NationStates Jolt Archive

This is just for kicks. Who are your top 5 favorite/most interesting historical figures. Your criteria could be anything. From those who you think did a lot of good things to those you think were just badasses

Ill start.

1. Salah al-Dīn Yusuf ibn Ayyub (Saladin)
2. Cyrus the Great
3. Alexander III (The Great)
4. Gaius Julius Caesar
5. Charlamagne

Honorable Mentions:
Nur al-din
Frederick I Barbarossa
Robert E Lee
Rameses II
Alexander Hamelton
Henry V
Abraham Lincoln
Alexander Nevsky
Ghangis Khan

Feel free to debate the merits of various figures, but remember, its all still an opinion in the end;)

Varies, several figures I like due to various great feats, medieval kings who conquered large amounts of land etc.

John Wilkes is fun, major influence on improving Britain's democracy, got laid a lot, and had a long term political rivalry with a former friend due to releasing a baboon dressed as the devil on to him during an orgy.

But in terms of favourite I like to go small scale. Mary Seacole, Thomas Coram. People who dedicated themselves to doing good with no prospect of personal gain/ulterior motives etc.

This is just for kicks. Who are your top 5 favorite/most interesting historical figures. Your criteria could be anything. From those who you think did a lot of good things to those you think were just badasses

Hmmm, with just putting very little thought into it, and them thusly not being in any particular order

1. Αλέξανδρος ο Μέγας
2. Иосиф Сталин
3. Чингис Хаан
4. Napoleone di Buonaparte
5. Charlemagne
6. Ana Sofia

Hmmm, with just putting very little thought into it, and them thusly not being in any particular order

1. Αλέξανδρος ο Μέγας
2. Иосиф Сталин
3. Чингис Хаан
4. Napoleone di Buonaparte
5. Charlemagne

Please translate the Russian names:p

This is just for kicks. Who are your top 5 favorite/most interesting historical figures. Your criteria could be anything. From those who you think did a lot of good things to those you think were just badasses
Feel free to debate the merits of various figures, but remember, its all still an opinion in the end;)

Well from what little knowledge i've picked up about them i doubt i'd like any of them.
Julius Caesar was a murderer.
Alexander the Great was a murderer.
Saladin was a murderer although not as bad as the other two.
Cyrus the Great don't know about him.
Frederick I Barbarossa, i think he tried to hold Holy Roman Empire together didn't he? I think he did a good job, but not really sure. so Probably a murderer.

Not sure about these guys either.
Robert E Lee
Rameses II (Egyptian king?)
Alexander Hamelton
Henry V (King of England at some point)
Abraham Lincoln (although i do know he was involved in some way in helping the US, oh he demanded freedom from slavery didn't he? ah 16th President) apologies to US history folks here, and any other Historians come to think of it.

I suppose you could add Napoleon to that list, as well as some Native Indian leaders of America.
But i know for Certain that Ghengis Ghan was a monster, that i do know.
I hesitate to add the Greek philosphers, because some of them were happy with paedophilia, so i won't mention them.

Ah i remember now, Garibaldi and Cavour should be considered helpful in Italian unification, yes i remember those essays i completed.
Oh and various scientists should be added, and maybe some of those artist guys, because some of them were crackpots.
Oh Robert Burns was an interesting poet. Shakespeare, meh don't care much for his work.
Ah Galileo, i recal he figured out the earth orbits the Sun, quite a big feat for one guy in his time.

Please translate the Russian names:p

Only one of them is russian...

fine here they are in english

1. Alexander the Great
2. Josef Stalin
3. Genghiz Khan
4. Napoleone di Buonaparte
5. Charlemagne

hmmm i dont have favorite historical figures....

cleopatra

harriet tubman

george washington

tecumseh

napoleon

1) Cecil Rhodes, because the EMPAHR! was pretty good for us as a nation, and for quite a few colonies as a way to build up infrastructure that had not existed in the past. A creator of much wealth, and his scholarships were nice.

2) Sir Alexander Fleming, for saving literally millions of lives when he discovered Penicillin. Which is quite nice.

3) Adolphe Crémieux, for stopping the French from really taking the piss over the whole Damascus Affair thing, and then trying to ensure better rights for Jews everywhere with the International Israelitic Alliance, which was a good idea at the time.

4) King George III, for totally kicking the French's arse both in the Seven Year War and then the Napoleonic Wars. Which was a good effort for someone who put arsenic in his hair. Bit dubious about his role in Scotland and Ireland, but there we go.

5) Ludwig II of Bavaria, who was hilariously mad, also quite good at avoiding wars, and making ridiculous castles, which I don't think anyone can argue against.

Saladin was a murderer although not as bad as the other two.

Actually, if you ignore the fact that he was a king, military commander, and fighting a war to defend his kingdom, Saladin was only a "murderer" when no other option was present. Prisoners were always ransomed or released, except for Raynald of Châtillon whom he killed, but Raynald was a bastard and had it coming for yeats

2) Sir Ian Fleming, for saving literally millions of lives when he discovered Penicillin. Which is quite nice..

The man you're looking for is Sir Alexander Fleming. Sir Ian Fleming created James Bond. :p

Only one of them is russian...


My bad.

1. Alexander the Great
2. Josef Stalin
3. Genghiz Khan
4. Napoleone di Buonaparte
5. Charlemagne

Who are you, Andaras?!?;):p

Hmmm, it's tough to pick. There are so many influential figures.

1. Sargon of Akkad
He was largely responsible for establishing the first Empire in history, by invading and uniting the Akkadian and Sumerian halves of Mesopotamia.

2. Pericles of the Alcmaeonidæ
Speaks for itself. Athen's greatest democratic leader.

3. Cyrus the Achaemenid, Great King of Persia
Created one of the largest Empires in history, spreading from the Iranian plateau across the Mid-east to Egypt, Arabia, Asia Minor, Thrace, and parts of western India. Established limited religious toleration about 2500 years ago by sending the Jews out of captivity in Babylon

4. Kanuni Sultan Süleyman (Suleiman the Magnificent)
The greatest leader of the Ottomans, oversaw one of the largest military and cultural expansion of the Empire. Responsible for administrative and cultural reform as well as incredible social change.

5. Zarathustra
Established the first organized revealed religion based on a divinely inspired text, which shaped monotheistic development for thousands of years.

There are so many more!

The first ones that come to mind...

Martin Luther for translating the Bible to common language which was a big initial step away from being told by the rulers what to believe towards being literate and having an informed opinion.
Leonardo da Vinci for inventing the helicopter, parachute, tank (the vehicle), double hulled ship and calculator a couple centuries too early.
Albert Einstein not because he was clever, because he was funny.
Jean d'Arc. Plenty of men kicked ass throughout history but some women too.
Tycho Brahe, a Danish astronomer with a silver nose who died of being too polite to leave the table to relieve his bladder before it burst. Because it was fun to make a sketch about him in school.

2. Pericles of the Alcmaeonidæ
Speaks for itself. Athen's greatest democratic leader.


Not to mention getting elected Stratigos 31 times IN A ROW. That shows a great deal of political skill, speaking ability, and competence.

The man you're looking for is Sir Alexander Fleming. Sir Ian Fleming created James Bond. :p
That's what I said to begin with... http://www.reloaded.org/forum/style_emoticons/default/whistling.gif

1. Robert E. Lee
2. Augustus
3. Alexios Komnenos
4. Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
5. Mao

I don't think I could come up with a list, but if I could John Stuart Mill would be on it.

In no particular order:


1. Rasputin, "the Mad Monk" who added colour to, if he didn't hasten, the end of the Russian monarchy.

2. E.D. Morel, a shipping clerk-turned-publicist who exposed the atrocities of King Leopold's reign of terror in the Congo AND organized the Union for Democratic Control (a prominent anti-war lobby in WW1).

3. Ida B. Wells, an incredibly brave African-American journalist and front-line anti-lynching activist in the 1890s.

4. Gaius Marius, Populari general and seven-times consul. He went crazy and sacked Rome in 87 BCE with an army of runaway slaves.

5. Toussaint L'Ouverture, the hero of the Haitian Revolution.

Ben Franklin and George Washington - similar in that they went for the brass ring, but knew where to quit before greed took over. A good example.

Andrew Jackson - Because the criminally insane can be good role models, too. :p But I kid (kinda).

I'm assuming we're sticking to politics and war, since that seems to be the trend.

Based on the first people that spring to mind, and not based on how influential, good, or even interesting they are to other people:

1. Karl Marx--Had kind of a cool revolutionary life, wrote pretty good critiques of capitalism, and of course influenced world history.
2. Franklin Roosevelt--One of the best president's in America, second only maybe to Lincoln (who was sixteenth, Mad hatters in jeans.)
3a. Socrates--I don't know how historically accurate it is, but I like the clever, swarmy Socrates who observed and talked to people from the Dialogues.
3b. Jesus--Again, I don't know how "historical" he is, but I like his message. And I of course worship him.
4. Galileo--Was one of the inventors of what we consider science, which I love.
5. New Limacon--That would be telling...;)

This is just for kicks. Who are your top 5 favorite/most interesting historical figures. Your criteria could be anything. From those who you think did a lot of good things to those you think were just badasses

Ill start.

1. Salah al-Dīn Yusuf ibn Ayyub (Saladin)
2. Cyrus the Great
3. Alexander III (The Great)
4. Gaius Julius Caesar
5. Charlamagne

Honorable Mentions:
Nur al-din
Frederick I Barbarossa
Robert E Lee
Rameses II
Alexander Hamelton
Henry V
Abraham Lincoln
Alexander Nevsky
Ghangis Khan

Feel free to debate the merits of various figures, but remember, its all still an opinion in the end;)

Out of the top of my head, and my brain´s working on overdrive, my top five historical figures are:

1) Queen Isabel I, from Spain, for unifying jointly with King Fernando of Aragón Medieval Spain after the Moorish wars.
2) Peter, the Great, for being a wonderful monster and one hell of a ruler.
3) Michaelangelo Buonarotti, need I explain?
4) Charlemange
5) Girolamo Savonarola, ruler of the Florentine Catholic State of Italy, because he truly let the world see that an absolutist country ruled by a religious fanatic could never prosper and should never be allowed to happen.

I refuse to provide an order. So here they are, all equally badass in my eyes.

Lugalzagesi
Hannibal
Caius Marius
Salah al-Dīn Yusuf ibn Ayyub
Nasibah bint Ka'b al-Maziniyyah

As far as I'm concerned these peope have my utomost respect, and are simply badass.

Kudos to anyone who knows all five of them without looking them up. If you looked them up you fail.

Guy Fawkes

I refuse to provide an order. So here they are, all equally badass in my eyes.

Lugalzagesi
Hannibal
Caius Marius
Salah al-Dīn Yusuf ibn Ayyub
Nasibah bint Ka'b al-Maziniyyah

As far as I'm concerned these peope have my utomost respect, and are simply badass.

Kudos to anyone who knows all five of them without looking them up. If you looked them up you fail.

The first and the last do not ring a bell. Can you talk a little about them? Their names make them sound interesting.

Guy Fawkes

Ah the revolutionary, wanted to blow up the houses of parliament. Strange that terrorism in the past is more acceptable than terrorism in the present. Certainly ambitious, he was French wasn't he?

The first and the last do not ring a bell. Can you talk a little about them? Their names make them sound interesting.

Nasibah bint Ka'b al-Maziniyyah is hardcore proof that anyone who says women are unequal and unable, is not muslim. She was one of the few women in those times who got away with being warriors, and on top of that, she was respected and revered by early Muslims, including the prophet himself, for being a woman and a warrior.

Lugalzagesi was the last Sumerian ruler of Sumer, before the Akkadians under Sargon wiped the ethnic group out in their establishment of an empire. He held Sargon of Akkad off despite being overwhelemed, and truely unified the Sumerian states, not conqured and destroyed them like Sargon did.

Nasibah bint Ka'b al-Maziniyyah is hardcore proof that anyone who says women are unequal and unable, is not muslim. She was one of the few women in those times who got away with being warriors, and on top of that, she was respected and revered by early Muslims, including the prophet himself, for being a woman and a warrior.

Lugalzagesi was the last Sumerian ruler of Sumer, before the Akkadians under Sargon wiped the ethnic group out in their establishment of an empire. He held Sargon of Akkad off despite being overwhelemed, and truely unified the Sumerian states, not conqured and destroyed them like Sargon did.

You don´t say. I guess one learns something new every day. I wasn´t aware of Nasibah bint Ka´b al-Maziniyyah. To me, Muslim women were never equated to men. But now I know that, early in their history, that wasn´t true.;)

1. Luther Martin: The best drunk lawyer to help found a country in history!

2. Teddy Roosevelt: Boxing in the white house gets him the #2 slot.

3. Henry VIII: Should have a sitcom.

4. Kerry Nation: the most ridiculous ax wielding prohibitionist in the last century!

5. Hernándo Cortés: Man could he think on the spot.

In no particular order. Restricting it to five is hard enough.

Eleftherios Venizelos. One of the greatest politicians of modern Greece. He was the primary reason Greece was on the winning side in the Balkan wars and WW1. Lost the elections immediately after those victories.
Ioannis Kapodistrias. First governor of modern Greece, and another of its greatest politicians. He started much needed reforms in the liberated country. Got assasinated over a stupid feud by one of his opponents' brother.
Alexander the Great. No need to say why.
Erwin Rommel. The Desert Fox. 'nuff said.
Otto von Bismarck. Realpolitik at its finest.

Ah the revolutionary, wanted to blow up the houses of parliament. Strange that terrorism in the past is more acceptable than terrorism in the present. Certainly ambitious, he was French wasn't he?

I think he was English. He was also Catholic, hence his plot to blow up Parliament. (Although, I've heard that his role was actually exaggerated when the government needed a suitable scapegoat/bogeyman. Oh well, he makes for a good song.)

Thurgood Marshall
Frederick the Great
Thomas Jefferson
Madelyn Murray O'Hair
Alexander the Great

And I realize not all great people are likable people. But as a bitch, I feel like I understand difficult people.

Margaret Thatcher
Suleiman the Magnificent
Benjamin Disraeli
Ferdinand and Isabella (I assume they count as one figure being essentially one ruler)
Charles V
Thomas Cromwell (omitting the protestantism, naturally)
Justinian

and....
Pope Gregory the Great

Napoleon Bonaparte
Winston Churchill
Mikhail Gorbachev
Louis Pasteur
Albert Einstein

Off the top of my head. Stock replies I know.

Margaret Thatcher


:p Such a fool. I hope she rots in hell.:p

:p Such a fool. I hope she rots in hell.:p

For some reason, the :p before after the quote make it seem kind of cute, instead of cruel. Let me try:

:p Silly Margaret Thatcher. She is not worth the dirt I tread upon.:p

It works for me, too. Interesting.

Lugalzagesi was the last Sumerian ruler of Sumer, before the Akkadians under Sargon wiped the ethnic group out in their establishment of an empire. He held Sargon of Akkad off despite being overwhelemed, and truely unified the Sumerian states, not conqured and destroyed them like Sargon did.

Tell that to Urukagina! :D

Tell that to Urukagina! :D

Hey, he set the stage no doubt. But when he couldn't keep up Lugalzagesi simply took over and continued on.

What few resources I have from that interaction indicate Lugalzagesi did in fact carry on Urukagina's concepts, untill Sargon came along and plunged everyone into the darkness again.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietrich_Bonhoeffer)
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gandhi)
Martin Luther King, Jr. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr.)
Oskar Schindler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oskar_Schindler)
Thašųka Witko (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_Horse)
Pizí (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Gall)
Tatanka Iyotake (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitting_Bull)

Hello! My top 5 favorite historical figures are, in no particular order, Gottfried Leibniz, Franklin Roosevelt, Socrates, Johannes Kepler and Laozi. I had to pick 5, so there. :p

Only one of them is russian...

fine here they are in english

1. Alexander the Great
2. Josef Stalin
3. Genghiz Khan
4. Napoleone di Buonaparte
5. CharlemagneYou is a fool; Alexander is Macedonian, Stalin is Georgian, Genghis is Mongolian, Napoleon is Corsican, and Charlemagne is of Frankish ancestry.

So which on of them is Russian? lol

And do not go saying Stalin is Russian as he was born in Georgia, even though it was part of the Russian Empire.

In no particular order, though reducing it to 5 is tough:

Themistocles. Everybody always forgets about him, but Thermopylae would never have been possible without him.

Alexander III of Macedon (Alexander the Great). Conquered much of the known world, and likely would have conquered more had he not died young.

Edward Teach (Blackbeard). The way he cultivated a legend around himself is really cool.

Gaius Julius Caesar. I mean, over two millennia after his death, his name is still a symbol of power.

General Patton. An... interesting person, to be sure.

In no particular order:

Cicero, Socrates, Edmund Burke, William Lloyd Garrison, Henri de la Rochejaquelein, Patrick Henry, Lysander Spooner, Pedro II of Brazil, Ludwig von Mises, Charles I of Austria, Draža Mihailović, Giuseppe Zangara, József Cardinal Mindszenty, Calvin Coolidge, Warren G. Harding, Moise Tshombe, and many others I can't think of.

Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Vladimir Lenin, Josef Stalin and Enver Hoxha just to name a few.

Isä Aurinkoinen - Paranoid leaders ftw!

Gaius Iulius Caesar - The name, the name! btw. pronunciation is not see-sar but much closer to Kaiser. Also, there's no z in Iulius :p

Democritus - In some worlds there is no Sun and Moon while in others they are larger than in our world and in others more numerous. In some parts there are more worlds, in others fewer (...); in some parts they are arising, in others failing. There are some worlds devoid of living creatures or plants or any moisture. - ca. 400 BC

<insert any dictator/leader bent on world domination who was more or less successful here, being completely deranged is a plus> - eg. Napoleon, Alexander III of Macedon.

<insert any thinker/scientist who thought of or created something completely revolutionary here> - eg. Archimedes, Newton.

<insert any visionary/megalomaniac here who commissioned or set out to create or construct the impossible that would stand the test of time> - eg. Khufu, Shah Jahan.

Ghandi
Leonardo de Vinci
Sun Tzu
William Shakespeare
Uesugi Kenshin

You is a fool; Alexander is Macedonian, Stalin is Georgian, Genghis is Mongolian, Napoleon is Corsican, and Charlemagne is of Frankish ancestry.

So which on of them is Russian? lol

And do not go saying Stalin is Russian as he was born in Georgia, even though it was part of the Russian Empire.
Was Napoleon born before or after Corsica was annexed by France?

Was Napoleon born before or after Corsica was annexed by France?Before.

Pisa took control of the island during most of the Middle Ages but it finally fell to Genoa in 1282, following the Battle of Meloria against Pisa. Corsica successively was part of the Republic of Genoa for five centuries. Despite take-overs by Aragon between 1296-1434 and France between 1553-1559, Corsica would remain under Genoese control until its purchase by France in 1768.

Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corsica)

1. Cush (Meskiagkasher)
2. Enoch the founder
3. Queen Ahhotep (Io)
4. Ankhkheperure Neferneferuaten (Nefertiti, Smenkhkare)
5. Sargon 1

6. Nimrud (Enmerkar)
7. Har Aha (Menes)
8. Nimaatre Amenemhat 3
9. Menkheperre Thutmose 3 Neferkheperu
10. Megas Alexandros

Guy Fawkes
Why?

He was attempting to install a Catholic theocracy and aiming to impose it on the British people. Admittedly James I wasn't particularly nice either. The whole 5th November thing is celebrating the fact that he didn't win. I do feel sorry for the bastard because he was treated as a scapegoat by the government.

Anyways... (in no particular order)

Alexius I Comnenus
Alfred the Great
Oliver Cromwell
Ghandi
Arthur Wellesey, Duke of Wellington

There's a few others, mainly Byzantine ones 'cos I'm a Byzantine nerd, such as Basil II or Anna Comnena. But then I also like Edward IV and Henry VII of England. And Marx.

Indeed, it's V for Vendetta and all that stuff which completely distorts the truth of who Guy Fawkes was, he was no radical or anarchist, that's for sure.

1. John Wycliffe
2. Jean Parisot de Valette
3. Granville Sharpe
4. Bishop Edward King
5. Sir William Hillary

Indeed, it's V for Vendetta and all that stuff which completely distorts the truth of who Guy Fawkes was, he was no radical or anarchist, that's for sure.
It's a good graphic novel and a poor film, but a lot of people who have no idea of history take it into their heads that the British celebrate an attempt to blow up Parliament and effectively immerse the country into the Wars of Religion that were blighting the continent.

1) Napoleon Bonaparte simply for his kick-assness at killing things
2) Daniel Ortega Saavedra- great bloke. Great supporter of democracy.
3) Alan Turing- defeated Nazi germany (enigma). Invented the computer. Was convicted of homosexuality, and committed suicide.
4) Francisco Largo Caballero- prime minister of free Spain. Fought against the fascists, but couldn't win against the communists.
5) Richard Dawkins- funny bloke, great author, fantastic scientist, all around smart-arse. Correct.

1) Frederick William I - The soldier King. He took a small state and turned it into one of the most powerful militaries in the world. He was also an incredibly able administrator. He opposed all superfluous spending, so long as it did not concern his army. He was also fair, he himself as an example paid the consumer tax he himself had imposed. He encouraged farming, reclaimed marshes, stored grain in good times and sold it in bad times. He dictated the manual of Regulations for State Officials, containing 35 chapters and 297 paragraphs in which every public servant in Prussia could find his duties precisely set out.

He also valued efficiency and no-nonsense attitudes. Such as if a minister or councillor failing to attend a committee meeting would lose six months' pay. If he absented himself a second time, he would be discharged from the Royal service.

Only downside was his rule was absolutist and he was a firm autocrat. He practiced rigid economy, and at his death there was a large surplus in the treasury.

He made the Prussian army into an efficient instrument of war. Giving it a reputation that even made Napoleon very wary of them despite possessing a military 12x their size. Frederick William realized that lacking the demographics to compete with the militaries of states such as Russia, Austria, England and France he needed to put his efforts in another niche. Hence the Prussian army was trained until it was the most disciplined army, and could pull of maneuvers that no other army could pull off. As well as mostly concentrate on tactics revolving around Oblique order with which the Prussian military could defeat armies over 2x their size on the open battlefield.

Although Frederick William built up one of the most powerful armies in Europe and loved military pomp, he was essentially a peaceful man. Hence he has a lot of my respect. It takes a lot, to make effectively form a nation that you're father created, give it life, successfully run the economy, meanwhile create a proper military and make your military be considered the best continental European land army all in a single lifetime.

(Also he amuses me with his Potsdam Giants venture. Making a regiment composed only of men over 5'11. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Lange_Kerls.jpg )







2) Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix - The original dictator of Rome. The man Julius Caesar emulated in his own rise to power. Only difference Sulla made Rome tremble. In his reign of power he executed 1/3rd of the nobles of Rome (I'm sure Andaras will love him for that) calling them the leeches and sickness that plagues and cripples Rome, forcing for one Julius Caesar to flee far on the frontier.

Caesar would later say in life the only person he was ever afraid of was Sulla. I mean how can you not respect someone even Caesar was mortified of?

Sulla's character was once described as being half fox and half lion, due to his perceived cunning and bravery; Machiavelli would later allude to this description of Sulla in outlining the most desirable characteristics of a prince. Sulla was described by ancient sources as having golden-reddish hair and piercing gray eyes that could intimidate all but the sternest.

Also he had the talent of few, to see into the future. For example when the young Caesar, as Cinna's son-in-law, was one of Sulla's targets and fled the city. He was saved through the efforts of his relatives, many of whom were Sulla's supporters, but Sulla noted in his memoirs that he regretted sparing Caesar's life, because of the young man's notorious ambition. The historian Suetonius records that when agreeing to spare Caesar, Sulla warned those who were pleading his case that he would become a danger to them in the future, saying "In this Caesar there are many a Marius."

But best about Sulla is his sheer awesomeness in retiring from dictatorship. Near the end of 81 BC, he stunned Rome by resigning the dictatorship, he disbanded his legions and re-established normal consular government, he also stood for (with Metellus Pius) and was elected Consul for the following year, 80 BC. He dismissed his lictors and walked unguarded in the forum, offering to give account of his actions to any citizen. In a manner that the historian Suetonius thought arrogant, Caesar later ridiculed Sulla for resigning seeing it as ridicolous that a man who literally had everything could give it all away to live a secluded life in the country.



3) Frederick II of Prussia (the great) - Pretty much the symbolism of the enlightened absolutist rule. He sort of showed dictatorship could be a good thing,...as long as he or someone like him was ruling.

Frederick was a proponent of enlightened absolutism. For years he was a correspondent of Voltaire, with whom the king had an intimate, if turbulent, friendship. He modernized the Prussian bureaucracy and civil service and promoted religious toleration throughout his realm. Frederick patronized the arts and philosophers. Frederick managed to transform Prussia from a European backwater to an economically strong and politically reformed state.

Also his religious tolerance marked him an exception to the rule. He said, "All religions are equal and good and as long as those practicing are an honest people and wish to populate our land, may they be Turks or Pagans, we will build them mosques and churches."

Frederick frequently led his military forces personally and had six horses shot from under him during battle. Frederick is often admired as one of the greatest tactical geniuses of all time, especially for his usage of the oblique order of battle. Even more important were his operational successes, especially preventing the unification of numerically superior opposing armies and being at the right place at the right time to keep enemy armies out of Prussian core territory. An example of the place that Frederick holds in history as a ruler is seen in Napoleon Bonaparte, who saw the Prussian king as the greatest tactical genius of all time; after Napoleon's defeat of the Fourth Coalition in 1807, he visited Frederick's tomb in Potsdam and remarked to his officers, "Gentlemen, if this man were still alive I would not be here."

Frederick was a gifted musician who played the transverse flute. He composed 100 sonatas for the flute as well as four symphonies. The Hohenfriedberger Marsch, a military march, was supposedly written by Frederick to commemorate his victory in the Battle of Hohenfriedberg during the Second Silesian War.

In addition to his native language, German, Frederick spoke French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian; he also understood Latin, ancient and modern Greek, and Hebrew.

Unlike many of his contemporaries, Frederick did not believe in the Divine Right of Kings and, disregarding the exaggerated French style of the time, often wore old military uniforms; he merely believed the crown was "a hat that let the rain in". He called himself the "first servant of the state."





4) Alexander the Great - I'm sure everyone knows enough about him, so I don't have to write my reasons for liking him.




5) Adolf Hitler- The guy was simply an enigma. He is also the proof that perceptions can be misleading. Being an artist, vegetarian, first anti-smoking activist and ardent alcohol abstainer doesn't mean you can't be a totalitarian dictator. If Hitler had been born in recent times, judging from his character he'd probably be a radical student studying art, living in SoHo. Far-left as well (Since judging from his "social" programs in the Third Reich, he somewhat was still in touch with the far-left roots of the NSDAP at it's start [many of it's earliest members used to be ardent communists [Röhm, Wessel, etc..], but who felt the KPD {German communist party} was too foreign [Russianesque] and not concentrated enough on the specifics and needs of Germany].


Also he was considered one of the most talented orators in history, certainly in modern history. Although oddly enough according to his secretary's comments in private conversations he was very soft spoken, overly polite (afraid to slight) and his words were inflected with his native Austrian accent (compared to his very German stage voice). Also creepily enough it is stated that Hitler was a very amusing guy with a vibrant sense of humor and it was hard not to get chummy with him and like him. One apparently "immediately felt an affinity to him" according to his secretary Traudl, who stated that with his friendly demeanor, helpful smile and love to dote on children with presents/jokes it was hard not to like him. Apparently in private he was 180° away from his batshit insane stage persona. Also it adds nicely to his complexity. It shows that human psychology is apparently a lot more intricate and complex than one might conceive. Also that your nextdoor friendly neighbor Bob who always invites you over for grilling every Sunday and gives your kids sweets might turn out to be Hitler #2.

In no particular order:

1. Albert Einstein - for being synonymous with "genius".
2. Napoleon Bonaparte - vive l'Empereur! (sp?)
3&4. Ghenghis Khan and Vlad the Impaler - of all tyrants, homicidal maniacs and similar, they've got the most style :D
5. Archimedes - for being the sole reason why siege of Syracusae was so long.

Hmm.. too tough, way too tough; I have a hard time picking favs.

1) Arminius
2) Bismarck
3) Charlemagne
4) Washington
5) Pizarro

How about the Aragornian General El Cid? He protected a small and almost considered insignificant kingdom from both the moors and the spanish; defeating both so badly they left Aragon alone.

Tom Paine.

Anyone who can get kicked out of three countries, piss off the leaders of two revolutions by being too revolutionary, escape the guillotine through guile, urge Washington and others to declare independence and write a constitution, viciously attack the Church, then die as an outcast of every society he was a part of, is pretty decent in my books.

These aren’t my favorite people. Some of them were terrible. I’m just going to list all the dead people that have left an impression on me, not only because of their work but because they had an interesting personality.

Politicians:
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Franklin
Malcolm X
Martin Luther King
Napoleon
Hitler
Sojourner Truth

Artists:
Leonardo Da Vinci
Michelangelo
Norman Rockwell
Beatrix Potter
J. C. Leyendecker.
Vincent Van Gogh

Scientists/writers:
Issac Newton
Albert Einstein
Socrates/Plato
Mark Twain
Edgar Allen Poe
Arthur C. Clark (died recently….)
George Orwell
Kurt Vonnegut
Madeleine L’Engle
Robert Pirsig

In no particular order:

Leonidas, King of Sparta

Jesus Christ

Peter the Apostle

St. Augustine

Richard Coeur de Lion

Robert The Bruce

Henry V

Martin Luther

Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden

George Washington

Thomas Jefferson

Rudyard Kipling

Charles Dickens

A. Conan Doyle

Robert E. Lee

J.E.B Stuart

Barry Goldwater

Ronald Reagan

Pope John Paul II

And last, but not least, a man who, not content with making history, has recently become history: William F. Buckley

My bad.



Who are you, Andaras?!?;):p

Stalin had a great (as in large) effect on the world...

You is a fool; Alexander is Macedonian, Stalin is Georgian, Genghis is Mongolian, Napoleon is Corsican, and Charlemagne is of Frankish ancestry.

So which on of them is Russian? lol

And do not go saying Stalin is Russian as he was born in Georgia, even though it was part of the Russian Empire.

I was referring to the writing in my original post, KoL asked me to translate the ones in Russian.
I originally posted Alexander's name in Greek, Stalin's in Russian, and Genghis' in Mongolian.

This is just for kicks. Who are your top 5 favorite/most interesting historical figures. Your criteria could be anything. From those who you think did a lot of good things to those you think were just badasses

Ill start.

1. Salah al-Dīn Yusuf ibn Ayyub (Saladin)
2. Cyrus the Great
3. Alexander III (The Great)
4. Gaius Julius Caesar
5. Charlamagne

Honorable Mentions:
Nur al-din
Frederick I Barbarossa
Robert E Lee
Rameses II
Alexander Hamelton
Henry V
Abraham Lincoln
Alexander Nevsky
Ghangis Khan

Feel free to debate the merits of various figures, but remember, its all still an opinion in the end;)

Bismark FTW.

I'm a big fan of both Frederick's (Barbarossa, and "The Great"), Karl Der Grosse (or, "Charlemagne" if you're raised in a franco-centric world). Joan d'Arc did a lot of butt kicking, so she gets on here (this is, after all, not ordered), Cyrus the Great, Lacedaemon (in the general sense of all Spartans). And I'm fairly partial to Catherine the Great as well.

Edit: Having read some more replies, I have to throw both Martin Luther, and Jan Hus on here.

Edit Edit: And Arminius

Also he was considered one of the most talented orators in history, certainly in modern history. Although oddly enough according to his secretary's comments in private conversations he was very soft spoken, overly polite (afraid to slight) and his words were inflected with his native Austrian accent (compared to his very German stage voice). Also creepily enough it is stated that Hitler was a very amusing guy with a vibrant sense of humor and it was hard not to get chummy with him and like him. One apparently "immediately felt an affinity to him" according to his secretary Traudl, who stated that with his friendly demeanor, helpful smile and love to dote on children with presents/jokes it was hard not to like him. Apparently in private he was 180° away from his batshit insane stage persona. Also it adds nicely to his complexity. It shows that human psychology is apparently a lot more intricate and complex than one might conceive. Also that your nextdoor friendly neighbor Bob who always invites you over for grilling every Sunday and gives your kids sweets might turn out to be Hitler #2.

I saw an interview with one of his secretaries (she was on old lady at the time of the interview) she mentioned the strangeness of her own situation, as Hitler was such a nice guy that she described him as a father figure to her, needless to say that clashed with the other 'half' of who he was, no doubt such circumstances would create tumult in anyone.

Although he also acted like the Germans were winning, I think up until he pulled his final trigger.

My list goes like this:

1)Thomas Jefferson
2)Lord Thomas Cochrane
3)Genghis Kahn
4)Aaron Burr
5)George S. Patton

By favourite I guess I would mean most interesting

Genghis Khan
Julius Caesar
Augustus
Hitler
Alexander the Great
Saladin
Napoleon

...theres probably more I can't think of right now.

Hmmm..

In no order...

JFK/RFK, for saving us in the Missile Crisis and giving the Democrats some balls.
Trotsky, for being the closest thing to a good guy in the Russian Revolution.
Gandhi, for showing pacifisim at its best.
Martin Luter King, for the Civil Rights Movement.
Jesus, because although I can't stand his fan club, I think what he actually preached about morality was right on, even if his disciples ruined it for everyone else....

By favourite I guess I would mean most interesting

Genghis Khan
Julius Caesar
Augustus
Hitler
Alexander the Great
Saladin
Napoleon

...theres probably more I can't think of right now.

Oh dear...

By favourite I guess I would mean most interesting

Genghis Khan
Julius Caesar
Augustus
Hitler
Alexander the Great
Saladin
Napoleon

...theres probably more I can't think of right now.

That was how I read the question myself...

1.) Ludwig von Mises (I love his economic work)
2.) Draza Mihailovic (Resisted the Nazis and communists)
3.) Daniel Shays (His rebellion against the oppressive Massachusetts government was more justified than the American Revolution)
4.) Bertrand de Jouvenel (Truly demonstrates the importance of reciprocity in a just legal system)
5.) Calvin Coolidge (Last good president of the United States)

Genghis Khan
Ben Franklin
George Washington
Thomas Paine
Thomas Jefferson
Karl Marx
Vladimir Lenin
Albert Einstein
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Ho Chi Minh

Let me think...

William Wilberforce
Ernesto Guevara de la Serna
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
Charles John Huffam Dickens

See if anyone can figure out the link.

Oh dear...

I miss your old sig.

5.) Calvin Coolidge (Last good president of the United States)

Shame on you. That man single-handedly caused the Great Depression with his evil laissez faire ways.


[/sarcasm]

as for me it has to be Caligula, now there was one crazy dude.

Oh dear...

what you don't think of WW2 and Hitler as "interesting"...I'm not saying I admire Hitler...

Hitler was one nasty person, but I must admit he is also one of the most fascinating. As well as Stalin (read Hitler and Stalin: Parellel Live)

That, and Lord Cochrane who conspired to have Napoleon installed as Emperor of South America.

Hitler was one nasty person, but I must admit he is also one of the most fascinating. As well as Stalin (read Hitler and Stalin: Parellel Live)

That, and Lord Cochrane who conspired to have Napoleon installed as Emperor of South America.

Yes, Hitler´s an interesting figure on the sole fact that his was one of the most brilliant minds of the 20th. century. Of course, that was a mind for evil, but still brilliant.

Yes, Hitler´s an interesting figure on the sole fact that his was one of the most brilliant minds of the 20th. century. Of course, that was a mind for evil, but still brilliant.

Hitler was a cunning politician and an adept demagogue, but I don't know if I'd classify him as brilliant, exactly. The non-genocidal parts of his program were basically Bismarckism warmed over, and his foreign policy was, ahem, disastrous.

Teddy Roosevelt was a BAMF. So was Andrew Jackson, though the whole Native American killer thing kinda makes him a bit less cool.

I don't think brilliant is the right word for Hitler, although he had a lot of brilliant people working for him. The thing that makes Hitler fascinating is that he's so odd, and he had the ability to transform his country into something as odd as he was. He undid years of democracy and turned Germany back into some weird vision of what he thought Germany used to be.

I don't think brilliant is the right word for Hitler, although he had a lot of brilliant people working for him. The thing that makes Hitler fascinating is that he's so odd, and he had the ability to transform his country into something as odd as he was. He undid years of democracy and turned Germany back into some weird vision of what he thought Germany used to be.
I saw some evidence that Hitler was infected with Syphilis and that was the reason for a lot of his psychotic behavior. That would put him amongst one of my least brilliant people, who had a specific skill set and advantageous situation which he milked for all it was worth.

Hitler was a cunning politician and an adept demagogue, but I don't know if I'd classify him as brilliant, exactly. The non-genocidal parts of his program were basically Bismarckism warmed over, and his foreign policy was, ahem, disastrous.

To me he was a brilliant man, but bent upon destruction. I do not condone what he did. But it´s a pity that a mind like his went to waste.

This has ended up turning into a Hitler-y thread :P

Everyone else! Find different historical people!

This has ended up turning into a Hitler-y thread :P

Everyone else! Find different historical people!

I did, Teddy Roosevelt and Andrew Jackson.

I did, Teddy Roosevelt and Andrew Jackson.

To me, Andrew Jackson just seemed like a paranoid cowboy, and Roosevelt the more psychotic cowboy. Now that I realize it, there aren't enough movies on Roosevelt...

Nikita Khrushchev, Alexei Kosygin, Walter Ulbricht, Deng Xiaopeng, and Alan Greenspan.

Click Stand;13569249']To me, Andrew Jackson just seemed like a paranoid cowboy, and Roosevelt the more psychotic cowboy. Now that I realize it, there aren't enough movies on Roosevelt...

They were maybe the most badass cowboys in the history of badassness then. Which is long and storied.

1. Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte I
2. Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
3. Phillip II, King of Spain
4. Gaius Julius Caesar, Imperator of Rome
5. Otto the Great, Holy Roman Emperor

Honorable Mentions:

President Theodore Roosevelt
Fieldmarshal Gerd von Rundstedt
General George McClellen
General Robert E. Lee
Fieldmarshal Erwin Rommel
Chancellor Otto von Bismark
Emperor Trajan
Don Juan of Austria
George Washington
Queen Isabell of Castille

I'm a big history freak, so I'm going to have three lists.

Ancient Historical Figures:
1.Julius Caesar
2.Alexander the Great
3.Hannibal the Great
4.Cyrus the Great
5.Augustus Caesar


European Historical Figures:
1.The Medicis
Learned about them in AP Euro, borrowed a book from my friend's parents, and have fallen in love with them ever since.

2.Niccolo Machiavelli
Same as above, and now annoy my teacher with him. Don't know why I love him.

3.Oliver Cromwell
I don't really like him,but he sure is interesting. Plus, there is a Monty Python song about him.lol

4.Adam Smith
Been reading his Theory of Moral Sentiments (came out before Wealth of Nations, and it is now one of my favorite books.

5.John Locke and Thomas Hobbes
Always see them together for some reason. Again, love the philosphy of Locke, and Hobbes I have yet to get too.

Honorable Mentions:
Friederich Nietzsche (did I spell that right?)
Sigmund Freud

American Historical Figures:
1.Theodore Roosevelt

2.Harry S. Truman
Biggest political upset in US political history is enough for me to love him

3.Franklin D. Roosevelt

4."Black Jack" Pershing
I first heard of this guy in my American History class, and then in my Military History magazine.Instant-love

5.Thomas Jefferson
One thing interesting is that apparently he died broke.Oh well.

I cannot believe I forgot to mention him until now but:

Huey Long, the best example of a benevolent dictatorship anyones ever gonna get. Plus an example of a politician who was great on the state level, but would have been disastrous on the national level.

1) Mother Theresa
2) Nelson Mandela
3) Federico García Lorca
4) Hippocrates
5) Pancho Villa
6) Francisco de Goya
7) Winston Churchill
8) Pope John II
9) Pope Alexander III
10) Robert Roy

Yes, Hitler´s an interesting figure on the sole fact that his was one of the most brilliant minds of the 20th. century. Of course, that was a mind for evil, but still brilliant.
I don't know. Much of Germany's war failures were the result of Hitler interfering with what the generals did. And while he was a successful demagogue, he was a lousy writer, artist, and thinker in general. Nazism is at best clever plagiarism of more creative philosophies.
Finally, I have to question the intelligence of anyone who creates a state that hates intelligent people.

1. George Washington Carver
2. Hermann Goering
3. Godwin
4. John Gochnaur
5. The brave souls who deliver my mail everyday

Soheran I
Soheran II
Soheran III
Soheran IV
Soheran V

("I have no idea.")

Harald Hardrada.

Harald Hardrada.

Fat lot of good he did at Stamford Bridge, eh?

1. Constantine the Great

2. Scipio Africanus

3. Martin Luther

4. Caesar Augustus

5. St. Augustine

Can somebody -please- tell me what the deal is with Robert E Lee? Seriously, I'm genuinely curious.

Oh, and also, yay for -someone- mentioning Hannibal, though oddly, no respect for Scipio "Africanus" from the same person? Fairs fair, Africanus was pretty on the ball to do what he done in Spain, and to Hannibal at Zama.

And again, I didn't see any <3 for Belisarius coming from whoever the Byzantine appreciation society head was :) I mean I guess if you're not talking about warlords, and we aren't , there's no need to focus on generals, but he -did- buy the Byzantine empire some time and a -lot- of land.

And since this question is 'favourite' historical figures and not 'noblest' or 'best for the world' I'm gonna go for Thomas Jefferson. It's always nice to give some of his statements back to people who like to assume some innacurate statements about the birth of the USA.

Golda Meir
Elizabeth I of England
Cicero
Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce
All those anonymous crazy people who went out in very small wooden boats on very large oceans, like the Polynesians, the Vikings, the English, the Chinese, the Phoenicians, etc.

Can somebody -please- tell me what the deal is with Robert E Lee? Seriously, I'm genuinely curious.

He was the epitome of the Southern gentleman. Plus he was a good general who fought the Civil War for all the right reasons.

And again, I didn't see any <3 for Belisarius coming from whoever the Byzantine appreciation society head was :) I mean I guess if you're not talking about warlords, and we aren't , there's no need to focus on generals, but he -did- buy the Byzantine empire some time and a -lot- of land.

I was going to mention him, but I opted for Archimedes.

In no particular order:

Alexander of Macedonia-because he teaches us that one man CAN
make a HUGE difference.

Richard the Lionheart-For teaching us true irony (Ever read about this guy's life?) and for having gigantic iron cajones.

Albert Einstein-for having a way of mixing science, spirituality and humor in a way that you don't see twice in a thousand years

Joseph Smith-believe in him or not, here's a guy who knew how to lead people even at inimaginable personal hardship.

George Washington-For having superhuman faith and leadership at a time when most people would cave

1. John Locke
2. John Stuart Mill
3. Milton Friedman
4. Immanuel Kant
5. George Orwell

Honourable mentions:
Anthony Crosland
Hugh Gaitskell
Thomas Paine
Benjamin Franklin
George Washington
Thomas Jefferson
Robert Peel
Ernest Bevin
William Gladstone
Clement Attlee
Winston Churchill
Adam Smith
Jacques-Louis David
Voltaire
Pope John Paul II

Richard the Lionheart-For teaching us true irony (Ever read about this guy's life?) and for having gigantic iron cajones.


Richard is interesting indeed. Hes romantisized as the epitomy of Western Knightly Chivalry, when in fact was a rather inept commander (but a good warrior), a barbarian (when it came to the depths of his cruelty he was capable of dispalying), and its theorised he was a homosexual.

Its funny, because he is immortalized as the opposite. He even attempted to use some underhanded tactics to undermine Saladin, such as befriending his brother and trying to marry him to his sister (or maybe cousin cant remember) and then turn him against Salah al-din. He was hoping Saladin would forbid it and that would turn his brother against him. Saladin it turned out didnt give a crap. So that didnt work. Course the whole plan backfired also when the young lady in question became infuriated at Richards suggest, declared she would never marry a Muslim, and saild back to Europe.

Then he was captured in Germany, and the ransom to get him back bankrupt England.


Im all for those kind of tactics, dont get me wrong, but it doesnt stack up with the notion of Chivalry very well:p

Richards whole career is ironic.

Im all for those kind of tactics, dont get me wrong, but it doesnt stack up with the notion of Chivalry very well:p

Since when has chivalry not been relative? :p

I forgot one famous historical figure:

ME

:D

Richard is interesting indeed. Hes romantisized as the epitomy of Western Knightly Chivalry, when in fact was a rather inept commander (but a good warrior), a barbarian (when it came to the depths of his cruelty he was capable of dispalying), and its theorised he was a homosexual.
Its funny, because he is immortalized as the opposite. He even attempted to use some underhanded tactics to undermine Saladin, such as befriending his brother and trying to marry him to his sister (or maybe cousin cant remember) and then turn him against Salah al-din. He was hoping Saladin would forbid it and that would turn his brother against him. Saladin it turned out didnt give a crap. So that didnt work. Course the whole plan backfired also when the young lady in question became infuriated at Richards suggest, declared she would never marry a Muslim, and saild back to Europe.

Then he was captured in Spain, and the ransom to get him back bankrupt England.


Im all for those kind of tactics, dont get me wrong, but it doesnt stack up with the notion of Chivalry very well:p

Richards whole career is ironic.

Oh at some point or another every historical figure is theorized as being a homosexual.

The irony ran even deeper than what you were saying (the only thing I disagree with is that he was captured in the region now known as Germany, not Spain.

Here's a guy, believed by some to be the greatest king England ever had, and he didn't even speak English.

In fact, he only ever went to England once, which was after he was released from prison following his Crusade.

Great English King... his body is buried in France.

But here's why the guy had HUGE cajones... This guy leads a fleet of warships toward Antioch as part of the crusade but a storm hits the fleet. Som eof the ships wash up on Cyprus and the sailors are taken prisoner. (Cyprus at the time was nominally part of the Byzantine Empire but was in a state of independence.) They refuse to ransom the crew back to Richard for a reasonable settlement so the Lionheart's Solution:Kick their ass. He takes over the whole island as a sidenote on his way to Antioch. (Later, owning the island proved to be such a pain in the ass that he sold it to the Order of the Knights Templar in what was the largest real estate transaction in history at that point.)

So he and his friend the King of France successfully take Antioch and some uppity German noble goes and takes credit for the assault as well, placing his banner up next to Richard's and the French King's. Richard, annoyed by this, literally rips down the man's banner and tells him to piss off. He does it...

Only to capture Richard later on when he tried to travel through this lord's lands on the way to England. (That whole Prince John thing was calling him back.)

He later dies of a crossbow bolt to the chest in battle somewhere in France a few years later.

That guy needs more movies made about him.

Not a historian, but here's a few of the ones I could think of:

Charles Darwin
Charles Babbage
Alan Turing
Leif Eriksson
Leonidas

The irony ran even deeper than what you were saying (the only thing I disagree with is that he was captured in the region now known as Germany, not Spain.

Do'h thats what I meant. I typed that edit in while I was about to comment to Nan and take a shot at Spain:p

Do'h thats what I meant. I typed that edit in while I was about to comment to Nan and take a shot at Spain:p

Roger that. Your historical uberness is secure ;)

That guy needs more movies made about him.

Provided they are done properaly. I refuse to watch a movie that is so black and white, where he is portrayed as the noble educated white man and Saladin is the depraved ebil moslam.:p


There needs to be more accurate movies about the Crusades in general. The closes we've gotten lately was Kingdom of Heaven, which wasnt an abomination. In fact, its historically accurate in a few places you wouldnt expect it to be in, and then way off in others.

He later dies of a crossbow bolt to the chest in battle somewhere in France a few years later.

That guy needs more movies made about him.

If I remember it correctly was his 'cajones' that killed him. In that he stood in front of a castle he was besieging without armour and dared the crossbowmen to try and shoot him. And one of them did.

If I remember it correctly was his 'cajones' that killed him. In that he stood in front of a castle he was besieging without armour and dared the crossbowmen to try and shoot him. And one of them did.

Yeah, thats how he was killed. That would be a very anti-climatic ending to a movie.


Richard: I dareth thee to shoot me!
*Thunk*
Richard: *Gurgle*

Yeah, thats how he was killed. That would be a very anti-climatic ending to a movie.


Richard: I dareth thee to shoot me!
*Thunk*
Richard: *Gurgle*

Better than Edward II though.:D

Better than Edward II though.:D

*cringes*


Indeed....

Richard is interesting indeed. Hes romantisized as the epitomy of Western Knightly Chivalry, when in fact was a rather inept commander (but a good warrior), a barbarian (when it came to the depths of his cruelty he was capable of dispalying), and its theorised he was a homosexual.


To my recollections, this is based only upon salacious rumours concerning himself and Phillip II, an ally of his with whom he is rumoured to have shared a bed when young. If memory serves, the practice was not unusual, and the rumour propogated by political opponents for political expediency not verism.

*cringes*


Indeed....

I almost feel bad for lowering the tone with that reference actually...

I almost feel bad for lowering the tone with that reference actually...

No, it really was a legit reference. Forgot about him. An inept English ruler who suffered...probably the worst death that springs to mind.

To my recollections, this is based only upon salacious rumours concerning himself and Phillip II, an ally of his with whom he is rumoured to have shared a bed when young. If memory serves, the practice was not unusual, and the rumour propogated by political opponents for political expediency not verism.

I personally dont believe Richard was gay, it just bears mentioning when discussing a historical figure. I find the evidence sketchy, which is why I clarified that it was theorised.


They said the same thing about Caesar and that he prefered to be in the woman's position (one of his rivals, Bibulus even said in the Senate to mock him "Behold Caesar, who would be King of Rome and Queen of Bithynia.")

I personally dont believe Richard was gay, it just bears mentioning when discussing a historical figure. I find the evidence sketchy, which is why I clarified that it was theorised.


They said the same thing about Caesar and that he prefered to be in the woman's position (one of his rivals, Bibulus even said in the Senate to mock him "Behold Caesar, who would be King of Rome and Queen of Bithynia.")

And Octavian for that matter, however, homosexual relations between him and Caesar would not have been wholly unorthodox given the prevalence of certain hellenic cultural elements in Rome.

And Octavian for that matter, however, homosexual relations between him and Caesar would not have been wholly unorthodox given the prevalence of certain hellenic cultural elements in Rome.

Its true, in Ancient Greece and Rome (for a good portion of its reign) it would have been weirder if they didnt have male lovers.