Pangur Bán
Deconstructed
I was bored a few days ago, and decided on my top 5 medieval European monarchs. Here they are: 
TOP 5
5) Ivan III the Great. Completed most of the centralization of the Grand Principality of Moscow. Subdued Novgorod, Tver, Viatka and Rostov-Suzdal, proclaimed himself "White Tsar" [Khan of the West] and married the last Byzantine princess. Introduced Italian and other renaissance men to the Russian lands, beginning the process of westernization continued by Vassili III, Ivan IV and then by the three great rulers, Aleixei Mikhailovich, Peter the Great and Catherine the Great. The political expnasion to the east was really the work of Ivan IV, but the strength of Russia to do this was down to Ivan III the Great.
4) Heraclius. This eastern Roman emperor came to the throne with the Roman Empire in political chaos following the reign of Phocas. While a Persian-Avaro-Slav alliance was actually on the point of conquest, Heraclius went east, launched a "Crusade" from Armenian and Caucasian non-ROman christians, defeated the Persian armies in three large battles, and conquered the Mesopotamian economical heartland of the Sassanian realm. The Persians had conquered all of Syria, Palestine and Egypt, but were forced by Heraclius' strategic genius to withdraw. His military reforms enabled Rome to withstand much of the barbarian pressure that subsequently emanated from Arabia in the last years of his reign.
[NOTE: Click here to see the anachronist Renaissance paiting by Piero della Francesca (1460) depicting Heraclius in battle with Chosroes II - trumpeteer on the left on the US cover of Baudolino ]
3) Frederick II, king of Germany, Burgundy, Italy, Sicily and Jerusalem and Emperor of the Romans. Once called the "God-Sent Savior, the Prince of Peace, the Messiah-Emperor" - other people thought him to be the anti-Christ (the followers of Joachim of Fiore for instance). He abolished tolls in his kingdom, as well as import taxes and state monoploies. His Liber Augustalis is astonishingly "enlightened" for the period. He would always try negociation before war - he took Jerusalem back by diplomacy! He had Arab, Greek, Italian and even Scottish philosophers at his court, and encouraged cultural tolerance. Could speak nine languages and wrote a book on ornithilogy, De arte venandi cum avibus which was a standard work for centuries and is still used today. In this, he offers scathing criticisms of Aristotle - not very common in the period. He really is a revolutionary figure in Europe. He used secular, rather than clerical figures to run his govenment, and this is one reason he gave so much encouragement to Italian universities. His charisma and his battle against the papacy - in many ways - bring to an end medieval Europe's theocratic tendencies and make him, in the eyes of the EU, the "founder of modern Europe".
2) Another is Kaiser Karl V, who was German Emperor and king of Spain (Carlos I). Charles V ruled more European territory than anyone since Valentinian III, and more world territory than European ruler ever! Fought off an alliance of Francis I and Suleiman the Magnificent, despite the presence of the new Protestant sect dividing the German realm. His sack of Rome in 1525 is usually regarded as the end point of the Renaissance.
In his reign, Imperial soldiers conquered Mexico and the Empire of the Incas, and his sailors undertook the first circumnavigation of the Earth. He also lauched the counter-Reformation. He even secured Portugal for his successors. He voluntarily abdicated. On the down side, he split his domains for his successors.
It was for Charles V that the phrase empire on which the sun never sets got coined:
The proud daughter of that monarch to whom when it grows dark [elsewhere] the sun never sets
.Guarini: Pastor Fido (1590).
The sun never sets on the immense empire of Charles V.
- Walter Scott, Life of Napoleon. (February, 1807.)
I am called
The richest monarch in the Christian world;
The sun in my dominion never sets.
- Friedrich Schiller, Don Karlos, act i. sc. 6.
He also has a few famous quotes of his own:
"Iron hand in a velvet glove".
To God I speak Spanish, to women Italian, to men French, and to my horse--German
Although he did make a lot about his German credentials otherwise.
1) Constantine the Great. In my view, pretty much the most influential monarch in history. His conversion to a small Romanized eastern religion, Christianity, and promotion of clergy to secular positions, lauched the European middle ages. He presided over the Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council, which forms the basis for the world's biggest religion - Nicene Christianity - with over 2 billion members today. He founded Constantinople, a city that for more than 1000 years would be the greatest in the world.
[NB: Click here to see the wonderful renaissance sculpting of Contantine's heavenly vision on the Milvian Bridge by Gian Lorenzo Bernini!]
TOP 5
5) Ivan III the Great. Completed most of the centralization of the Grand Principality of Moscow. Subdued Novgorod, Tver, Viatka and Rostov-Suzdal, proclaimed himself "White Tsar" [Khan of the West] and married the last Byzantine princess. Introduced Italian and other renaissance men to the Russian lands, beginning the process of westernization continued by Vassili III, Ivan IV and then by the three great rulers, Aleixei Mikhailovich, Peter the Great and Catherine the Great. The political expnasion to the east was really the work of Ivan IV, but the strength of Russia to do this was down to Ivan III the Great.
4) Heraclius. This eastern Roman emperor came to the throne with the Roman Empire in political chaos following the reign of Phocas. While a Persian-Avaro-Slav alliance was actually on the point of conquest, Heraclius went east, launched a "Crusade" from Armenian and Caucasian non-ROman christians, defeated the Persian armies in three large battles, and conquered the Mesopotamian economical heartland of the Sassanian realm. The Persians had conquered all of Syria, Palestine and Egypt, but were forced by Heraclius' strategic genius to withdraw. His military reforms enabled Rome to withstand much of the barbarian pressure that subsequently emanated from Arabia in the last years of his reign.
[NOTE: Click here to see the anachronist Renaissance paiting by Piero della Francesca (1460) depicting Heraclius in battle with Chosroes II - trumpeteer on the left on the US cover of Baudolino
]3) Frederick II, king of Germany, Burgundy, Italy, Sicily and Jerusalem and Emperor of the Romans. Once called the "God-Sent Savior, the Prince of Peace, the Messiah-Emperor" - other people thought him to be the anti-Christ (the followers of Joachim of Fiore for instance). He abolished tolls in his kingdom, as well as import taxes and state monoploies. His Liber Augustalis is astonishingly "enlightened" for the period. He would always try negociation before war - he took Jerusalem back by diplomacy! He had Arab, Greek, Italian and even Scottish philosophers at his court, and encouraged cultural tolerance. Could speak nine languages and wrote a book on ornithilogy, De arte venandi cum avibus which was a standard work for centuries and is still used today. In this, he offers scathing criticisms of Aristotle - not very common in the period. He really is a revolutionary figure in Europe. He used secular, rather than clerical figures to run his govenment, and this is one reason he gave so much encouragement to Italian universities. His charisma and his battle against the papacy - in many ways - bring to an end medieval Europe's theocratic tendencies and make him, in the eyes of the EU, the "founder of modern Europe".
2) Another is Kaiser Karl V, who was German Emperor and king of Spain (Carlos I). Charles V ruled more European territory than anyone since Valentinian III, and more world territory than European ruler ever! Fought off an alliance of Francis I and Suleiman the Magnificent, despite the presence of the new Protestant sect dividing the German realm. His sack of Rome in 1525 is usually regarded as the end point of the Renaissance.
In his reign, Imperial soldiers conquered Mexico and the Empire of the Incas, and his sailors undertook the first circumnavigation of the Earth. He also lauched the counter-Reformation. He even secured Portugal for his successors. He voluntarily abdicated. On the down side, he split his domains for his successors.
It was for Charles V that the phrase empire on which the sun never sets got coined:
The proud daughter of that monarch to whom when it grows dark [elsewhere] the sun never sets
.Guarini: Pastor Fido (1590).
The sun never sets on the immense empire of Charles V.
- Walter Scott, Life of Napoleon. (February, 1807.)
I am called
The richest monarch in the Christian world;
The sun in my dominion never sets.
- Friedrich Schiller, Don Karlos, act i. sc. 6.
He also has a few famous quotes of his own:
"Iron hand in a velvet glove".
To God I speak Spanish, to women Italian, to men French, and to my horse--German
Although he did make a lot about his German credentials otherwise.
1) Constantine the Great. In my view, pretty much the most influential monarch in history. His conversion to a small Romanized eastern religion, Christianity, and promotion of clergy to secular positions, lauched the European middle ages. He presided over the Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical council, which forms the basis for the world's biggest religion - Nicene Christianity - with over 2 billion members today. He founded Constantinople, a city that for more than 1000 years would be the greatest in the world.
[NB: Click here to see the wonderful renaissance sculpting of Contantine's heavenly vision on the Milvian Bridge by Gian Lorenzo Bernini!]
it is past one in the morning. Sorry but to my best knowledge and according to my teacher who wrote book I was learning from mediaeval period starts with Odoakar killing Romulus and ends somewhere 15th century most pouplar date is discovery of new world ot fall of constantinopolis
?
wise in all matter, he leagalized all the religions, and he himself was a old styke polytheist, well tolerant of chrsitianty, as well as an incredible military commander
I just think he gets less credit and TV time than he deserves. 
