10 of the most famous kings and legendary rulers in history

10 of the most famous kings and legendary rulers in history

A monarch is the sovereign of a country, territory, or collection of people. Traditionally, these rulers have been known as kings, queens, emperors, or empresses. The head of state and their progeny are commonly called "royalty" or the "royal household". They are admired and respected by those over whom they rule. Learn more about the most famous kings and legendary rulers in history.

famous kings
Haile Selassie, Louis XIV, Alexander the Great, and Cyrus The Great are among the most famous kings. Photo: @LandsknechtPike, @hooooloooozz, @Africizen on Twitter (modified by author)
Source: UGC

There have been several massive empires throughout history, each consisting of several nations and kingdoms. Kings were the absolute rulers of their respective domains. Because of their immense authority, emperors and kings have played critical roles in moulding the history of their dynasties, kingdoms, and the entire world.

Most famous kings in history

Many outstanding kings have existed throughout history. Some conquered the world, others ended warfare and brought their countries tranquilly and stability, and others transformed their country and the world. But who was the biggest ruler of all time?

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1. Abbas the Great

famous kings
Shah Abbas The Great, Aka Shah Abbas I Of Persia, 1571 – 1629. Shah Of Iran, And Ruler Of The Safavid Dynasty. From The Historic Gallery Of Portraits And Paintings. Photo: Universal History Archive
Source: Getty Images

Abbas the Great ruled Safavid Iran as the sixth shah from 1588 until 1629. He is regarded as one of the finest monarchs in the Iranian past and of the Safavid family. Iran established the ghilman system during his authority, where countless Armenian, Circassian, and Georgian slave soldiers enlisted in the civil government and military.

Abbas could eclipse the power of the Qizilbash in the civil government, the royal palace, and the army with the support of these newly developed levels in Iranian society, which his predecessors had established but considerably expanded under his leadership.

2. Alexander the Great

famous kings
'Alexander and Porus', c1673. Detail showing Alexander the Great in a blue robe and with a plumed helmet. Photo: Ann Ronan Pictures
Source: Getty Images

He is one of the most famous kings in history. Alexander the Great ruled the Macedonian empire in ancient Greece. At the age of 20, he succeeded his dad Philip II, to the kingdom in 336 BC and devoted most of his reign to undertaking an extended military campaign over Western Asia and Egypt.

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By the time he reached the age of 30, he had established one of history's greatest empires, extending from Greece to the north-western part of India. He was a combat unbeaten and is regarded as one of history's best and most effective military commanders.

3. Alfred the Great

famous kings
Alfred the Great (849 – 899) was king of the southern Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex from 871 to 899. Alfred is noted for his defence of the empire against the Danish Vikings. Photo: Culture Club
Source: Getty Images

Alfred the Great ruled the West Saxons from 871 until 886 and the Anglo-Saxons from 886 till his demise in 899. Following his accession to the throne, Alfred devoted several years to repelling Viking incursions. In 878, he gained a significant victory at the Battle of Edington.

He negotiated an arrangement with the Vikings to divide England into Anglo-Saxon dominion and the Viking-ruled Danelaw, which included the northeast Midlands, Scandinavian York, and East Anglia. He became the dominating King in England after successfully defending his kingdom from the Viking attack.

4. Alfonso III of Asturias

From 866 to his demise, Alfonso III of Asturias reigned over Galicia, León and Asturias. During the weakening of the Umayyad princes of Córdoba, Alfonso's reign was noted for his relative accomplishments in unifying the realm. He battled and defeated the Muslims of al-Andalus on multiple occasions.

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Count Fruela of Galicia, a usurper, challenged him in the inaugural year of his rule. The famous personality was compelled to flee to Castile, but Fruela was slain after some months, and Alfonso was restored to Oviedo.

5. Bayinnaung

Bayinnaung ruled Myanmar's Toungoo Dynasty between 1550 and 1581. During his 31-year reign, known as the "greatest eruption of human power ever seen in Burma," Bayinnaung built the enormous Southeast Asian empire in the ages, encompassing much of contemporary times Myanmar, Lan Na, the Chinese Shan kingdoms, Manipur, Lan Xang, and Siam.

Although he is primarily known for establishing empires, Bayinnaung's most significant contribution was incorporating Shan nations into Irrawaddy Valley-based kingdoms.

6. Bhumibol Adulyadej

famous kings
Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej rides in an open car during a military parade in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: Udo Weitz
Source: Getty Images

Bhumibol Adulyadej, often known as Rama IX, was Thailand's ninth emperor from the Chakri dynasty. From the demise of Emperor Hirohito of Japan in 1989 to his death in 2016, he was the globe's longest-ruling current ruler of the state, serving for 70 years and 126 days.

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He is also the third-longest confirmed serving sovereign ruler in the history of humankind after King Louis XIV and Queen Elizabeth II. The renowned personality had 30 prime ministers during his rule, starting with Pridi Banomyong and concluding with Prayut Chan-o-cha.

7. Antiochus III, the Great

famous kings
Antiochus III the Great was a Hellenistic Greek king and the sixth ruler of the Seleucid Empire. Photo: @Alexandrei0n
Source: Facebook

He is one of the most famous rulers. Antiochus III the Great was the sixth monarch of the Seleucid Empire and a Greek Hellenistic king who reigned from 222 to 187 BC. Towards the close of the third century BC, he reigned over Syria and a substantial portion of Western Asia.

Rising to the monarchy at eighteen in 222 BC, his initial operations against the Ptolemaic Kingdom failed. Still, Antiochus secured multiple military successes in the following years and substantially broadened the empire's borders. His traditional title, the Great, is based on his adopted appellation.

8. Askia Muhammad I

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famous kings
Askia Muhammad extended his territory, making it the biggest in the history of West Africa. Photo: @theafricanhistory
Source: Facebook

He was one of the most famous African kings. Askia Muhammad I, the first monarch of the Songhai Empire's Askia dynasty, reigned from 1493 until 1528. Askia Muhammad expanded his dominion, making it the biggest in West African history.

During his reign, the Songhai Empire expanded to include the Hausa nations to Kano in present-day Northern Nigeria and much of the area previously belonging to the Songhai Empire in the east. His initiatives led to a rapid increase in commerce with Europe and Asia, setting up various schools and welcoming Islam as a vital component of the empire.

9. Haile Selassie

famous kings
Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia (1892 - 1975), 1965. Photo: John Bulmer
Source: Getty Images

From 1930 through 1974, Haile Selassie ruled Ethiopia as Emperor. He rose to prominence as Ethiopia's Regent Plenipotentiary for Empress Zewditu in 1916. Haile Selassie is viewed by many as a pivotal character in contemporary Ethiopian history and a prominent influence in Rastafari, a religious organisation in Jamaica that immediately arose after he was crowned emperor in the 1930s.

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He belonged to the Solomonic dynasty, which claimed descent from Emperor Menelik I, who was thought to be the child of King Solomon and Makeda, the Queen of Sheba.

10. Ramesses II

famous kings
Rameses II, Ancient Egyptian pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty, 13th century BC (1926). A print from Kings and Queens of Ancient Egypt. Photo: The Print Collector
Source: Getty Images

Ramesses II was an Egyptian king. He was the third emperor of the Nineteenth Dynasty. He is frequently recognised as the most significant, famed, and prominent pharaoh of the New Kingdom, which was among the most potent era in ancient Egypt, alongside Thutmose III of the Eighteenth Dynasty.

During the early years of his reign, he concentrated on constructing towns, temples, and statues. He selected Pi-Ramesses in the Nile Delta as Egypt's future capital and utilised it as the important staging site for his expeditions in Syria after founding it.

The list of legendary rulers and kings is endless. Some of the other notable names include:

  • Louis XIV
  • King Charlemagn
  • Henry VIII
  • Charles I
  • Louis XVI
  • Cyrus The Great
  • Peter the Cruel
  • Sigismund III Vasa
  • Richard the Lionheart
  • Philip II of Spain
  • Louis IX of France
  • Ashoka
  • Edward III

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Most famous kings and legendary rulers
Photo: canva.com (modified by author)
Source: UGC

FAQs

  1. Who are some of the most famous drag kings? There have been numerous drag kings throughout history. Some include; E. L. Brown, Hetty King, Pepi Litman, and Vesta Tilley.
  2. What are some of the most famous king names? David, James, Solomon, Edward and Henry are some of the most common king names.
  3. Who are some of the most famous kings and queens of the world? Some of the most famous kings and queens include; Queen Elizabeth I, Charles I and Louis XIV.
  4. Who was the No 1 king? Ashoka The Great. He was a Maurya Dynasty Indian emperor who governed practically the entire Indian subcontinent from around 268 to 232 BCE.
  5. Who was the most famous English royalty? Henry VIII is undoubtedly the most renowned ruler in British history, owing to his regime of violence and tyranny.
  6. Which king never lost? Alexander the Great was a brilliant military genius who never lost a fight and built a massive empire that signalled the beginning of a new historical age.
  7. Which king killed his father? King Chlodoric the Parricide assassinated his dad, Frankish King Sigobert the Lame. Clovis eventually assassinated him.

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Above are some of the most famous kings and legendary rulers in history. Most of these outstanding kings have been impactful throughout history. Some conquered the world, others ended warfare and brought their countries peace and stability, and others changed their nations and the world.

Yen.com.gh released a list of the current ministers in Ghana. The country's constitution permits the president to designate at least ten ministers. Most of Ghana's present ministers were selected in 2017 when President Nana Akufo-Addo took office.

Ghana's government comprises the president, vice president, and state ministers. The cabinet's role is to assist the president in determining overall government policy. Individuals and residents must stay informed about the latest developments and problems impacting their country.

Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Tatiana Thiga avatar

Tatiana Thiga (Lifestyle writer) Tatiana Thiga is a content creator who joined Yen in 2022. She is an English literature graduate from Kenyatta University. She has amassed sufficient knowledge working on a variety of topics, including biographies, fashion and lifestyles, guides, and more. In 2023, Tatiana finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. You can reach her at tatianathiga@gmail.com