How is a dynasty different from an empire?

A dynasty is a succession of rulers from the same family, while an empire refers to a vast territory ruled by a single authority, which may or may not belong to one family line. For instance, the Mughal Empire was ruled by a dynasty (the Mughals), but an empire like the British Empire was governed by a monarchy and its representatives rather than a hereditary Indian family. Dynasties emphasize lineage and continuity, whereas empires focus on expansion and control of multiple regions and cultures. In short, dynasties describe rulers; empires describe territorial domains.