Galactic empire

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Galactic empires are a common theme in science fiction. Many authors have either used a galaxy-spanning empire as background, or written about the growth or decline of such an empire. The capital of a galactic empire is frequently a core world or home world. Some of these empires are based on the Roman Empire; the Galactic Empire of Isaac Asimov's Foundation series (which inspired empires of later writers and film-makers) being an obvious example, as is the Terran Empire of Poul Anderson's Dominic Flandry. The best known to the general public today is probably the empire from Star Wars, which was formed in turn from the Galactic Republic.

Most of these galaxy-spanning domains depend on some form of transportation capable of quickly or instantly crossing vast cosmic distances (usually measured in light-years), many times faster than could a beam of light. These invariably require some type of propulsion or displacement technology forbidden by Einstein's Theory of Relativity, or that otherwise relies on theories that circumvent or supersede relativity. (See: warp drive; hyperspace; Alcubierre drive.)

The term "galactic empire" has, no doubt because of association with the Empire from Star Wars, gained an unfavorable reputation. However, the Galactic Empires from Foundation and the CoDominium universe are relatively benign organizations.

In science fiction

Imperial Stars by E. E. Smith - The first example of an imperial genre of science fiction.
Star Maker by Olaf Stapledon - The battle between the Mad [Galactic] Empires (each attempting to take over the whole Milky Way galaxy), the telepathic intervention of the symbiotics from the Greater Magellanic Cloud to disrupt the military organization of the galactic empires, and the succeeding Galactic Society of Worlds which finally united the whole galaxy.
Doctor Who: The Long Game - The Fourth Great and Bountiful Human Empire. Many other "Earth Empires" have also been featured.
Dune universe - The Padishah Empire and the Old Empire.
CoDominium - First and Second Empires of Man
Foundation series - Galactic Empire
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Author Douglas Adams refers to a "former Galactic Empire" as having ruled the Milky Way Galaxy years before the setting of his novels. In the television adaptation, another name for this empire, the "Imperatala Galacticon" is seen briefly on screen.
Star Wars - Galactic Empire
Warhammer 40,000 - Imperium of Man
Legend of the Galactic Heroes - Galactic Empire
Star Trek - Klingon Empire, Romulan Empire, Dominion, Borg Collective, Kelvan Empire and Terran Empire, an alternate form of the United Federation of Planets glimpsed in the Mirror Universe.
Poul Anderson's Dominic Flandry series - The Terran Empire (unconnected with the previous one, and far more benign).
Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series - The Terran Empire (still a third one), which mainly maintains trading stations on numerous planets rather than seeking to rule them directly (roughly comparable to the Portuguese empire in the Far East).
Still another Terran Empire, appearing in Asimov's Lucky Starr series, is limited to the Solar System.
The Empire of Man, in Jerry Pournelle's future history, is centered on the planet Sparta after Earth was mostly destroyed in a nuclear holocaust.
A different Empire of Man is a collaboration between David Weber and John Ringo.
Honorverse - Solarian League, the largest of political units of human diaspora can be considered such an Empire; from the late novels in the series it also becomes apparent, that the League is at the beginning of its fall. Also, it is entirely possible that the Star Kingdom of Manticore is now in the process of becoming the nucleus of a new Empire.
Farscape - The Peacekeepers, an imperialistic empire of a "superior" species, holding almost exclusive control of the Charted Space territories. The empire is entirely populated with Sebacean.
Stargate SG-1 - The Goa'uld had a loose control over the Milky Way galaxy, and politically it was unstable, but more or less the Goa'uld Empire was still a galactic empire. The Asgard also held galactic dominance over their own galaxy before they committed mass self suicide in "Unending". The Ori held galactic dominance in their own galaxy.
Stargate Atlantis - The Wraith have their own galactic empire. It was formed during the destruction of the empire the Alterans (Ancients) established in the Pegasus galaxy.
Divine Order
Dark Axis from Superior Defender Gundam Force
Nightmare Enterprises from Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
Psychlo Government
Dalek Empire
Shi'ar empire
Kree empire
Skrull empire
Machine Empire
United Alliance of Evil
Troobian Empire from Power Rangers: S.P.D.
Time Lord Empire
Yuuzhan Vong Empire
Covenant (Halo)
The Robotech Mercantile Empire also known as the Tirolian Empire or simply the Empire of the Robotech Masters.
The Terran Federation from the BBC science fiction series Blake's 7.

In religion

The Galactic Confederacy in the Church of Scientology.
The Aetherius Society's "Interplanetary Parliament".
The "Elohim" in Raëlism.

In computer games

Imperium Galactica Series By Digital Reality.
Pax Imperia: Eminent Domain by THQ.
Space Empires Series by Malfador Machinations.
EVE Online MMORPG by CCP Games.

In collectible card games

Galactic Empires by Companion Games.
Star of the Guardians by Mag Force 7.

In music