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580 BCE
Cyrus the Great
He was born around 580 BC in Persia, today’s Iran. He became the first emperor of Persia uniting the tribal Medes and Persians. He conquered Mesopotamia, Syria, and Judea. He saw himself as a liberator of people, not a conqueror because he treated his subjects equally and let the more than 40,000 Jews held in captivity return home. He created the first charter of human rights. Cyrus died in 530 BC some say in battle, while others say he died quietly in his capital city. -
247 BCE
Hannibal
Hannibal was born in North Africa, in 247 BCE. Hannibal wanted to be a soldier like his father. His father died but Hannibal continued his father's conquest of the Iberian Peninsula. Hannibal led his army through Spain to conquer Rome. The Romans finally defeated Hannibal at the Battle of Zuma in 202 BCE. Carthage was forced to sign a peace treaty. When the Romans came after him in 183 BCE, he fled to the countryside where he poisoned himself to avoid being captured. -
63 BCE
August Caesar
Augustus was born on September 23, 63 BC in the city of Rome. His mother came from a famous family and was the niece of Julius Caesar. After Julius Caesar was assassinated, he was named Consul and formed a triumvirate. Augustus was not a battle king. However, under his rule, the Roman empire expanded into Hungary, Croatia and Egypt as well as securing Spain and Gaul. He added more land than Julius Caesar and was worshipped as a god in Rome. -
406
Attila the Hun
Attila was the ruler of the Huns (434-453), he was also the leader of a tribal empire (that consisted of Huns, Ostrogoths, Alans, etc) in Central and Eastern Europe. He invaded the Balkans, Italy and France. Attila was planning to invade Constantinople in 453 when he suddenly died. People believe that his death was a result of internal bleeding caused by excessive drinking. After his death, The Hunnic Empire could not survive for long. -
742
Charlemagne
Charlemagne, or Charles I. He was King of the Franks and later was crowned Holy Roman Emperor on Christmas Day. He lived from April 2, 742 until January 28, 814. He is considered the father of the Germany Monarchy. During the Early Middle Ages, Charlemagne united the majority of western and central Europe. He died in 814 from a fever. -
1087
William ‘’The Conqueror’’
William was born in 1028 in Falaise, which was part of the Duchy of Normandy. His father was Robert I, Duke of Normandy. When his father died, William was made Duke of Normandy. In 1050 William married Matilda of Flanders. After winning the Battle of Hastings against King Harold II, he captured the city of London and was crowned king of England on December 25, 1066. He built castles to maintain control. William died while leading a battle in Northern France in 1087. -
1162
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan was born in 1162 in Mongolia and his name as a boy was Temujin. His father was the chief of their tribe. Temujin built his own tribe and army to fight the Tartars showing no mercy. After conquering his greatest enemies, the Mongol tribes agreed to ally and follow Temujin, naming him Genghis Khan, ruler of all. By 1215, he had captured Beijing and the Mongols ruled over the northern part of China. Genghis died in 1227. No one is sure how he died. -
1480
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan was born in 1480 in northern Portugal. He led the first expedition to sail all the way around the world. He also discovered a passage from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean that is today called the Straits of Magellan. He and around 40 of his men were killed in a battle in the Philippines in 1521. One of the ships, captained by Juan Sebastián Elcano returned to Spain in September of 1522 with only 18 surviving sailors. -
James Cook
James Cook was born on October 27, 1728, in Marton, England. He was a British navigator and explorer who sailed and mapped much of the South Pacific. Some of the sailors got tattoos on their arms and started a tradition that continues today. Cook's final expedition lasted from 1776 to 1779. The goal of this journey was to find a northwest passage across North America to Asia. James Cook was killed by natives at the Hawaiian Islands on February 14, 1779, after they had stolen a boat. -
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte was born in 1769, in the city of Ajaccio, Corsica. He went to a military academy in France and trained to become an officer in the army. During the French Revolution, his military leadership in the battle was recognized by the leaders of France. He became a dictator in France and conquered much of Europe.
After failing to conquer Russia, his army was too small and he was forced to exile, finally, he was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
He died in 1821.
