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Nov 19, 2015 · US President Barack Obama headlines the list, followed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Here are the rest of the world's...
- Henry Blodget
People also ask
Who is the greatest world leader?
Do atheists make the best world leaders?
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- Hammurabi, First King of Babylon
- Hatshepsut, Egyptian Pharaoh
- Ramses II, Egyptian Pharaoh
- Cyrus The Great, Founder of The Achaemenid Empire
- Pericles, Greek Politician
- Alexander The Great, King of Macedonia
- Qin Shi Huang, Founder of The Qin Dynasty
- Julius Caesar, Roman Dictator
- Cleopatra VII, Queen of Egypt
- Caesar Augustus, First Roman Emperor
Babylonia, circa 1810–1750 B.C.E.
The sixth king of the First Babylonian dynasty issued a set of laws known as the Code of Hammurabi. These comprehensive laws included one of the earliest examples of an accused person being considered innocent until proven guilty. Learn more about Hammurabi at Kiddle.
Egypt, circa 1507–1458 B.C.E.
Hatshepsut was the second female pharaoh and was known as a prolific builder. She commissioned hundreds of buildings, statues, and monuments. She also re-established important trade routes and increased the dynasty’s wealth. Learn more about Hatshepsutat Britannica.
Egypt, circa 1303–1213 B.C.E.
Historians consider Ramses II the greatest and most powerful leader of ancient Egypt’s New Kingdom period. He lived to be at least 90 and ruled for more than 65 years. Learn more about Ramses IIat Kiddle.
Persia, 600–530 B.C.E.
Cyrus founded the first Persian Empire, the largest yet seen in the world. He ruled lands from the Balkans to India and generally respected the cultures and religions of the lands he conquered. Learn more about Cyrus the Greatat Kiddle.
Greece, 495–429 B.C.E.
Under the leadership of Pericles, Athens became a powerful center of the arts, culture, and education. He ushered in the age of Athenian democracy, in which even poor citizens could hold positions in government. Learn more about Periclesat Kiddle.
Macedonia, 356–323 B.C.E.
Alexander III of Macedon expanded his empire to become one of the largest in history. He was undefeated in battle and was considered one of history’s greatest military leaders. Military academies today still teach his tactics. Learn more aboutAlexander the Great at Kiddle.
China, 259–210 B.C.E.
As the first emperor of a unified China, Shihuangdi (as he was also known) was a ruthless, tyrannical ruler. Nevertheless, he’s remembered today for uniting the Chinese states and establishing a common currency and a standardized writing style. He also started construction on the Great Wall of China. Learn more about Qin Shi Huangat Kiddle.
Rome, 100–44 B.C.E.
Julius Caesar helped build Rome into a mighty empire, bringing all of Gaul (France) under Roman rule. He made himself dictator of Rome, initiating land reform and granting citizenship to residents of far-off regions of the empire. Members of the ruling elite didn’t trust Caesar, so they ultimately plotted to assassinate him on the Ides of March. Learn more aboutJulius Caesarat Kiddle.
Egypt, 69–30 B.C.E.
Cleopatra, one of the most famous female world leaders of ancient times, was the final ruler of the Ptolemaic Empire of Egypt. She had a close relationship with Julius Caesar, bearing him a son. After Caesar’s death, she allied with Mark Antony. When his bid to take over the Roman Empire failed, he killed himself by falling on his own sword. Cleopatra took her own life soon after, and Egypt became a Roman province. Learn more about Cleopatraat Kiddle.
Rome, 63 B.C.E. to A.D. 14
Augustus was the first Roman emperor. His reign started an era of peace (Pax Romana) that lasted more than 200 years. He formed the Roman Empire, establishing a network of roads and a standing army. Learn more aboutCaesar Augustus at Kiddle.
- Kyle Schnitzer
- Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand. – The Prime Minister of New Zealand is considered one of the visionaries of the future. Her efforts shined during the COVID-19 pandemic, where Ardern took drastic measures to control the spread of the virus in New Zealand, resulting in just 26 deaths in New Zealand.
- mRNA Pioneers. – Both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines rely on mRNA, the first of its type. mRNA vaccines help train the body to “recognize and respond to the proteins produced by disease-causing organisms.”
- Dan Schulman, CEO at PayPal. – The PayPal CEO played a big role in recovery efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Dr. John Nkengasong, Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. – The head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has helped African nations help weather the COVID-19 pandemic, even better than the US.
- Cyrus the Great. Persia, 600-560 B.C.E. Cyrus the Great was popular back then; Cyrus the great is popular still. He was the founder of the first Persian Empire-the greatest Empire that the world has seen so far.
- Pericles. Greece, 495-429 B.C.E. Some leaders became popular for conquering huge lands. Then some leaders became popular because they brought in progressive laws.
- Hammurabi. Babylonia, c. 1810-1750 B.C.E. Hammurabi, the sixth king of the first Babylonian dynasty, was one of the most famous world leaders in history who had a transformative leadership style.
- Alexander the Great. Macedonia, 356-323 B.C.E. There is not a kid alive today who is unfamiliar with the name: Alexander, the great. Alexander III of Macedon was a great military leader who remained undefeated in the many, many battles he fought.
- Mahatma Gandhi – The Anti-War Activist With A Global Legacy. Mahatma Gandhi left his mark on the world in more ways than one. The leader of India’s independence movement achieved remarkable feats through a form of non-violent civil disobedience that would inspire millions around the world, including many of the people on this list.
- Winston Churchill – Resolute Leadership During One Of The Most Painful Episodes In Human History. Winston Churchill is long remembered as one of the greatest leaders in modern history and the savior of democracy.
- Martin Luther King Jr. – Celebrated Civil Rights Activist That Forever Changed America. “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
- Nelson Mandela – A Man Whose Cause For Freedom Proved Triumphant. Very few individuals personify dedication and patience like Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first democratically elected President.
In truly unprecedented times, these leaders stepped up to make the world better, and inspired others to do the same.
Dec 17, 2014 · The survey of more than 26,000 respondents, conducted this fall by GMO Research, a Tokyo-based global market research firm, rated Xi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Merkel the top-performing world leaders, with respective scores of 7.5, 7.3, and 7.2 on a scale of one to 10.
