greece and Carthage.

Edited September 26, 2014 by Emperor Peter

[SailorMedamonGirl1 127]

In the past, the Empire was probably more outstretched than what was left today because of Sombra's control. In fact, I think the Empire was the original kingdom before the land was seperated and ruled by Celestia/Luna. But, after the empire came back it wasn't an empire anymore but it kept the title anyways as a sort of remembrance of what it once was. 

 

...That's what I think.

[Wind Chaser 4,768]

My headcanon is that the Crystal Empire may be an old nation predating the formation of Equestria seen in "Hearth's Warming Eve". Interestingly, the Crystal Ponies seem to still congregate around the one city they call their own, unlike the other three races which always intermingled. I'd say the Empire, for the rich energy of love and light they spread all over Equestria, was always on good terms with the other three races and the land of Equestria on the whole. They had no trouble becoming a part of Equestria, but also retaining their own identity.

Edited September 26, 2014 by Wind Chaser

[SCS 7,537]

Well, the definition for empire is the following:

 
 
Going by the strict/standard definition of the word, the Crystal Empire is not really an empire.
 
However, definition 1.2 is interesting and sounds like it could potentially apply here. The Crystal Empire is not an empire in the political sense of the term, but it plays a fundamental role in Equestria on a spiritual/mental/emotional level. 
 
Celestia said the following about it in The Crystal Empire - Part 1:

If the Empire is filled with hope and love, those things are reflected across all of Equestria. If hatred and fear take hold...

This implies to me that the Crystal Empire acts as a sort of spiritual center of Equestria. When the ponies unite and activate the Crystal Heart, it spreads feelings of hope and love throughout Equestria. If someone like Sombra takes control, the Crystal Empire can apparently be twisted to instead broadcast hatred and fear.
 
As the Crystal Ponies generally perform the ceremony during the Crystal Fair, you could say that they have an empire in the sense that they are in charge of helping to spread these feelings throughout Equestria. 
 
As a footnote, from what I have seen in the show, none of this overrides free will but is just used to help guide ponies in the right direction. Twilight and her friends activating the rainbow in her new castle seems to do something similar as well.

[TheJLeeTeam 914]

Well, the definition for empire is the following:

 

 

empire definition of empire in Oxford dictionary American English US .png

 

 

 

Going by the strict/standard definition of the word, the Crystal Empire is not really an empire.

 

However, definition 1.2 is interesting and sounds like it could potentially apply here. The Crystal Empire is not an empire in the political sense of the term, but it plays a fundamental role in Equestria on a spiritual/mental/emotional level. 

 

Celestia said the following about it in The Crystal Empire - Part 1:

This implies to me that the Crystal Empire acts as a sort of spiritual center of Equestria. When the ponies unite and activate the Crystal Heart, it spreads feelings of hope and love throughout Equestria. If someone like Sombra takes control, the Crystal Empire can apparently be twisted to instead broadcast hatred and fear.

 

As the Crystal Ponies generally perform the ceremony during the Crystal Fair, you could say that they have an empire in the sense that they are in charge of helping to spread these feelings throughout Equestria. 

 

As a footnote, from what I have seen in the show, none of this overrides free will but is just used to help guide ponies in the right direction. Twilight and her friends activating the rainbow in her new castle seems to do something similar as well.

I would have to say the Crystal Empire is more like the Crystal Kingdom.

[Fluttershutter 2,497]

 

 

 

 

Looks more like a city to me. Those squares beyond the city are probably farms but still not much of an empire.