The past is defined by the great empires around the planet, which were led by men, who succeeded in conquering vast territories and creating great civilizations. But not only that, their ego has also brought works of art, models of states, formations of dynasties and different cultures.

Throughout the course of history, the world has known extraordinary people who, thanks to their skills, managed to build great and powerful empires. The past is defined by the great empires around the planet, which were led by men, who succeeded in conquering vast territories and creating great civilizations. But not only that, their ego has also brought works of art, models of states, formations of dynasties and different cultures, which are present even today. Below are the 10 greatest hitters of all time.

1 – Genghis Khan (1162-1227)

At first he was known as Temijin i Borjigin. Genghis Khan was born with clotted blood on his hands. His father was a khan of a small tribe, but he was killed when Temujin was still young. Genghis Khan is the founder of the Mongol Empire. This empire occupied a large part of Central Asia. Although young, he managed to create a strong army by uniting nomadic tribes and confederations in Northeast Asia. Being a good strategist, he raided a large part of China and Asia. He left mountains of skulls of slain rivals that remained in China for years. The Mongol Empire included most of Euro-Asia and parts of Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East. He paved the way for his son, Kublai, to become the emperor of China and found the Yuan dynasty. His empire was about 4 times larger than that of Alexander the Great of Macedonia.

2 – Alexander the Great (356-323 BC)

At different times, Julius Caesar, Augustus Caesar, and Caligula visited his glass tomb in Alexandria, Egypt. Augustus kissed his body and accidentally broke his nose. Caligula stole his armor. At the age of 22, Alexander the Great conquered Greece, and by the time he was 30 most of the known world. His mentor was one of the greatest philosophers of all time, Aristotle. He managed to topple what was once a gigantic empire, Persia, defeating the vastly outnumbered army of Darius III at the famous battle of Isus. Alexander is known for the influence he had in spreading Hellenic culture throughout his empire.

3 – Tamerlane (1336-1405)

"Timur the lame" was born in present-day Uzbekistan, about 400 miles north of Kabul. His early career began with politics. Despite being illiterate, he was distinguished by the intelligence that characterized him. He spoke at least three languages ​​and invented a version of chess. He became the prime minister of the great Khan, and then dethroned him. This brought war within the Mongols and mountains of skulls. Tamerlane constantly honored Genghis Khan and claimed to be related by blood to him. Tamerlane conquered Persia, Armenia, Georgia and part of Russia.

4 – Attila of the Huns

During his leadership, he became one of the most formidable enemies of the eastern and western empires. Called the "whip of God", he invaded the Balkans twice and marched through Gaul to Orleans before being defeated at the Battle of Chalons. He dealt severe blows to the Roman and Byzantine Empires, attacking and conquering part of its territories. Rome was not conquered until after the diplomacy shown by Pope Leo I in 452. On the day of his marriage, he was found dead, drowned in his own blood, as he was noted for the vice of consuming large quantities of alcohol.

5 – Charlemagne (742-814)

Charlemagne, king of the Franks, created a European empire that spanned France, Germany, and part of Italy. Although he could not write, he spoke the Germanic, Latin and Greek languages. He had a monstrous height which is also confirmed by the measurement of his skeleton. Charlemagne's first military campaign came at the age of 27, when the Pope asked for his help in repelling the Lombards of Italy. In total, he developed 53 military fields, most of which he managed himself. He protected Christian Europe from Muslims and pagans.. He died at the age of 72.

6 – Pharaoh Thutmose III (1479-1425 BC)

He is the creator of the obelisk known as "Cleopatra's Needle" on the banks of the Thames. Thutmose III of Egypt did not lose a single battle in 18 military campaigns. He was one of the first leaders to understand the importance of sea power and supply lines. He conquered lands in Palestine, Syria, Nubia and Mesopotamia. It was Thutmose who established Egypt as a great power in the eastern Mediterranean.

7 – Ashoka the Great (304-232 BC)

Born in the Mauryan imperial house (ancient India), Ashoka was very fond of hunting and from his youth was distinguished by his military character. His father's death led to the massacre of all his brothers, and a bloody campaign to expand the empire began. All this violence culminated in the Daya River Massacre, where more than 100.000 citizens were killed by his army. He then embraced Buddhism and even encouraged the people to become vegetarians. He respected everyone equally irrespective of caste. By the time of his death, he had conquered India, Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan.

8 – Cyrus the Great (580-529 BC)

Cyrus the Great extended his conquests into the Lydian and Neo-Babylonian empires. His empire spanned three continents. Unlike many others, his empire lasted long after he left the throne, precisely because of the political infrastructure he had created. He is considered almost equal, if not greater, than Alexander the Great for his achievements.

9 – Chin Shih Huang (259-210)

The boy known as Cheng inherited a small kingdom in China at the age of 13. When he grew up he was a great organizer. His achievement was not only the conquest of various regions of China in just 9 years, but the unification of all territories as one empire. With two trusted ministers, he created a bureaucratic country with taxation, standardized weights and measures, and a system of merciless punishments for lawbreakers.

10 – August Caesar (63 BC-14)

When Julius Caesar's grandson was born, he was named Octavian. He was technically the first Roman emperor. Augustus Caesar became consul after Caesar's death, and then formed the triumvirate with Mark Antony and Mark Amilius Lepidus. They established their power in Rome, executing thousands of people. The title "August" which can mean height, was given to him by the senate. Augustus disliked war, however, under his rule the Roman Empire expanded into Hungary, Croatia and Egypt, and Spain. In Rome he was revered as a god and gave the empire more land than Julius Caesar.

From the WorldTHE WORLD