Do you have a favourite historical figure?

[Somewhat]

As opposed to Alexander the Great who conquered the whole world and died at 33 . Bloody useless medicine.

[Aletheia Dolorosa]

Well, yeah. For him to appeal, he would have had to have tried to conquer the world, and failed dismally. And died old, alone, and bitter.

[Slizer]

Sibelius from finland he was tru-musician and from global gallery of people I would like to show my appreciation to Charles Chaplin.

[Diolmhain]

My favourite historical figure is Fionn Macumaihl the mighty hero of leinster...

If hecounts as historical that is...

[TidyKiwi]

Don't know about having a favourite, but i find Elizabeth 1 really interesting and maybe Shakespeare since i am a Shakespeare nerd.

[Aletheia Dolorosa]

No, go for Marlowe...he was a SPY!!! (plus, if he hadn't been killed, he would have been far more well known than Shakespeare, because his plays are awesome!!)

[Aliyah]

Alexander the great, Julius caesar and... I don't know...

[Aletheia Dolorosa]

Do you like them because of what they achieved, or because they died before they were able to achieve what they wanted?

[Somewhat]

Julius Ceaser damn well managed to achieve what he wanted, albiet one spectacular murder and a massive civil war later.
And the only place in the known world Alexander the Great didn't reach was India. I wish he did, he could've invaded America with an army of elephants...

[necromancer1989]

The Marquis de Sade. he was just so freakin sick...yet brilliant at the same time

[Celestial Madness]

Pierre de Fermat

Carl Friedrich Gauss

[bowman89]

It's difficult to think of a favourite off the top of my head, but I think one of them would certainly be Lord Nelson. Or maybe Edison. To think of Edison's impact on the modern world is frightening.

Oh, and yeah I'd totally agree about King Arthur. Even though, if he did exist, he would probably have been nothing like in the legend.

[Llei]

Charles Stewart Parnell

whuuuuttttttt? He went power mad and destroyed his own career, while setting back the party as a whole. He also abandoned the land league on his route to power.

Micheal Davitt pwns all. ALL!

Ah now, that's a bit unfair isn't it? Parnell's affiliation with the Land League was always a matter of convenience - Home Rule was always his aim, right from the get go.

I'm not so sure about "power mad", either. I suppose, he should have realised that the Kitty O'Shea scandal wasn't just going to die down, and that his reputation couldn't recover from it, but he really was the best man to lead the party, and the first one who even got the Irish question on the table. He didn't destroy his own career. The Victorian love of scandal and stilted notion of morallity destroyed his career.

[Evermind]

Cleopatra, Alexander the Great, the Prophet Muhammad, Ibn abd as-Salam, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela to name a few. Oh and the Pre-Raphaelites as well.

edit: I forgot to add the great Fanny Kemble.

[The Funny Man]

Actually, Alexander could've invaded America anytime he wanted. There wasn't too much resistence at the time remember?

I'd say FDR. He was crippled, but you never knew until he already was elected. AHAHAHAHAHA!!! FOOLED YOU ALL!!!

[Roonil_wazlib]

Socrates is definitely my favorite. I always pick him as the historical figure I would most want to meet, followed closely by Christine de Pizan. If you haven't heard of her look her up. IMO she was the first feminist. Also Benjamin Franklin of course.

[shady]

Yeah Martin Luther will do the thing,and Attila the Hun

[jasman71]

I used to think someone like Lord nelson, but the last couple of years I have been of the opinion that my historic idol would have to be Ernest Shackleton. For someone who didn't achieve much of what he initially set out to in the first place, he was a terrific leader with such inner strength to survive, putting his men first before himself. Ok, he strayed a tad from his wife, and he wasn't 'perfect', but for the title of being the 'last great explorer', he earned his stripes and respect, and ultimately died doing what he loved the most.