These iconic European rulers are the gold standard when it comes to running an empire. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the best European monarchs from across all of history.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00As Augustus, he acts in the interests of the state.
00:04Civil war gives way to law and order, as well as peace in Rome and throughout the empire.
00:10Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best European monarchs from across all of history.
00:15His moment of supreme glory came from a rapid series of promotions,
00:20which had seen him move from a little-known captain of artillery to undisputed master of France in only six years.
00:30Number 10, Elizabeth I.
00:32Elizabeth I was the Queen of England from 1558 until 1603, reigning as the last monarch from the House of Tudor.
00:38Queen Elizabeth I, conqueror of the Spanish Armada, Tudor defender of the Protestant faith, the headstrong Virgin Queen who refuses to marry.
00:49She made it on this list due to her remarkable political prowess,
00:52her ability to navigate a nation deeply divided by religious strife, and her role in shaping England into a global power.
00:58She knew that if she had married, her husband would automatically have become a king regnant.
01:04And Elizabeth wanted control, not only of her own destiny, but that of her kingdom too.
01:10Elizabeth, though Protestant, allowed for religious tolerance in the state.
01:14During her reign, England defeated the Spanish Armada and also began the Elizabethan Golden Age, where arts in England flourished.
01:20The Virgin Queen actively encouraged exploration, beginning the British colonial empire, leaving behind a lasting legacy and a nation stronger than ever before.
01:29She reigned for over 40 years, and she reigned independently.
01:32She didn't have a king, and she was very much in control of her kingdom.
01:37And I think that's her greatest legacy, really.
01:39It is her contribution to English queenship.
01:42All subsequent reigning queens have, to some extent, modeled themselves on Elizabeth.
01:46Number 9, Otto von Bismarck.
01:48Otto von Bismarck is often considered one of the greatest statesmen in European history.
01:53Bismarck was firmly convinced that God had chosen him as a tool.
01:58I am a soldier of God, he wrote to his wife, and I believe he has shaped my life to his needs.
02:04As Prime Minister of Prussia and the first Chancellor of the German Empire,
02:07Bismarck played a pivotal role in the unification of Germany, thus establishing the German Empire in 1871.
02:13His political brilliance, diplomacy, and statecraft reshaped the balance of power in Europe.
02:18He was a man of power.
02:20He was the hero who had forged German unity.
02:24He was received with enthusiasm by everyone.
02:27By the students, the elderly, by the young, by the rich and poor alike.
02:32His policies were driven by realpolitik, putting the needs of the state first and basing his politics on practical objectives,
02:38rather than moral or ideological principles.
02:40He created the world's first welfare state, and his efforts created a period of peace and stability within Europe,
02:46lasting right up until the First World War.
02:48His legacy endures to this day, earning him his rightful place on our list.
02:52For some, the only great German statesman.
02:55For others, a political gambler who pioneered belief in a thousand-year Reich.
03:00Number 8. Louis XIV.
03:02Louis XIV of France, also known as the Sun King, was the longest reigning monarch in the entirety of human history.
03:07Here was this monarch who was a type of ruling machine, who never let anything show.
03:14And even his death was part of his job.
03:16Meaning that a king was born, lived, and died in public.
03:20He is a quintessential example of absolute monarchy, famously declaring,
03:25L'état c'est moi, or in English, I am the state.
03:27His reign brought about centralization of power, military achievements, cultural influence,
03:32and the transformation of France into a dominant power at the time.
03:35Louis XIV was a force of nature.
03:38He significantly reduced the power of the nobility and other political institutions,
03:41while also being a great patron of the arts, fostering a cultural golden age for France.
03:46The Palace of Versailles is one of his most important legacies.
03:49Louis' influences had a lasting impact on Europe,
03:52with his reign remaining a defining example of absolute monarchy and royal grandeur.
03:56He drew his powers straight from God.
03:59This was the divine right of kings.
04:01During the coronation, the body was divided in two.
04:05He had a sacred body.
04:08Throughout his life, it was his duty to be a very Christian and religious king.
04:13He answered only to God.
04:15Number 7. Justinian I
04:17Now for one of the most significant and ambitious Roman emperors of all time,
04:21Justinian the Great.
04:22Reigning for over 30 years, he is remembered for his efforts to restore the Roman Empire in the West,
04:27his monumental legal reforms and religious policies, and mind-blowing architectural achievements.
04:32He reconquered Africa, Italy, and Spain, reviving Rome's dominance in the Mediterranean.
04:36The Justinian Code is one of his most enduring legacies,
04:39being the basis for law in Europe until the Napoleonic Code in 1804.
04:43He is also known for the stunning Hagia Sophia, which still stands today.
04:47It would be impossible to briefly summarize his legacy,
04:50but his vision and determination alone are a reason to earn him his place on this list.
04:55Number 6. Constantine the Great
04:56Now for another amazing Roman emperor, Constantine the Great.
05:00Constantine played every game in the book.
05:03He was an extremely ambitious person,
05:06and there was no avenue to power that he was going to leave open.
05:10His reign marked the transition from pagan Rome to a Christian empire,
05:14laying the foundations for medieval Christendom.
05:16He was the first Christian emperor and established the amazing city of Constantinople,
05:21which would be the Roman capital for longer than Rome itself.
05:23After Constantine conquered the entire empire,
05:26he wanted to create a brand new city in his own name, and he did, Constantinople.
05:32He chose a strategic location halfway between the most important frontiers,
05:36and he deliberately chose to create a new city that would have no association with his pagan predecessors.
05:43Aside from this, he also reorganized the empire's administrative structure,
05:46putting reforms into place that majorly contributed to the empire's stability,
05:50allowing it to exist for over 1,000 years more after his death.
05:54He played a pivotal role in shaping the future of Europe,
05:56leaving behind a profound legacy and ushering in a new era for European history.
06:00Constantine was tremendously successful as an emperor, tremendously successful as a military leader.
06:07This was a man who clawed his way into power using raw ambition,
06:13and at every turn, he used that same ambition in order to win the day.
06:18Number 5. Charlemagne.
06:20Widely considered one of the greatest rulers in history,
06:23Charlemagne's reign marked a turning point in the medieval period,
06:26laying the groundwork for Western Europe as a political entity.
06:28He expanded the Frankish Empire,
06:30which became the largest European state since the fall of Western Rome.
06:34In 800 CE, he was crowned Emperor of the Romans by Pope Leo III,
06:38also establishing the Holy Roman Empire,
06:40which would later be formally established and exist for centuries.
06:43Now, he's often referred to as the Father of Europe,
06:46with his efforts to create a united Christian Europe
06:48having an impact on Western civilization that can still be felt today.
06:52Number 4. Julius Caesar.
06:54Julius Caesar was such an influential ruler that one of our months is still named after him.
06:58Over 2,000 years after his death.
07:00I'm the most powerful man Rome has ever seen.
07:03It's time to make it official.
07:05Long-serving senators might not take well to it.
07:08Even Sulla was careful with them, not to make them feel disrespected.
07:12I'll do nothing.
07:14They owe me their lives.
07:16His achievements had a lasting impact on Rome,
07:18and were pivotal for transitioning it from a republic into an empire.
07:21He conquered Gaul, vastly increasing Rome's wealth and influence.
07:24Caesar was also appointed dictator,
07:27centralizing authority and enduring the republic's political structure.
07:30Caesar was turning into a dictator in the modern sense.
07:35And by that, I don't just mean winning power by killing people and commanding fear.
07:41I mean, he was changing the world in which he lived,
07:44putting himself at the center of it.
07:46After his victory in a civil war against Pompey,
07:49the Senate grew increasingly worried about him and eventually assassinated him,
07:52thus setting the stage for August to form the empire.
07:55His strategic brilliance, political skills, and reforms transformed Rome,
07:59leaving behind a legacy that's still reflected in the institutions of today.
08:03Caesar's assassination only served to strengthen the very thing it meant to destroy.
08:09Number 3, Napoleon Bonaparte.
08:11Napoleon Bonaparte was to many people the greatest Frenchman who ever lived.
08:14Instrumental to Napoleon's success was his skill as a leader.
08:18He didn't just inspire people, he made them feel that they were taking part in history.
08:23While such a viewpoint is subjective, the Corsican general's rise to power was incredible.
08:27He reshaped the political landscape of Europe, leaving a long-lasting effect on history.
08:32He was a military genius famed for his complex battle strategies such as Austerlitz and Vagrom.
08:37His strategic vision, timing, and his consummate grasp of every one of the variables
08:43which influenced the behavior of a vast army have made him a legendary figure to rank...
08:48By 1810, much of the continent was under his thumb,
08:51after he brought about significant reforms in all areas,
08:54spreading the ideals of the revolution he fought for.
08:56His life was one of the most interesting lives in all of history,
08:59and despite his controversies, his contributions to modern Europe
09:02have cemented his place as one of history's most impactful figures.
09:05As he would say in later life,
09:08men are only great through the monuments they leave behind.
09:13Number 2. Augustus
09:14Augustus was the first emperor of Rome.
09:17Augustus, the exalted one, is the name conferred on him by the Roman Senate.
09:22As a young man, he was known simply as Octavian.
09:26His great-uncle, Gaius Julius Caesar, named him his successor.
09:31His rise to power brought Rome from an unstable republic into a strong autocracy.
09:35His rule began the Pax Romana, a golden age for Rome which lasted two centuries.
09:40The month of August is still named after him,
09:42with his influence clearly lasting far beyond his lifetime.
09:45All areas of Rome were reformed from the political system to the military.
09:48There was no way back to the Roman Republic of old.
09:51It had fallen in the face of conflicting interests and intrigue.
09:55In his will, Augustus justifies his reign as sole ruler
10:00by claiming that he never held more power than his colleagues.
10:05He was simply held in higher esteem.
10:07He invested heavily in public works projects,
10:09earning Rome the nickname Orbs Aeterna, or Eternal City.
10:13Augustus' achievements set a high standard for future rulers,
10:16which have arguably never since been matched,
10:18solidifying his place as one of the greatest rulers in history.
10:21Octavian, or Augustus, lays the foundation for the Roman Empire of the future.
10:26His reforms put an end to the chaos of the civil wars
10:30and enable the golden age of Roman culture that would last for hundreds of years,
10:35not just at the heart of the empire, but also along the borders.
10:38Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel
10:41and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
10:44You have the option to be notified for occasional videos, or all of them.
10:48If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
10:54Number 1. Alexander the Great
10:56Taking our top spot, it's the greatest of the greats, the original conqueror.
11:00You've guessed it, it's Alexander the Great.
11:02His conquests had opened the East to a flood of Western and Greek influence,
11:06and the contact between cultures was to have a lasting effect
11:10on European and Asian civilization.
11:13Famous for his military prowess and his undefeated record in battle,
11:17his campaign stretched from Greece to India, conquering at lightning-fast speed.
11:20He employed strategies such as the phalanx formation in enormously effective ways.
11:25Alexander has the phalanxes that his father had created.
11:29This incredibly hardened and experienced battle force that is at his disposal.
11:37Not only this, but he founded numerous cities, many named Alexandria.
11:41Indicative of his humble nature, he aimed to create a harmonious and culturally diverse empire,
11:46which was short-lived but had a profound impact on history.
11:48Despite dying at the young age of 32, he managed to become the greatest ruler in European history.
11:53His vision, leadership, and achievements left a legacy that has still not been topped.
11:57After his death, that legend became an inspiration to many who dreamed,
12:02but ultimately failed to follow where he had led.
12:06From visionary kings and queens to bold emperors, these legendary leaders define their eras.
12:11But did your favorite make the cut?
12:12Or is there someone else you believe deserves a spot on the list?
12:15Let us know in the comments below.
12:16Although she's not the first English reigning queen, or the first reigning queen in the island of Britain,
12:22she was undoubtedly the woman that proved that women could reign in England.
12:29Did you enjoy this video?
12:30Check out these other clips from WatchMojo,
12:32and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
12:36WatchMojo.com
12:38WatchMojo.com
12:39WatchMojo.com
12:40WatchMojo.com
12:41WatchMojo.com
12:42WatchMojo.com
12:43WatchMojo.com
12:44WatchMojo.com
12:45WatchMojo.com
12:46WatchMojo.com
12:47WatchMojo.com
12:48WatchMojo.com
12:49WatchMojo.com
12:50WatchMojo.com
12:51WatchMojo.com
12:52WatchMojo.com
12:53WatchMojo.com
12:54WatchMojo.com
12:55WatchMojo.com
12:56WatchMojo.com
12:57WatchMojo.com
12:58WatchMojo.com
12:59WatchMojo.com
13:00WatchMojo.com
13:01WatchMojo.com