A common motif in art of the Middle Ages is that of the Wheel of Fate. A spoked wheel is shown with a king sitting at the top. As the wheel turns, the king is toppled from his place and shown as a beggar crushed by the turn of fate.

Of course, the other side of that wheel shows how a beggar may rise to become a king, reigning at the top of the wheel. Indeed, there have been many times in history where the most unlikely people have risen to the apex of society. Here are ten such people who beat the odds to become monarchs.

10 Claudius

Being born into the important Claudian family in ancient Rome should have guaranteed Tiberius Claudius Drusus an important role in the government of the empire. His grandmother Livia was married to Emperor Augustus, his great uncle Tiberius became emperor, and his nephew Caligula followed Tiberius as emperor.^[1] His proximity to the imperial throne should have made Claudius the obvious choice for becoming emperor himself—but Claudius was disabled in a world that had no sympathy. His own mother called him a “monster” because he limped, stammered, drooled, and had shaking hands. When Caligula was emperor, he mocked his uncle Claudius mercilessly.

When others in the empire became tired of Caligula’s little jokes, they assassinated the young emperor. The assassins aimed at restoring the Republic because there was no obvious male heir for the emperor. But they had forgotten poor old Claudius. According to the historian Cassius Dio, in the chaos after the assassination, soldiers ransacking the imperial palace found Claudius cowering behind curtains. They dragged him out and made him the new emperor.

Historians debate the merits of Claudius’s rule. He seems to have been easily led by low-born officials and his wives, but he also led the conquest of Britain. He was made a god after his death, so he didn’t do too badly in the end.

9 Ivaylo The Cabbage

It isn’t necessary to be born into a royal family to reach the throne. Many times, it is someone completely outside of the royal court who makes it to the top. Ivaylo began his life as a peasant, perhaps even as a swineherd, but one who dreamed of bigger things.^[2] Bulgaria of the 13th century was menaced by Mongol hordes, and it was the constant threat of the raiders that drove Ivaylo to take action. Raising an army of other disaffected peasants, he launched a campaign to drive them out. He was remarkably successful. This success did not please everyone, however, the current ruler of Bulgaria and the emperor in Constantinople, for instance. Constantine, tsar of Bulgaria, met Ivaylo’s forces in battle and promptly lost to the pig herder. Ivaylo may even have slain the tsar personally.

The emperor in Constantinople now tried to put a tsar of his own choosing on the throne of Bulgaria. To shore up his position, Ivaylo married the widow of the tsar he killed. His reign was immediately challenged by the Byzantines and new Mongol forces. He had further military successes, but eventually, the aristocracy drove Ivaylo into exile among the Mongols, where he was soon killed. His reign lasted only a year, but he is remembered as a popular figure in Bulgarian history. Ivaylo was nicknamed “the Cabbage” or “the Raddish” to ridicule his humble origins.

8 Basil I

The Byzantine Empire may have disliked the idea of a commoner rising to the throne of Bulgaria, but it was not unknown for it to happen in Constantinople, too. In the ninth century, a penniless wanderer appeared. Basil, from a peasant family, traded on his good looks to gain a position in the emperor’s stables. When he won a wrestling contest, he also won the attention of Emperor Michael III “the Drunkard.” The two soon became constant companions. The emperor married Basil to one of his favorite mistresses as a mark of his favor. Basil murdered the emperor’s uncle, on the emperor’s orders, and became the second most powerful man at the Byzantine court.^[3] This position was confirmed when Basil was crowned co-emperor.

When Michael began to favor a new man, Basil decided to act. When the emperor and the new favorite were insensibly drunk at a feast, Basil had his men kill them both, becoming instantly the sole ruler of the Byzantine empire. For the next 19 years, Basil ruled over a prosperous and expanding empire. He died from a wound sustained in a hunting accident when his belt became caught in the horns of a stag.

7 Justin I

Even before Basil, the Eastern Roman Empire had been ruled by a peasant. In AD 518, a former swineherd called Justin came to the throne. A Thracian by birth, with the un-Roman name of Istok, he barely spoke any Greek, which was the imperial language.^[4] The future emperor moved to Constantinople when he fled a barbarian invasion with two friends. They carried only the rags on their backs and a sack of bread. Because of his strength, Justin was made one of the imperial bodyguards.

Justin rose through the ranks, and after decades of service, he became head of the emperor’s guard. On the death of the Emperor Anastasius I, there was no obvious choice of successor. The people of Constantinople became restive in the power vacuum. Because Justin was the only military commander with troops present, he was raised to become the new emperor. For supporting his claim, Justin paid his troops well. He was later succeeded by his nephew Justinian, remembered by history as Justinian the Great.

6 Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Little is known for sure about the early life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who rose to rule Japan in the 1580s and ended the Warring States period. He is not mentioned in any official records in his early years, and tradition has it that he was born into a peasant family. Some have the young Hideyoshi being sent to a temple, only to run away in search of adventure. It appears he served as a lowly soldier in the army of a great lord before being recognized for his skill at war. He was rewarded with an official position as a sandal-bearer. His love of drinking and conversation eased his rise through the ranks.

By 1582, Hideyoshi was commanding armies for his lord, Nobunaga. While besieging a castle, Hideyoshi called for reinforcements. When Nobunaga came to his aid, he was betrayed by another of his generals and committed suicide while surrounded.^[5] In the confusion that followed Nobunaga’s downfall, Hideyoshi took charge. He took revenge on those who had betrayed his master and then conquered those regions of Japan that were in revolt. Hideyoshi had himself adopted into a high-ranking family so that he could take over important court positions. He emerged as the regent of Japan and unified the fractious country.

5 Zhu Yuanzhang

Zhu Yuanzhang had a tough upbringing. He was born in the 1320s in a China that was suffering regular famines. The youngest of seven or eight sons of a peasant family, he saw several of his brothers given away to ease the family burden. He was also notoriously hideous. When he was 16, his home was destroyed by a flood, and many of his family died of disease. The monastery that he fled to was unable to feed him, so he had to beg for food. Then the monastery was destroyed by troops from the ruling Yuan dynasty.^[6] Most people would be tempted to give up, but Zhu joined a band of rebels instead.

As more people rebelled against the Yuan, Zhu Yuanzhang emerged as a leader of the revolt. His forces helped helped bring down the Yuan and then defeated other rebel leaders. He declared himself the first emperor of the new Ming Dynasty in 1368 and unified all of China under his rule in 1381. His rule saw the restoration of the Great Wall into its current form as an imposing stone structure. It also saw brutal purges of officials as well as any painter who portrayed his unusual features in too lifelike a manner.

4 Charles XIV John Of Sweden

Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was born the son of a lawyer in 1763 in France. Instead of picking up his father’s pen, Jean-Baptiste decided that a sword would suit his hand better.^[7] He was destined for a military career. He could not have picked a better time; Jean-Baptiste was just the sort of talented military officer who would rise in the French army during the revolution. In just a few years, he became a general. As Napoleon Bonaparte rose to prominence, Jean-Baptiste joined himself in marriage to the Bonaparte family. Under Napoleon, he became one of the marshals of France and was finally made a prince.

In 1810, Sweden was facing a crisis. King Charles XIII had no children to succeed him. The government began to cast their eye over Europe for a suitable heir. Bernadotte, seen as a military hero, was offered the position of heir. He took it up gladly. When Charles XIII died, Jean-Baptiste became Charles XIV John of Sweden.

In the 1790s, he had written, “Being a republican both by principle and by conviction, I want to fight all royalists to my death.” Obviously, being offered a crown rather changed Bernadotte’s mind. The House of Bernadotte still reigns in Sweden.

3 Catherine The Great

Catherine the Great was born Sophie Friederike Auguste von Anhalt-Zerbst to a minor prince in Prussia. Despite her high title, there was little money or power in her immediate family. Through her mother’s family, however, she was related to powerful aristocrats. Looking to strengthen the bonds between Prussia and Russia, it was decided that the young princess would be wed to Grand Duke Peter, heir to the Russian throne. In Russia, she converted to the Orthodox faith and took the name Catherine.^[8]

The marriage was a disaster. She hated Peter’s appearance and the fact that he played incessantly with toy soldiers in bed. Peter could not rule, as his mother Elizabeth had seized the throne and had no wish to hand it over to her son. Catherine learned from her mother-in-law. When Elizabeth died and Peter became the tsar, he only ruled for six months before Catherine led a coup and proclaimed herself empress of Russia. Eight days later, Peter died mysteriously.

Catherine would rule for 34 years and was succeeded by her son.

2 Abdalonymus

When Alexander the Great was out conquering the known world, he faced a problem. It would be impossible to rule his vast territories directly. He would have to leave rulers behind who would be loyal to him but would also be acceptable to the people he had defeated. His solution was often to simply force the rulers he beat in battle to swear allegiance to him. In the city of Sidon, there was no obvious person to take charge, so he set his friend Hephaestion the task of finding a new king.^[9]

Hephaestion found a poor gardener in the city who some nobles had said they thought highly of. A distant relative of the family that had ruled the city, Abdalonymus had taken no notice of the war and had simply continued to tend his garden. His honesty and hard work appealed to Hephaestion. It was while pulling up some weeds that Hephaestion and the nobles of Sidon arrived to offer Abdalonymus the insignia of the king. The gardener thought they were either joking or mad but was eventually convinced to take the throne.

1 James Brooke

Sir James Brooke was born at the height of the British Empire and would found one of its strangest corners. He was raised in India but sent to a school in England, from which he ran away and returned to India.^[10] He joined the army of the East India Company and gained a taste for warfare. When his father died and left him £30,000, James bought a large ship called (appropriately) Royalist, thinking to engage in adventuring, exploring, and trading.

The sultan of Brunei was trying to put down a rebellion in Sarawak on the island of Borneo. Brooke sailed his vessel to help. He was offered a good deal: If Brooke crushed the rebellion, he would be given Sarawak to rule. Brooke enthusiastically set about putting down the raiders, pirates, and rebels of Sarawak. In 1842, the sultan made Brooke the rajah of Sarawak. Brooke was succeeded by family members, each becoming the white rajah. The last white rajah abdicated in 1946 and ceded the state to Britain as a colony.

Rulers killing their subjects isn’t new, but neither is rulers killing their own children. The most powerful people of their realms had little control over their own children and, at times, their own tempers.

These monarchs didn’t settle for a time-out or a slap on the wrist when they felt that their children were misbehaving. Being the child of a monarch could prove to be deadly as these royal kids found out the hard way. Here are 10 monarchs who felt that crowns were thicker than blood.

10 Ivan IV Of Russia And Ivan Ivanovich

Ivan IV of Russia (aka Ivan the Terrible) had a son, Ivan Ivanovich, with his first wife, Anastasia Romanovna. Ivan the Terrible enjoyed literature and music. He also tortured small animals as a boy.

As an adult, he defeated the Khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan, uniting them with Russia. Like a worse version of Henry VIII, Ivan had eight wives. Each wife was found dead under mysterious circumstances, was murdered, or was sent to a convent. He transformed Russia from a medieval state into an empire.

He beat his pregnant daughter-in-law, who was not properly dressed, and caused her to miscarry her child. His son confronted him. In a fit of rage, Ivan the Terrible struck his own son on the head with a pointed staff and killed him. This murder was immortalized by Russian realist artist Ilya Repin in one of the most haunting paintings ever created.^[1]

Among all the horrendous things Ivan the Terrible did in his life, his killing of his own son still stands out as one of the worst. There was no line Ivan the Terrible would not cross. Even worse, Ivan Ivanovich was his only capable son.

9 Herod The Great And His Sons, Alexander And Aristobulus

The Christian Bible has painted Herod the Great in a negative light and blamed him for the “slaughter of the innocents” as recounted in the New Testament’s Gospel of Matthew. As the king of Judea, Herod supposedly ordered the deaths of all male children aged two and younger in the vicinity of Bethlehem. He was born to a high-ranking Roman officer named Antipater the Idumaean. Herod the Great rebuilt Jerusalem, including the temple, and promoted Hellenistic culture.

He was not a complete monster, but he wouldn’t win father of the year. Besides murdering other people’s kids, Herod the Great killed his own children. Antipater II deftly incited the aging king’s anger with rumors of his favored brothers’ disloyalty. Herod became paranoid by this and acted swiftly.^[2]

Herod the Great ordered that Aristobulus and Alexander be strangled to death on charges of treason in 7 BC. (Some sources say 8 BC.)

8 Empress Irene And Constantine VI

On January 14, 771, Irene gave birth to a son named Constantine VI before she became the first female ruler of the Byzantine Empire. She came from a noble family in Athens.

Irene became regent in her son’s place when he was given control of the land. Unpopular for his military defeats, Constantine VI would soon be betrayed by his mother.^[3]

She had Constantine blinded and imprisoned in 797. Irene organized her own rebellion and eventually killed her son, thereby claiming sole rulership over the empire as empress. Nobody got in her way of seizing power, not even the child to whom she had given birth. Irene’s reputation did not stop her from becoming a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

7 Constantine The Great And Crispus

Emperor Constantine converted the Roman Empire to Christianity, ending the abuse of Christians and the worship of Roman gods. He lived most of his life as a pagan and converted to the once-hated religion on his deathbed. He signed the Edict of Milan which said that Christians should be free to practice their faith as they pleased.

Like many emperors, Constantine produced an heir named Crispus. Loved by his soldiers, Crispus was the leader in victorious military operations against the Franks and the Alamanni. Receiving his education from the Christian writer Lactantius, Crispus was married to a young woman called Helena, who bore Crispus a son.

Constantine was proud of his son’s accomplishments and very pleased to become a grandfather. Being a married man with an heir and military victories would make any father proud.

However, Constantine’s second wife, Fausta, reportedly accused Crispus of trying to seduce her.^[4] Constantine killed Crispus in a fit of rage. Later, Constantine discovered the charge to be false and had Fausta suffocated in her bath. Christian forgiveness had its limits.

6 Abbas I Of Persia And Mohammad Baqer Mirza

Abbas I was considered the greatest ruler of the Safavid dynasty, one of the most significant ruling dynasties of Iran. He was a military genius who saved his country from the brink of collapse, built prosperous cities, and welcomed Christians to his country. He was willing to learn from people in foreign nations, especially Europeans.^[5]

Mohammad Baqer Mirza, the crown prince of the Safavid dynasty during Abbas’s reign, was born to one of his Christian Circassian wives. Unfortunately, Mohammad was caught in one of the intrigues of the court and conspired with Circassians. Abbas I had his heir apparent killed and handed the throne to his grandson instead.

5 Pharasmanes I Of Iberia And Rhadamistus

Pharasmanes I was a king of Iberia during the first century. His son Rhadamistus had ambition, extraordinary strength, tall stature, and good looks. But he did not have patience. He waited in frustration for his father to meet his maker, so Rhadamistus could become the next king.

The Iberian prince reigned over the Kingdom of Armenia but was considered a usurper. The Romans demanded that Pharasmanes withdraw from Armenian territory and remove his son.

Rhadamistus was overthrown and forced to flee for his life. His pregnant wife feared capture and convinced Rhadamistus to kill her. He stabbed her, murdering her and their unborn child. Then he threw her into the Aras River and decided to return home.

Pharasmanes wanted to prove his loyalty to Emperor Nero of Rome, so he executed Rhadamistus as a traitor. The king of Iberia did not live long after that himself and was succeeded by his son Mihrdat.^[6]

4 Vitellius And Petronianus

Vitellius was the son of Lucius Vitellius, a consul and former governor of Syria, and a noblewoman, Sextilia. Vitellius was a Roman emperor for eight months. He won the favor of three emperors: Caligula, Claudius, and Nero.

Caligula was impressed with Vitellius’s chariot racing. Claudius admired how well Vitellius played dice. Finally, Vitellius caught the eye of Nero due to both talents. After Nero’s death, Rome was plunged into chaos. Galba and Otho became Roman emperors but were viciously deposed. Vitellius did not fare better.

He was said to eat three or four heavy meals a day, usually followed by a drinking party. He had a bad relationship with astrologers. He banned them from Rome and executed any astrologers he came across.

The new emperor had a son named Petronianus who was blind in one eye and emancipated from his father’s control as a result of being named his mother’s heir. It is not surprising that someone who was close to Nero would poison his own son to get his son’s inheritance.

Vitellius tried to escape Rome disguised in dirty clothes.^[7] However, he was captured by Vespasian’s men. While pleading for his life, the half-naked emperor was dragged through the streets, tortured, killed, and thrown into the Tiber. Vespasian was named the new emperor.

3 Philip II Of Spain And Don Carlos

Maria Manuela of Portugal, the wife of Philip II of Spain, died after giving birth to his heir. The child, Don Carlos, had one shorter leg and shoulders of different height. He also had mental deficiencies.

For example, Don Carlos enjoyed riding his horses to death and beating little girls. He also thought that diamonds were poisonous. He was going to inherit his father’s throne by birthright, but it was clear that Don Carlos was not fit to be king.^[8]

In 1568, Don Carlos was pronounced dead—rumored to have been poisoned by his own father.

2 King Yeongjo And Prince Sado

Prince Sado was a royal Korean crown prince who was sealed in a rice chest and starved to death by his father, King Yeongjo. The king was a hard man to please. So when his son, Sado, grew up to be a disturbed young man, it made things worse.

It got so bad that after speaking a few words to his son, the king would always rinse out his mouth, wash his ears, and change into a fresh robe. Prince Sado idolized his father but never earned King Yeongjo’s approval.

Sado was accused of holding the severed head of a eunuch he had killed as well as assaulting and raping many ladies-in-waiting. Being unloved and frowned upon by his father, Sado descended into madness.

The tragic relationship between father and son was destined have a bitter end. The crown prince was stripped of his royal title and ordered to get into a cramped, wooden rice box. He spent his last eight days screaming for mercy from the king. He was only 27 years old.^[9]

1 Peter I And Alexei

Peter the Great was named after Peter, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ. Peter the Great’s goal was to make Russia into a superpower and modernize the country. For example, he was the first Russian ruler to promote secular education and numerous secular schools were opened during his reign.

Although he continued to achieve his goals, his role as a father was also a challenge. Peter’s tsarina, Eudoxia, was a conservative who was uneducated and disliked foreigners. Naturally, she deeply opposed Peter’s reforms and even took a lover outside of their marriage. Peter also found himself in the arms of a woman who wasn’t his wife.^[10]

Their son shared his mother’s traditional views. Eudoxia made sure that Alexei’s education was restricted to Bible readings and other religious lessons. Peter I did not spend too much time with Alexei due to his bad relationship with Eudoxia.

Alexei held no love for Peter the Great and saw him as a threat. His brief defection to Austria scandalized the Russian government. Under his father’s orders, Alexei was tortured. Peter the Great eventually had his son executed.

Summer Gallardo was named after Summer Sanders. She enjoys comic books, history, math, and making lists.

Monarchs are admired by their subjects and some are idolized worldwide. Who are these pretty famous monarchs that history remembers then? Learn their identities here.

10 Awesome and Famous Monarchs Every Historian Should Know:

I’ve got a confession to make. I have become fascinated with TV series like ‘The Crown’ and anything that deals with famous royals in history. Fortunately for me the internet exists and a lot of historical records and information on monarchs are available for one to sift through.

Just like any healthy obsession I researched and tried to find every piece of information on these persons. No I am not crazy maybe just enthusiastic and hell bent on knowing more.

You might think this is strange but I do it for a very important reason. I am just trying to figure out how influential were these personalities plus why are they so popular. It is no wonder history has been so kind to them with their names edged or remembered by every generation.

Anyway this is what I found out on these famous monarchs that left a mark on history.

10. Queen Cleopatra VII of Ancient Egypt

An Egyptian queen that had Macedonian origins from the Ptolemy ancestry, Ptolemy 1 was Alexander the Great’s general. She was actually the last pharaoh of Egypt before it fell to Rome.

What made Queen Cleopatra impressive was her intellect; she was well versed in different languages and also well educated in things such as mathematics and philosophy.

But her affairs or relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony made her also famous that even Shakespeare wrote about her. These relations with such powerful Roman men enabled her to secure her reign in Egypt. But the Roman people disliked her especially because she was a mistress to Emperor Julius Caesar who was already married.

When the emperor was stabbed to death in the Roman senate she escaped back to Egypt and the new ruler Octavian declared her an enemy of Rome. This is where the Roman general Mark Anthony became a great ally and lover. Mark Anthony was also not a fan of Octavian so he fled to Egypt where he met Queen Cleopatra.
But when Octavian forces invaded Egypt winning decisive battles, both Mark Anthony and Queen Cleopatra committed suicide. The Romans now controlled Egypt becoming part of the Roman Empire and the queen’s monarchs was over.

9. King Alexander the Great of Macedonia

A King of Macedonia at the age of 20 years, not only was he king but also a great military leader. As king he did the impossible that still bewilders people throughout every century. He was a dominant force during the 4th and 5th century.

His military genius was the key to him becoming a legendary figure. As king of Macedonia he set out to conquer lands and the Persian kingdom. During that time the Persian kingdom was the most formidable empire.

By the time of Alexander’s death at age 33 he had managed to have an empire that stretched through Europe, modern day Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Egypt, India, Syria and Iraq. He was King of Macedonia, King of Persia and Pharaoh of Egypt. He became a legend throughout the centuries as not only a warrior king but the greatest monarchs.

8. King Darius III of Persia

He was king of the mighty Persian Empire, which covered most of the Middle East and parts of Asia. He came to power after the previous king, Artaxerxes IV Arses, was killed in a power struggle. But unfortunately King Darius III came to power at a time when the Persian Empire was falling or on its last leg.

There were rebellions throughout the empire as most people despised the rulers. This was coming at a time when another king, Alexander the Great, was planning to attack and conquer the Persian Empire.

King Darius III is famous as the last Persian Empire king and also the king that stood in the path of Alexander’s conquest.

Although king Darius III had a greater army he was always outsmarted by Alexander who was a much greater military leader. Most of the battle he engaged with Alexander ended up with him running away or fleeing. Eventually he was killed by his own officials who led to the Persian Empire falling to the King of Macedonia, Alexander the Great.

7. Queen Sheba of Ancient Ethiopia

She was the queen that visited King Solomon after hearing stories of his great wisdom. She came with gifts such as gold and gems and asked the king different questions to be certain that he’s the man that she had heard of. After this she was impressed and King Solomon had her stay in his castle where they had a love affair.

Both the Koran and the Bible try to explain the story of Queen Sheba and who she actually was. They are different conflicting versions of her origin, some claim to be modern day Yemen while others state it was Ethiopia.

But the Ethiopian version resonates with a majority of people, as Queen Sheba is mostly identified as Queen Makeda of Ancient Ethiopia. Queen Makeda did travel to Jerusalem to visit the wise King Solomon, coming back to Ethiopia bearing a son who was called Menelik meaning ‘son of the wise.’

Her relationship with King Solomon and how she is part of Ethiopian traditions make her famous throughout generations. Emperor Haile Selassie was descended from Menelik who according to stories had travelled to see his father, King Solomon, but returned back to Ethiopia with the Ark of the Covenant.

They are different versions of this story of Queen Sheba but both state she had visited King Solomon, but her origins/kingdom is a mystery.

6. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

This Britain’s queen is the current and longest reigning British monarchs in history. She became queen when her father King George VI died in 1952, the following year she was crowned as Queen Elizabeth II at age 27 in a televised coronation.

During World War II she played a role in the war effort, first at 14 years of age she would make radio broadcasts that were intended for British children. At 18 years of age she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service to train as a mechanic and driver. She valued her role that when the war was over she and her sister, Princess Margaret, joined the British citizens to celebrate on the streets.

The queen is admired among British society and all over the world. She managed to keep the British monarch relevant and modernized it for the 21st century. But kept traditions such as British Royal Family members taking part in military service.

This 93 year old monarch has served the British people while introducing and transitioning the British monarchy to the modern era. She has been on the throne for 67 years since 1952. 

5. King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylonia

Ruler of the Babylonian Empire which he succeeded from his late father, Nebuchadnezzar II was both a king and a warrior. This enabled him to make the Babylonian Empire the greatest empire that ever existed. He managed to defeat the Assyrians with Nineveh and Syria falling to the Babylonians.

He didn’t stop there with him taking over the Kingdom of Judah; Destroying the city of Jerusalem and taking the Jewish people back to Babylon. He also defeated the Egyptian forces that were allied with the Assyrian empire king. The Egyptians were trying to offer support to the Assyrians against the Babylonians but it was futile as the empire fell to king Nebuchadnezzar II.

King Nebuchadnezzar II reign is recorded both in Biblical text and historical records highlighting the greatness and landmass of the empire. The Babylonian empire in modern day Iraq is a world heritage site that’s still impressive in the 21st century.

4. Queen Esther of Persia

A beautiful Persian Empire queen that was Jew and married to the Persian King Xerxes I but her ethnicity was unknown to the king. She replaced Queen Vashti who had been sentenced to death by the king. In Biblical text she is referenced as the hero that saved the Jewish people from extinction/death/genocide. Most Jews had fled into exile when Jerusalem was destroyed therefore there were Persian Jews.

Haman was their biggest threat in Persia. Haman who was the king’s highest ranking advisor had planned this genocide of the Jews in Persia. When Esther learned of the plan, she approached the king inviting him to a banquet. In the banquet Haman was present; therefore it was Esther, Haman and the king.

This is where Queen Esther made the king aware of Haman’s plan to eliminate the Jews of Persia. She also told the king of her origins that she was Jew. This king immediately ordered that Haman be killed and the plan was foiled, Esther’s relative, Mordecai was appointed as the king’s highest ranking adviser.

She was considered a heroine to the Jewish people and Hebrew scripture has a whole text dedicated to her that’s the Book of Esther. 

3. Queen Nefertiti of Ancient Egypt

She was an Egyptian queen that ruled alongside her husband, Pharaoh Akhenaten in Ancient Egypt. She was considered a beauty as her name Nefertiti means ‘a beautiful woman has come.’ Both the pharaoh and queen established and popularized the worship of the Sun god in Ancient Egypt.

Her beauty can clearly be seen in Egyptian artwork and sculptors. She helped the pharaoh rule and was an active queen in the kingdom. The pharaoh also ensured that she was perceived as an equal. They oversaw the most prosperous times in Ancient Egypt.

Although the pharaoh had many more wives she was the Great Royal Wife (the favorite). She also created her own make up using the Galena plant. It was Ancient Egypt’s most recognizable monarchs after Queen Cleopatra.

2. King Solomon of the Kingdom of Israel

This king referenced from the Bible is considered the wisest king that ever lived. He was last king of United Israeli Kingdom and had inherited the throne from his father King David. King Solomon’s best moments came when he was supposed to make a ruling on a child’s biological mother.

The story goes like this, two women came to the king requesting for his ruling on a child they both claimed to be theirs. He stated that the baby should be cut into two halves equally for both women. The first woman said yes that should be done while the second woman objected the decision stating that the king should allow the first woman to take the baby. This was proof enough for King Solomon to know who the child belonged to, the second woman.

In a time where there were no DNA tests this decision showed his wise nature. Another thing that you know this king for was the number of concubines he had, stating that he was a ladies man would be totally correct.

He had an astounding 700 wives and 300 concubines, most were part of the king forming alliances with the neighboring kingdoms from the Egyptians to the Hittites.

But regardless of how wise King Solomon was he lost favor with God because he started worshipping gods of his wives and concubines. He eventually died at the age of 80 of natural causes leaving his son Rehoboam as next king. He was the author of the Songs of Solomon which can be summarized as love songs or notes.

A civil war eventually breaks out as his two sons (Rehoboam and Jeroboam) fought for control of the kingdom. Eventually it was divided into two as the Kingdom of Judah, Rehoboam as king and Kingdom of Israel, Jeroboam as king. The United Israeli Kingdom was over with the death of King Solomon monarchs.

1. King David of the Kingdom of Israel

A king that managed to unite all the people of Israel into a formidable fighting force and form the United Israeli Kingdom, and father to the future Israeli king. Probably the most famous thing he ever did was slay the giant Goliath using only a sling shot and pebbles at a very young age.

David was the youngest among his brothers and when he took food for them in the battlefield. The giant Goliath of the Philistines was demanding the bravest of Israeli soldiers to fight him. Everyone was afraid and nobody volunteered, this is where young David volunteered to slay the giant.

When he slayed the giant and it was a decisive win for the Israeli kingdom his fame started to rise. He was put as commander where he led the Israelis against their enemies winning every battle. The Israelites would chant and sing, “Saul has killed a thousand enemies; David has killed ten thousand.”

He was a warrior king but he lost Gods favor when he plotted and led to death of Uriah. Uriah was the husband of Bathsheba that he had an adulterous relationship with. When Uriah died he married Bathsheba and God punished him with the death of their first child.

King David died at the age of 70 having written the Book of Psalms and laid a firm foundation for his son Solomon to take over.

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