Whether we go back 100 years or 5,000, there have always been cruel people, and some of those who rose to power turned into the most ruthless rulers in history. They made a name for themselves through fear, conquering land, terrorizing the population, torturing their enemies and killing without remorse. Some even turned against their own people, declaring them foes and striking down on them with the cruelest methods.
If you read our previous post about the 10 most ruthless politicians in history, then you already know what kind of people we are talking about. Yet most of these leaders are well-known, since their reign of terror took place not so long ago. In contrast, the most ruthless rulers in history which we will introduce you to in the following list, lived hundreds or even thousands of years ago. Hence, most of them have been forgotten, despite the fact that their actions should be remembered so as to ensure they are not repeated.
Another crucial difference between modern politicians and ancient rulers, is that back in the day, people were not as sensitive towards violence. In other words, in a world where slavery was accepted as natural, and bloody wars were fought without the need for much justification, political leaders were not exposed to much criticism. This allowed the most ruthless rulers in history to undertake horrible atrocities, without feeling threatened by public opinion or pressure from the international community. Sometimes the local population was not even aware of what was going on, due to the lack of communication across far away regions.
It is only thanks to the work of historians that we can present you with the following list of the ten most ruthless rules in history. We hope you appreciate the work they have done, digging in the past to reveal the truth about these leaders, which in some cases were highly popular and loved by the subjects, but in all cases, were greatly feared by their enemies.
10. Empress Wu
Don’t be fooled by the fact that Empress Wu was a woman. This Chinese ruler was notorious for ordering executions, torturing her enemies, and even sentencing family members to death.
9. Qin Shi Huang
The first emperor of China was extremely cruel. In addition to burning books and working people to death, Qin Shi Huang is responsible for the massacre of thousands of his countrymen.
8. Godfrey of Bouillon
Godfrey of Bouillon was not actually a ruler, but a knight, yet he cannot be excluded from this list due to his role in the annihilation of thousands of Jews during The Crusades.
7. Herod the Great
The legacy of Herod the Great dates back to 37 BC, when he was crowned King of Judea. Under his rule, 150,000 boys were killed in an attempt to bury Jesus under the rubble. In addition, he murdered anyone who threatened his leadership position.
6. King John
Ruling over England between 1199 and 1216, King John might be known to some from the legend of Robin Hood. Apart from betraying family members and murdering those who opposed him, King John drove England into poverty.
5. Tamerlane the Great
Although most people have no recollection of ever hearing about the Timurid Empire, its founder and leader should never be forgotten. Tamerlane the Great murdered at least 15 million people during his conquests in Asia, destroying everything that stood in his path.
4. Nero
Nero might only have been in power for 14 years, yet during this time he managed to submerge the Roman Empire in chaos. The Roman Emperor was responsible for burning cities, murdering family members, raping women and killing without remorse.
3. Caligula
It seems Nero learned a lesson or two from Caligula, who served as Rome’s Emperor just 20 years earlier. Many blame his mental illness for his extreme cruelty, which included the sacrifice of thousands of animals, and the gruesome execution of thousands.
2. Attila the Hun
Attila was obsessed with bringing the Roman Empire to its knees and showed no mercy towards its citizens. The destruction he brought about was so great that even his own people feared his wrath.
1. Genghis Khan
Unlike most of the other rulers mentioned in this list, just about everyone has heard the name Genghis Khan. During his 21-year reign over the Mongolian Empire, the most ruthless ruler in history took over most of China and murdered somewhere between 20 to 60 million people in the process.
