Lists about modern and historical heads of state and world leaders—their struggles, their actions, their eccentricities, and other things written about them by their admirers and their enemies.

The People in Power

History

Some of <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-cruel-rulers-in-history-besides-hitler/michael-anderson" target="_blank">history&#39;s most notorious despots </a> demanded absolute authority over their states, but could never claim it over their own bodies. All of the rulers on this list are believed to have suffered from various afflictions, ranging from the curable to the fatal. In some cases, these afflictions shaped their reigns and reputations by exacerbating their worst and most vicious impulses. The medical conditions don&#39;t excuse their deeds. The belief that Adolf Hitler suffered from Parkinson&#39;s, for example, does not explain the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/photos-of-concentration-camps-in-the-holocaust/philgibbons" target="_blank">Holocaust </a> or encourage a more sympathetic view of one of history&#39;s biggest villains. It simply presents context to understand his rule in Germany. Despotic rulers&#39; conditions provide a window into how the precarious health of those in power can shape history, for better or for worse.

Signature Afflictions Suffered By History’s Most Famous Despots

Person

Setareh Janda

World Leaders

In 1227, one of the greatest conquerors in the history of the world perished&nbsp;- and hid his burial site. For nearly 800 years, the mystery of Genghis Khan&#39;s tomb has captivated people. Was Khan entombed with gold and silver riches captured as his Mongol horde conquered Eurasia? Does his tomb hold secrets about the Great Khan&#39;s legacy? And how did Genghis Khan manage to hide his tomb for&nbsp;centuries?

Born into a nomadic tribe caught up in the harsh warfare of the Mongolian Steppe, Genghis Khan <a href="/list/genghis-khan-facts/mike-rothschild" target="_blank">nearly perished as a child</a>. After rivals slaughtered his father, a <a href="https://www.biography.com/dictator/genghis-khan" target="_blank">9-year-old Genghis Khan</a> tried to take over his father&#39;s tribe. But they exiled the boy, his mother, and six siblings, who had to survive in the wilderness of the Steppe. From those humble beginnings, Genghis Khan went on to unite the Mongol tribes and conquer an empire that stretched <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/greatest-empires-in-history#the-british-empire-stretched-over-13-million-square-miles-across-several-continents--23-of-the-worlds-land--at-its-height-in-1922-until-decolonization-began-after-world-war-ii-19" target="_blank">over 12.5 million square miles</a>.&nbsp;

In 2020,&nbsp;research from <a href="https://www.medievalists.net/2020/07/archaeologists-discover-genghis-khans-winter-home/" target="_blank">The Australian National University</a> provided evidence that&nbsp;the site of Avraga in eastern Mongolia served as&nbsp;Genghis Khan&#39;s winter base where he staged his invasion. Radiocarbon dating samples&nbsp;proved that the site&nbsp;was occupied during&nbsp;Genghis Khan&#39;s lifetime, and &quot;more likely than not&quot; functioned as his base camp.&nbsp;

At the height of his power, the great conqueror began planning for his ultimate end. The Mongol ruler went to outrageous lengths to hide his tomb, unveiling a plan that called for thousands of&nbsp;horsemen&nbsp;willing to put&nbsp;their lives on the line to keep the secret of Genghis Khan&#39;s final resting place. And for centuries, no one has managed to find his grave.

Inside The Centuries-Long Search For Genghis Khan's Tomb

General

Inside The Centuries-Long Search For Genghis Khan Tomb 

Genevieve Carlton

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