The Stories Behind 5 Rulers Dubbed “the Great”

Ashoka the Great

A handful of times in history, a ruler has come to power whose influence was so significant that they became known as “the Great.” This esteemed title is not bestowed upon leaders very often — of all the kings and queens to ever sit on the throne in England, for example, only one, King Alfred the Great, has ever earned the moniker. Indeed, to become known for all of history as “great” tends to require doing something singularly impactful — though not necessarily “good.” While some of these famed rulers presided over periods of peace and prosperity, others were brutal conquerors whose reigns were characterized by war and bloodshed. All of them have complicated legacies, but what ties them together is the sheer magnitude of their impact. Here are five historical rulers — spanning from ancient Egypt to Enlightenment-era Russia — who have managed to earn this rare label.

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Ramses the Great Negotiated the Oldest Surviving Peace Treaty

When the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II launched a military campaign against the Hittites around 1275 BCE, it was as much a matter of pride as it was geopolitical strategy. The Hittites (an ancient people in modern-day Turkey) had invaded northern Egypt for years, including during the reign of Ramses’ father Seti I, when the Hittites regained control of the city of Kadesh (in modern Syria). Ramses was determined to win it back, but though the pharaoh defeated the Hittite army in battle, he wasn’t able to recapture the city. Ultimately, it was Ramses’ knack for diplomacy, not his military prowess, that proved decisive in his relations with the Hittites. Roughly 16 years after his attempt to reconquer Kadesh failed, Ramses negotiated a truce with the Hittites. Codified around 1259 BCE, the agreement is recognized today as the world’s oldest surviving peace treaty.

Among the terms agreed to in the treaty was a nonaggression pact between the Hittites and Egyptians, as well as a pledge between the two empires to come to each other’s aid in future military conflicts. Ramses helped reinforce this new alliance by marrying a Hittite princess, Maathorneferure, several years later, further strengthening the bond between the two cultures. Thanks to the treaty with the Hittites, the Egyptian leader was able to neutralize a growing military threat and secure a powerful new ally all at once. This early peace helped lay the groundwork for his long and prosperous reign, which lasted from 1279 to 1213 BCE and was characterized by economic prosperity and the construction of many dazzling temples and monuments — more than those completed under any other pharaoh in history.

Alexander the Great’s Empire Spanned Three Continents

Alexander the Great became the ruler of the kingdom of Macedonia in 336 BCE, and by the time of his death at age 32, he had conquered much of the known world. Alexander’s relentless push to expand his empire — during which he never lost a battle — has become the stuff of legend. The ambitious and skilled leader kicked off his historic campaign by conquering all of the Greek city-states, defeating multiple armies at once to establish himself as ruler of the Greek world. Then he conquered the Persian Empire and established his namesake capital city in Alexandria, Egypt. His imperial campaign finally came to an end when his exhausted soldiers mutinied while Alexander was attempting to conquer India, but by then his empire spanned three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa. His conquest spread Greek influence across so much of the world that the decades after his death became known as the Hellenistic period — an era of Greek cultural dominance that lasted from 323 BCE until the rise of the Romans around 300 years later.

Ashoka the Great’s Commitment to Nonviolence Led to the Spread of Buddhism

Ashoka the Great, who ruled the Mauryan Empire in India from around 265 to 238 BCE, oversaw a truly massive kingdom spanning nearly the entire Indian subcontinent, as well as parts of modern-day Iran. In the early years of his reign, Ashoka expanded his empire through violent wars, but he eventually grew to regret the bloodshed that accompanied his conquest. As a result, he renounced all future violence and converted to Buddhism. The remainder of Ashoka’s reign was marked by a commitment to nonviolence and civil service. He was said to have paid close attention to the needs of his subjects, and constructed many public utilities throughout his empire, such as hospitals, wells, and public gardens.

Ashoka was also committed to spreading the nonviolent tenets of Buddhism across Asia. He filled his kingdom with stone pillars inscribed with Buddhist philosophy, and sent missionaries to spread the religion to regions as distant as China, Thailand, and Greece. He even sent his son and daughter to Sri Lanka as Buddhist missionaries. Ashoka’s efforts are widely regarded as instrumental to the rapid growth of Buddhism from a small regional sect into an international religious movement.

Alfred the Great Unified the Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms and Defended Against the Vikings

When the Anglo-Saxon King Alfred the Great became ruler of the Saxon kingdom of Wessex in 871 CE, he immediately faced a dire military threat. For decades prior to Alfred’s birth, Vikings from Denmark had been raiding Anglo-Saxon settlements along the coast of what is now England, and as young Alfred grew up, the Vikings began attacking farther inland and establishing permanent Danish settlements. By the time Alfred became king of Wessex, his was the only Anglo-Saxon kingdom that had not been taken over by the Vikings. Over the course of his reign, Alfred mounted a courageous defense against the Danes, which culminated in a historic victory at the Battle of Edington in 878 CE. Following the battle, Alfred was able to establish an uneasy peace with the Vikings and significantly reduce the threat they posed. This feat led Alfred to be universally recognized as the ruler of all the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, laying the foundation for a unified England. He remains the only ruler to officially receive the moniker “the Great” in the history of the British monarchy.

Photo credit: Photo Josse/Leemage/ Corbis Historical via Getty Images

Catherine the Great Overthrew Her Own Husband to Become Empress of Russia

Though she’s now known as one of the most influential leaders in Russian history, Catherine the Great arrived in Russia as an outsider — a Prussian princess from a struggling noble family who had little knowledge of Russian culture and didn’t even speak the language. Catherine came to Russia in 1744 to marry Grand Duke Peter, the grandson of Peter the Great (another Russian “great”) and the heir to the Russian throne. But finding her marriage tense and tumultuous, Catherine survived by teaching herself the Russian language and quickly befriending influential figures at court. When Peter ascended to the throne as Tsar Peter III, Catherine used her popularity among the Russian nobility and military to stage a coup d’etat, overthrowing her husband and taking his place on the throne. Shortly afterward, Peter III was assassinated, leaving Catherine free to rule Russia uncontested — which she did from 1762 to 1796. During her 34-year reign, she expanded the size of Russia’s empire, implemented many domestic reforms, and championed Enlightenment ideals, leading to a flourishing of Russian art and culture.