Communication is one of the essential elements of maintaining an Empire. Every large political structure in history seems to have developed (or adopted) a standardized means to relay information reliably across vast distances. Couriers, used in Ancient Egypt (2400BC), are the earliest documented example of this idea. They enabled the Pharaoh's decrees to be known across the Empire. By creating these lines of communication, a ruler could send and receive detailed (political and military) information, allowing the administration of an empire from behind the walls of the royal palace.
Naturally, the first messages were carried by specific trusted individuals, from one person to another. With the desire to increase the speed of transit, systems of stations (or posts) were devised at crossings or regular intervals to allow messengers to rest (posata or pausata in Italian), message to be handed off, or horses changed. The first clear evidence of a postal system comes from the Persian Empire (6th Century BC). The first clear Chinese claims come from the 3rd Century BC. Rome established theirs in the 1st Century BC, which also may have been the first true mail service (carrying letters for the public). To allow for larger volumes of mail (or packages), some of these systems came to use carts, chariots, and carriages. The Mongols had an especially massive system to help transport soldiers and tributes. While posts were designed to relay information, they also served to patrol the roads, and as visual reminders of the power of the Empire to the locals.
The first Sultan of Delhi (ruled 1206-1210) created India's post system, using runners. This was later expanded (1296) into a horse and runner system to help protect the messengers against bandits and wild animals. They finally went to all horses under Sher Shah Suri (ruled 1540-1545), who also extended the Grand Trunk Road, which had highway inns (caravansarais) placed at regular intervals, as well as trees lining the roadway to provide shade for travelers. The Indian Postmaster was also the head of the intelligence service, making one wonder if private correspondence remained private. It also makes me think the more modern practice of using embassy postings to move spies from country to country.
While the postal system of Europe was initiated by the Romans, when the Empire fell, the system fragmented. Charlemagne (9th C) was reduced to sending out envoys in the form of a layman and an ecclesiastic, as pairs (missi dominici), to administer his lands and speak in his name. The Thurm and Taxis postal system operated between the Italian City States from 1290AD. They spread into the Holy Roman Empire in 1505 and were honored by making the title of Imperial Postmaster hereditary in 1615. Throughout Europe, services were established by monarchs to serve their own needs. It wasn't until the 19th C that treaties allowed for the unification of these systems.
While governments were the most common founders of mail systems, religious orders and universities developed their own ways to pass along information. The Cistercians (founded 1098, thanks for your Trappist Monks and their beer), at the height of their influence, had around 750 houses across Europe with thousands of lay brothers. Each abbot was required to annually inspect each of his abbey's "Daughter Houses" and to convene with his brother abbots. Fostering the connections between these autonomous institutions maintained their theological continuity and encouraged a free flow of information. By the 12th C, their network was serving to disseminate innovations in farming and engineering throughout Europe. Many organizations which operated outside of the standard political scheme functioned in a similar manner, using their requisite travel to transport correspondence.
Postal service is taken for granted today, but was a significant innovation at the time. Every known form of human transport has been employed to carry correspondence (including zeppelins, yeah). In a time before telegraphs and telephones, it was these routes which tied together an empire. Because of the ability to pass messages efficiently, the king didn't need to be on the road so often (holding court) to dispense justice or plot with his allies. It allowed information to be passed efficiently in times of war as well. For once, political ambition created a system that benefited the whole (eventually).
The Royal Mail (founded 1516) opened to the public in 1635.
Prussian State Postal Service (founded 1490) opened to the public in 1646.
Portuguese Mail (founded 1520) available to the public immediately (controlled by the crown until 1606).
Note: homing pigeons were used to carry messages as well, but they only fly home, so required transport to the place from which they were to carry the message.
New World Encyclopedia entry - http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Postal_system
Thurn and Taxis - http://www.thurnundtaxis.de/en/family/in-regensburg-for-250-years/post.html
India - http://www.apta.com.au/SubMenu/Brief_Postal_History_of_India.aspx?id=114
Sher Shah Suri - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sher_Shah_Suri
Cistercians - http://www.cistercian.org/abbey/history/the-cistercian-order/beginnings.html
European Unification - http://www.upu.int/en/the-upu/history/about-history.html
Zeppelin Mail - http://www.airships.net/zeppelin-mail
Wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail
Teutonic Knights - http://www.imperialteutonicorder.com/id16.html
Deutsche Post History - http://www.dpdhl.com/en/about_us/history/history_without_flash.html
Royal Mail - http://www.postalheritage.org.uk/page/timeline
Portugal - http://news.bbc.co.uk/dna/place-lancashire/plain/A2266724
Portugal - http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Portuguese_Brazilian_Studies/ejph/html/issue6/pdf/coelhoneto.pdf
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