Take Charge With This Quiz on Historic World Leaders

King Hammurabi ruled Babylon from 1792 to 1750 BCE, an era in which the empire expanded north and south along the Euphrates River valley into present-day Iraq. Hammurabi’s code was engraved on heavy black slabs of stone and included 282 edicts that set out the legal standards and penalties for an array of crimes, from medical malpractice to thievery.

Cyrus the Great began as king of the Median Empire in present-day Iran. Over the next few decades, he expanded his kingdom east through Armenia, and eventually conquered the ancient metropolis of Babylon in 539 BCE. At its height, the Persian (or Achaemenid) Empire was the largest dynasty ever seen, stretching from the Indus River Valley in the East to the Greek kingdom of Macedon in the West.

Ashoka came to power around 270 BCE and led the Mauryan Empire to its peak after years of conquest in eastern India. Troubled by the harsh circumstances of war, Ashoka adopted Buddhism and its nonviolent principles. He spread the religion’s philosophies throughout his empire by inscribing them on stone tablets and pillars at important cultural centers and along busy trade routes.

In 480 BCE, Greece was under siege by the Persian forces led by Xerxes. Facing a massive army marching down from the North, Greek leaders realized that the Persians would have to travel through a narrow coastal pass at Thermopylae to reach Athens. A vastly outnumbered group of Spartans held off the Persians for days, and their bravery inspired Greek warriors for generations after.

Ramses II’s 66-year reign, from 1279 BCE to his death in 1213, is widely considered the golden age of the ancient civilization. Also known as Ramses the Great, the ruler ensured his legacy lived on through the many temples and monuments he constructed, as well as through his children, of which he had more than 100.

Ruling over the Ottoman Empire from 1520 until his death in 1566, Suleiman the Magnificent oversaw the golden age of one of history’s most important early dynasties. Not only did he expand the empire in Europe and Africa, but he also improved domestic conditions in the capital city of Istanbul by building bridges, fortresses, mosques, and aqueducts to improve the flow of water.

Charlemagne was king of the Franks and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 800 CE. The area he controlled was known as the Carolingian Empire. Alongside political and administrative reforms, Charlemagne also promoted arts and culture in what became known as the Carolingian Renaissance. Many learned scholars gathered at Charlemagne’s court, and he set up a famed library of Christian and classical works.

Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military leader known as “El Libertador,” who inspired many emerging South American nations to rise against the Spanish colonists. Bolívar was not only a great military leader but also a canny politician. He successfully united South Americans against the Spanish Empire, which resulted liberating New Granada (1819), Venezuela (1821), Quito (1822), Peru (1824), and Bolivia (1825).

Mansa Musa took the throne of the Mali Empire in 1312, a time of great economic prosperity thanks to natural resources like salt and gold. In 1324, the Muslim king embarked on his Hajj, accompanied by an opulent caravan of camels, horses, and thousands of soldiers. Throughout the trip, Musa gifted gold and silk to the residents of the towns he passed through.

In 1949, after a victory over the nationalist party of Chiang Kai-shek, Mao Zedong declared the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Mao’s Communist Party enacted huge changes to Chinese society, with agriculture collectivized and all industries coming under state control. Mao’s policies ultimately caused the death of millions of people due to famine and persecution.

In 1861, Otto von Bismarck was appointed chief minister for Prussian King William I, and through this role, he became the de facto ruler of the kingdom. Over the next decade, he pursued a series of strategic wars that ended with a unified Germany under the Prussian crown. Bismarck is also remembered for enacting several state-sponsored benefit programs such as accident insurance and medical care.

Russia’s longest-ruling female leader, Catherine the Great, is an icon of the Enlightenment. She was a great patron of the arts and science and encouraged Russia to embrace new ideas. Catherine also instigated a national system of education and drafted a new legal code. Her strength of character is attested by the fact that she ruled Russia for decades, despite having no official claim to the throne.

Nelson Mandela was elected the first Black president of South Africa in the country’s first democratic elections in 1994. Mandela spent his life campaigning for an end to racial segregation in South Africa but was jailed for 27 years for his political beliefs. After his release, he worked with President F. W. de Klerk to bring an end to apartheid, an effort for which they were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Margaret Thatcher was elected prime minister of Britain in 1979, becoming the first female prime minister in Europe. A divisive figure, she oversaw the privatization of many British state-owned assets in her drive for greater independence of the individual from the state. Thatcher was the only British leader of the 20th century to be elected for three consecutive terms in office.

Joan of Arc was a peasant girl from rural France who believed that God had chosen her to lead France to a great victory over the English. Dressed as a boy, she gathered an army and freed the besieged city of Orléans. Unfortunately, soon after, Joan was captured and put to death. Her bravery and piety saw her sainted in 1920, and now she is celebrated as a unifying symbol and patron saint of France.

During the Elizabethan Age, England became a key European power. As a powerful Protestant ruler, Elizabeth I was seen as a threat to Catholic Spain, and in 1588, the Spanish dispatched a fleet of 130 ships to invade England. Elizabeth prepared defenses and stationed a fleet of gunships to defend the coast, and a sea battle ensued. Ultimately, a storm helped the outnumbered English fleet to a great victory.

After U.S. planes detected the Soviet Union building nuclear missiles in Cuba in October 1962, President John F. Kennedy ordered a Naval blockade of the island to prevent the delivery of supplies. He demanded the Soviets dismantle the missiles, kicking off a global crisis that many thought would lead to war. Days later, Kennedy and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev reached a deal: The USSR would remove the missiles if the U.S. agreed not to invade Cuba.

Mahatma Gandhi was the leader of India’s independence movement, who favored peaceful protest against British colonial rule. Gandhi organized protests and boycotts of British goods, a form of civil disobedience he first utilized while protesting apartheid in South Africa. Today, his birthday is celebrated as an Indian national holiday and an International Day of Peace.

During his first term as prime minister, Winston Churchill guided Britain through World War II. In a June 1940 speech to Parliament, now known as the “We shall fight on the beaches” speech, Churchill prepared the country for the imminent Nazi occupation of Paris and the possible fall of France. The prime minister spoke about the challenging road to come and vowed to remain a strong force against the Nazis.

Alexander the Great was born in 356 BCE and served as king of Macedon from 336 BCE until his death in 323 BCE. He had a tremendous military mind, and expanded his empire to one of the largest in the ancient world, stretching from Greece to parts of India. He went undefeated in battle from age 18 until his death at age 33. During his many conquests, Alexander named more than 70 cities after himself and one after his horse Bucephalus.