Who's your favouirte historical figure?

[Jubal]

Who's your favourite, and why? Also, please write a minibiography about them, particularly if they're not well heard-of.

[Silver Wolf]

Nikola Subic Zrinski, (17 century) he was a Croatian general in service of Habsburg Monarchy, ban of Croatia; died in defense of Siget
wiki info : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikola_%C5%A0ubi%C4%87_Zrinski
Youtube video biography : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbq4PXRiqTs


short biography : (added notes in italics)
He distinguished himself at the siege of Vienna in 1529, and in 1542 saved the imperial army from defeat before Pest by intervening with 400 Croats, for which service he was appointed ban of Croatia.
In 1556 Zrinski won a series of victories over the Ottomans. (At that time Croatia was under constant Ottoman threat)
In 1566, from August 5 to September 7, his small force (2,300 soldiers) heroically defended the little Hungarian fortress of Szigetv

[Jubal]

That's pretty cool... I ought to do one of mine soon really.

[Silver Wolf]

I've fixed a few mistakes... Damn, my English is really bad...

[Jubal]

Don't worry, you should see the crap some of my schoolfriends write - and they've been speaking this language since they were babies...

[joek]

L Junius Brutus and M Junius Brutus are both high on the list, though rather better known than Zrinski, who I'd never heard of before.

Lucius was the founder of the Roman republic, and traditionally the first consul of Rome (cf. Aenied, Book VI: "He shall be the first to recieve the power of consul and the cruel axes.")
He led the revolt against Tarquinius Superbus rex, after the Rape of Lucretia, who was a member of his family. After being sent off to fight in one of Rome's endless wars, he heard about Lucretia's rape, and returned to Rome, where he took up the dagger with which she had stabbed herself, and shouted for the overthrow of the Tarquin line. After forcing them into exile, he put power into the hands of the Senate, with himself as one of the two original consuls.
After executing both his sons for failing in their duties to the republic, Brutus was killed in a battle to prevent the Tarquins returning to Rome, killing the son of Tarquinius Superbus at the same time.

Marcus was descended from the same line as Lucius, and famously conspired with Cassius and others to assassinate Julius Caesar on the Ides of March. In the civil war between Pompey and Caesar, Brutus allied himself with Pompey, and Caesar ordered his soldiers not to harm him, and if he resisted capture to leave him alone. After the civil war, Brutus wrote to Caesar, who forgave him for fighting for his enemy, and he became one of his closest friends, known to be a champion of freedom and the republic.
After Caesar had finally persuaded the senate to make him dictator for life - a post normally only held for a limited time during a crisis - Brutus was exhorted by Cassius and others to join them in plotting the death of Caesar, in the name of two of his famous ancestors: Lucius Brutus, who founded the republic, and C Servilius Ahala, who killed Spurius Maelius, who was claiming to be king.
After the death of Caesar, Mark Antony pardoned all of the assassins, but Brutus fled to Crete amid the public outcry. When Octavian became consul, he reversed this decision, and called the murderers of Caesar enemies of the state.
Cicero wrote to Brutus about the internal tensions in the republic, between Antony and Octavian, and Brutus gathered his legions to march on the republic. However, Octavian made peace with Antony, and the two crushed Brutus' army at the battle of Phillipi, although he won the first engagement. Brutus committed suicide before he was captured, and Antony had him wrapped in a purple robe and cremated.

[Hopit]

Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
For Without him, there wouldn't be Finland as we know it

[Jubal]

Constantine XI is an interesting chap, the last Roman Emperor.

- Started out as Despotes of the Morea (now southern greece), defeating the Turkish vassal Athens and enlarging his kingdom successfully before eventually being counterattacked with a vastly larger cannon-armed Turkish force.
- Defended Constantinople when under siege, pulling together a force of  Orthodox Greeks, Genoese, and Venetians (all of whom usualy hated one another) together and lasting for months against well over 10 to 1 numerical odds.
- Died along with his city, epic style.
- Was named Constantine son of Helena, exactly the same as the first Constantine.