From tyrannical kings to high-handed dictators, history has witnessed several cruel rulers. While many rulers exhibited cruelty in order to achieve certain goals, some exercised cruelty just to show off their power over others. Some of these rulers were downright brutal, so much so that their actions were stranger than fiction! Take a look at the list below to see for yourself.
1. Vlad the Impaler
Also Known As: Vlad III, Vlad Dracula
Birthday: 1431
Born In: Sighișoara, Romania
Died On: December 1476
After Vlad the Impaler’s death, many books describing his cruel acts became bestsellers in the German-speaking territories. It is said that he strengthened the central government with the aid of brutal punishments. His reputation for cruelty inspired the name of the popular character ‘Count Dracula’ as he was also known as Vlad Dracula.
2. Genghis Khan
Also Known As: Temüjin, Emperor Fatian Qiyun Shengwu
Birthday: 1158
Born In: Khentii Mountains, Mongolia
Died On: 18 August 1227
Often regarded as the greatest conqueror of all time, Genghis Khan’s invasions often included large-scale massacres of the civilian populations. As a result, his bloody invasions have a fearsome reputation in history.
3. Maximilien de Robespierre
Also Known As: Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre
Birthday: 06 May 1758
Born In: Arras, France
Sun Sign: Taurus
Died On: 28 July 1794
Century: 18th Century
A period of the French Revolution, when Maximilien Robespierre was an important member of the ‘Committee of Public Safety,’ was called the ‘Reign of Terror.’ During this period, numerous public executions and a series of massacres took place.
4. Leopold II of Belgium
Also Known As: Leopold II, Leopold Lodewijk Filips Maria Victor
Birthday: 09 April 1835
Born In: Brussels, Belgium
Sun Sign: Aries
Died On: 17 December 1909
Century: 19th Century, 20th Century
Leopold II’s administration was characterized by atrocities, such as torture and murder. Millions of the Congolese people died under his rule. After a hike in the price of natural rubber, he forced people to harvest and process rubber. The hands of men, children, and women were cut off when they failed to produce the amount of rubber desired.
5. Ivan the Terrible
Also Known As: Ivan IV Vasilyevich, Ivan the Fearsome, Ivan Vasilyevich
Birthday: 25 August 1530
Born In: Kolomenskoye, Moscow, Russia
Sun Sign: Virgo
Died On: 28 March 1584
Century: 16th Century
Ivan the Terrible was prone to episodic outbreaks of mental instability, paranoia, and rages. The later years of his reign were marked by the massacre of Novgorod, an infamous attack launched by him on the city of Novgorod, Russia.
6. Qin Shi Huang
Also Known As: Shi Huangdi
Birthday: 18 February 259
Born In: China
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Died On: 210
Whenever Qin Shi Huang captured people from other countries, he castrated them and made them his slaves. He also killed several scholars who disagreed with his ideas and ordered the burning of many important books.
7. Talaat Pasha
Also Known As: Talat Paşa, Mehmed Talaat
Birthday: 01 September 1874
Born In: Kardzali, Bulgaria
Sun Sign: Virgo
Died On: 15 March 1921
Century: 19th Century, 20th Century
Talaat Pasha ordered the arrest and deportation of Armenian intellectuals who were eventually murdered. These events initiated the Armenian Genocide and Pasha was widely regarded as the main perpetrator of the genocide. He is held responsible for the death of almost 1,800,000 Armenians.
8. Pol Pot
Also Known As: Saloth Sâr
Birthday: 19 May 1925
Born In: Prek Sbov, Cambodia
Sun Sign: Taurus
Died On: 15 April 1998
Century: 20th Century
Under Pol Pot’s rule, mass killings took place in Cambodia. These killings, along with poor medical care and malnutrition, killed between 1.5 and 2 million people. Internationally, he was considered a totalitarian dictator and was guilty of crimes against humanity.
9. Timur
Also Known As: Timūr Gurkānī, Shuja-ud-din Timur
Birthday: 09 April 1336
Born In: Shahrisabz, Uzbekistan
Sun Sign: Aries
Died On: 18 February 1405
It is said that Timur’s military campaigns wiped out 17 million people, about five per cent of the world population at the time. Hence, his armies were feared throughout Africa, Europe, and Asia.
