There have been many empires throughout history ruled by minority ethnic groups, but few have lasted over a hundred years. Mighty empires such as the Macedonian Empire, the Mongol Empire, the Timurid Empire, spanning across Europe, Asia, and Africa, lasted merely a generation or scarcely ninety years. It seems as if history is proving the saying "Barbarian rule does not extend beyond a hundred years," yet it is not necessarily the case.