Ishkur Cinderhat:
I'd have to agree with Obsidian... I loved learning about the Greek emperors...
Sojourn
Greek Emperors? Now that's an interesting concept. I never knew they ever had an Emperor at all. ;)
If I had to choose one favourite, it would probably be Ramesses II. This man has achieved more than any mortal leader or king could ever hope to achieve in his lifetime. Historically, among many other things of importance is that he made the first written peace treaty (with the Hittites) in human history.
Even when his mummy was relocated after 3000 years by Archeologists, great crowds of Egyptians gathered to pay their respect to the Pharaoh. Now
that is what I call immortal power! ^^
Obsidian:
@Ishkur: Greek Emperors? I think she might have meant the Roman Emperors. 
Khan!:
Canadain schools got the screw re: history. Canadian history is BORING, and it's only mandatory in grade 10, for 1 class. after that you have to choose to take it... AND even then, it's still mostly Canadian history... blah.
Sojourn
Aw, it doesn't have to be that way. What about Louis Riel? The Northwest Mounted Police? France vs. England for control of Canada? Laura Secord and the War of 1812? Burning the White House? Vimy Ridge? Suez Crisis and the invention of peacekeeping? The creation of the charter of rights? See, all good things.
As for historical figures, Cyrus the Great, the first Persian Emperor, was pretty awesome. He conquered the vast majority of the Middle East, Egypt and parts of Central Asia, where before the Persians were basically hill-dwelling nomads.
I like Zarathustra too, he was pretty boss as prophets go - actually prophets and scholars in general are interesting historical figures: Jesus, Muhammad, Siddharta Gautama, Laozi, Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi, Nichiren, Joseph Smith, etc. But that may be because studying religion is my field.
Kera foehunter:
Willmark thats something a yankee would say.hehe
Willmark:
Willmark thats something a yankee would say.hehe
Kera foehunter
Sure. I'm from the North, but its doesn't change the facts. Lee and the legend of the "Lost Cause" give succor to the those who believe the South's cause was a noble one.
Grant on the other hand gets painted with the brush of "drunkard" unfairly.
asheira:
SUPERMAN!
(Christopher Reeves)
Theory_Man:
I do not have a favorite.
This dude is interesting (and kind of nuts), Carlo Gesualdo.
If you don’t understand wiki it up…
Pure craziness.
Filipicusius:
I am a patriot and have to say that Gustav Vasa is by far the person who is my favorite.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_I_of_Sweden
Steven:
I’m not sure if he would be considered a historical figure per se, but if I could pick anyone, I would love to meet Nikola Tesla, and of course, pick his brain and take lots and lots of notes. 
Willmark:
Tesla why not? The guy was a genius.
asheira:
well does it have to be old history or can i have recent history?
This_Is_My_Boomstick!!:
stonewall jackson is in my top 5, if it wasnt for him being shot by he own side accidently, gettysberg might have been completely different
cnat really put my finger on a favorate
Grish:
I’m going to have to say Jesus was my favourite. Anyone who has seen “Jesus Christ: Vampire Hunter” would agree. His kung-fu is badass.
Steven:
Hahaha! Okay, I am so sending you a slave for that. Who thinks of these movie scripts?!
I’m going to have to say Jesus was my favourite. Anyone who has seen “Jesus Christ: Vampire Hunter” would agree. His kung-fu is badass.
grishnakh99
Xander:
Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, and Charles Darwin are a few of my choice favourites.
Sojourn:
I'd have to agree with Obsidian... I loved learning about the Greek emperors...
Sojourn
Greek Emperors? Now that's an interesting concept. I never knew they ever had an Emperor at all. ;)
Ishkur Cinderhat
well, there you have it. that's what happens when you take an interesting course in 1st year and drink for the following 3. haha. Roman emperors. *soooo embarassed* thanks a freakin' lot Ishkur...
I will blame it on my Greek roommate for unduly influencing me to accept Greek influence in everything (even if it's not true) haha.
EvilClown:
Vlad Tepes I think; there’s something really intriguing about the bloke (not least cuz the vamp Dracula was based on him of course:)), from his ways of psychological warfare by impaling and torturing foes to scare the enemy, to the impaling and torturing of his own subjects to keep order. After all, pain and suffering often make for more interesting reading than good times and happyness (at least IMO).
However, I don’t have a great historical knowledge, so there might be more interesting chars out there in the past - though I do like Attila the Hun as well:)
Mostyn:
Willmark that’s harldy fair starting a thread like this and picking England’s greatest Warrior king as your choice. Who does that leave the rest of us with - Ethelred the Unready?
I’m also stunned to see so many people from Shrewsbury on one site. I grew up there and my parents still live there. I even (sort of back on topic) did a junior history project on the battle of shrewsbury. Really just an excuse to talk about a battle but I did visit the church on the battle site as part of my ‘serious’ research :).
Well who’s left -Have to say one of my favourites, and for no good reason, was Lord Palmerstone. Not the best prime minister and certainly overshadowed later by Gladstone and Disraeli and before by Peel but as far as I’m concerned anyone whose policies started the term ‘Gunboat Diplomacy’ deserves respect. There’s something reassuring knowing that if you’re in trouble in a far away place run by Johnny foreigner then the might of the british Fleet would come along and blow the bejesus out of the nearest city to help get you out.
Not that the state of our current fleet is very reassuring of course…
Wilmark, if you haven’t already read it Juliet Barker’s recent(ish) book on Agincourt is worth the read.
