Greatest Monarchs Of All Time

[Friedrich Karl II]

That is really hard question when you should compare thousands of emperors, kings, princes and dukes. And for me monarch shouldn't be called great very easily. Him/her should had achieve very notable things and ratherly even let his/her mark to history which remains yet long time after their dynasty/country has gone. Very good thing would be that monarch's country is in better condition prior his/her death than when monarch ascended to throne but that is not necessarily mandatory.



There is my picks:


Cyrus the Great

Founder of Persian Empire. Created largest empire which world has seen by Cyrus' days. He too created viable economical and political system and was pretty respectful towards local minorities which was quiet unusual on that time.


Alexander the Great

Conquered massive empire which included Southern Balkans, Anatolia, most of Middle East, Egypt, Afghanistan and parts of modern day Pakistan. Altough he was pretty militarist him had too respect towards local cultures. Despite that his empire collapsed soon after his death, Alexander left long-lasted mark from Nile to Indus.


Augustus

First emperor of Roman Empire. He managed create stable political system after Rome had suffered over hundred years internal instability and even some civil wars. His long reign saw rising of economy, stabilisation of the country and generally more peaceful era. The emperor too developed greatly Roman legistature. Augustus is still well-remembered despite that Roman Empire hasn't been exist anymore very long time.


Charlemagne

Charlemagne conquered greatest empire in Europe since days of Roman Empire. It didn't last long but its affect were felt always until 20th century. He too created legistature to his empire and managed help economical issues.


Margarethe I

United three Nordic monarchies as one "kingdom" which remained more or lesser unified until 1520's. She was very good diplomat too.




Frederick the Great

Frederick the Great made with his war Prussia great power which eventually united whole Germany. But he too made many other reforms in several areas. Justice system developed, freedom of religion etc...


Maria Theresia

The ruler of Austria made several reforms on economy and legistature things. She too helped make Austria more unified nation and more independent from Holy Roman Empire.


Catherine the Great

She made many reforms to Russian Empire and was victorious on wars against its neighbors. She managed maintain Russian great power status.


Napoleon I

His empire fell already before his death but still he is one of greatest monarchs in history. He managed stabilise France after years lasted chaotic First French Republic. He developed French legistature and was pretty succesful military commander. He wasn't flawless but he put his mark to history.

 

[Blog Real]

My favorites:
Empress Maria Teresa of Austria
Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom
Pedro I of Portugal
Pedro V from Portugal
Luis I of Portugal
Isabel I of Castile
Dinis of Portugal
Manuel II of Portugal
Frederik IX of Denmark
Karl I from Austria
Catherine the Great of Russia
Elizabeth I of England

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

[...]

Napoleon I

His empire fell already before his death but still he is one of greatest monarchs in history. He managed stabilise France after years lasted chaotic First French Republic. He developed French legistature and was pretty succesful military commander. He wasn't flawless but he put his mark to history.

Now that is an understatement for someone who pillaged, plundered, ravaged Europe, the Middle East and Russia, whose military campaigns left hundred thousands dead, wounded and missing, caused famines, diseases, misery and deep impoverishment over the whole Continent.

 

[Friedrich Karl II]

Now that is an understatement for someone who pillaged, plundered, ravaged Europe, the Middle East and Russia, whose military campaigns left hundred thousands dead, wounded and missing, caused famines, diseases, misery and deep impoverishment over the whole Continent.

His conquest wars clearly caused much of suffering but other great powers/rising powers weren't much better. UK was conquering India and establishing its oppressive empire, Spain was oppressing its own colonies and practised inhumane slave trade over Atlantic, Russia was conquering Caucasus and Central Asia and it had still serfdom and tsars treatened Jews much worsely than Napoleon and USA was expanding (read stealing lands from natives). Napoleon was pretty militaristic but not other powers were much lesser militaristic. And Napoleon too stabilised France and made much for legistature system and fixed many problems caused by radical revolutionariers.


And for me intention of this tread is not judge rulers by modern standards. If we would do that way, many of mentioned in this thread wouldn't be acceptable.

 

[Nice Nofret]

His conquest wars clearly caused much of suffering but other great powers/rising powers weren't much better. UK was conquering India and establishing its oppressive empire, Spain was oppressing its own colonies and practised inhumane slave trade over Atlantic, Russia was conquering Caucasus and Central Asia and it had still serfdom and tsars treatened Jews much worsely than Napoleon and USA was expanding (read stealing lands from natives). Napoleon was pretty militaristic but not other powers were much lesser militaristic. And Napoleon too stabilised France and made much for legistature system and fixed many problems caused by radical revolutionariers.


And for me intention of this tread is not judge rulers by modern standards. If we would do that way, many of mentioned in this thread wouldn't be acceptable.

Why not judge them by modern standards? Why not judge them with regard to ethic and moral?


Why continue to let the murdereous, greeedy take a hallow of greatness?


If you judge them by the old rules; Hitler could also be called great ... he surely did a lot worth to remember..

 

[Marengo]

By the standards of the day Napoleon was more controversial than he is now. Many considered him the antichrist.

 

[lucien]

Come on. She was the worst. She can not even stand in the shadow of William III or Frederik Hendrik if we have to name any Orange. Fleeing to London is not exactly the heroïcism which hangs around great monarchs. Her Court was the dullest of Europe. She inspired nothing. Not in legislation like Willem I, not in gallantry or grandesse like Willem II, not in promoting arts, sciences and entrepreneurship like Willem III. Was it not for the War, Wilhelmina's Reign was one long yawn of a control-freaked Spinster-Queen.

Oh dear,one big yawn indeed..

 

[Countessmeout]

Why not judge them by modern standards? Why not judge them with regard to ethic and moral?


Why continue to let the murdereous, greeedy take a hallow of greatness?


If you judge them by the old rules; Hitler could also be called great ... he surely did a lot worth to remember..

We judge them by the standards of THEIR time. Where in 1930-40's would what Hitler did be considered good?? Great?? Memorable for good reasons. No where but in his own little corrupt following.

The fact is the morals and standards do play a huge role. Its like can we judge Eastern culture based on western morals? Not fairly no (unless they are torturing/murdering people and that goes the other direction in judging the western world). Cant judge a 16th century ruler on his view of womens rights when that wasn't something that existed for another four hundred years. No one would live up to it.

There were plenty of rulers who were seen as horrible tyrants and had lovely nicknames like The Cruel, which reflected that.

 

[lucien]

Greatness,like beauty,is in the eye of the beholder only,I think.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

The greatest king should be the self declared King of the Jews, Jesus. All other reals have been crumbling or will in the future, but his realm was not of this world and will live on.

Handel wrote The Messiah.
One line states: Hallelujah, Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords.

 

[Hector Fenwick]

Bayezid the 2nd (Ottoman Empire)

 

[norenxaq]

cv: religious figures who claim rulership over spiritual kingdoms are not relevant to this discussion