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Who do you think is the greatest ruler in history? Any one from any where can be included; Western Civilization, China, past, present, kings, queens, presidents, etc.
Emperor Taizong of China's Tang Dynasty could be considered a great ruler, he is often considered the greatest ruler in Chinese history because he had it all. He was a military genius with myriad great victories under his name when he was still a prince and commander of Tang's Army, militarily speaking, he was believed to contribute the most to final unification of China under Tang. After staging a palace coup and eliminating all of his competitors and forcing his father to abdicate, he assumed the throne and began to build his nation into a world class superpower with influence reaching deep into today's central Asia. Economically speaking, he built a balanced economy with consideration for both agriculture and oversea trade, his nation traded with the rest of the world and some cities of China then was only marginally less diverse than today's modern cosmopolitan cities. Culturally, he laid the foundation for the single most open and culturally prosperous dynasty in Chinese history, under his rule, women's status reached highest level in imperial China's 2500 years history, indeed, one of his concubine later took over the throne herself and because the only female emperor in Chinese history (she was not an empress, although most English translation called her an empress, in China, empress was the wife of emperor, emperor was the legitimate ruler of the nation, the holder of heaven's mandate, many women in China history obtained highest political power, but they all had to be settled with being the puppet master instead of direct ruler no matter how powerful they were, only in Tang, the culture and society were open enough for a woman to directly assume power without relying anybody else for legitimacy). Comparing to great conquerers, great leaders, what set Emperor Taizong of China's Tang Dynasty apart is the fact that he had the whole deal: great military conquerer, great nation builder, great economy manager and great culture nurturer.
The greatest ruler is he who is able to rule himself (read: is able to control his own fears and emotions so won't allow himself to be blindly ruled by his passions).
A debate about the greatest anything is seldom a debate about the thing, or person, and most frequently it is a debate over the definition of "great."
The greatest ruler would be defined...how? Ruled over the largest number of subjects or most immense amount of territory? Lasted the longest? Brought about the most permanent changes? Was the most benevolent? Most popular? Had the nicest smile?
If mutually recognized criteria could be established, then it would be a debate over which ruler best fits the description. If not, then it will be a matter of selecting nominees and arguing that this person's characteristics are the definition of "great."
I'm going to throw out an oddball choice as ONE of the great leaders: Lee Kuan Yew, the current leader of Singapore.
Now, before you convulse in laughter, consider this. Singapore and Botswana gained independence from Britain in the same year. Both countries started out with a per capita income of somewhere around $300.
Look at Singapore today. No, he didn't conquer anybody. Yes, he is an autocrat. But this is a man who, out of sheer will, has created an extraordinary economic superpower in little over a generation, without any natural resources except its location astride the major shipping lanes. I don't think anybody has done more than less in the past few hundred years.
Other choices?
Churchill, for obvious reasons
Lincoln, for obvious reasons
Caesar Augustus
And who do I NOT think was a great ruler?
Napoleon. Yes, a great military leader. Yes, the originator of the Napoleonic code. But this is a man who essentially led France on twenty years of lemming-like crusades across Europe, and ruined his country in the process. France has never been the same country since.
I think you would have to consider England's Queen Victoria on the list. She ruled for a long time over a vast empire.
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The greatest ruler is he who is able to rule himself (read: is able to control his own fears and emotions so won't allow himself to be blindly ruled by his passions).
