Greatest European

[Vern Gagne 0]

William the Conquerer.

 

In a more incompetent way King John. The Magna Carte was the first real document giving some freedoms to people other than the King

John ignored it anyways. The credit for the development of parliament should go to Edward I. He was the real greatest king of the English Middle Ages.

I should of explained better. King John is considered the worst King in English history. He had nothing to do with the Magna Carte, and it was more or less a slap in the face of his rule. While he ignored it. The document was one of the first giving some freedoms to non-royalty.

[Highland 0]

William the Conquerer.

 

In a more incompetent way King John. The Magna Carte was the first real document giving some freedoms to people other than the King

John ignored it anyways. The credit for the development of parliament should go to Edward I. He was the real greatest king of the English Middle Ages.

Edward I was responsible for the development of Parliament? I thought was famous for expanding his rule over the entirety of the British Isles by basically making Wales and Scotland his bitch.

They show his statue under his entry on the Wikipedia site; he looks evil. In a badass way.

[Mystery Eskimo 0]

Defined English as its spoken all over the world today?

 

Ok, how many people talk like that today?

 

I can understand why he'd be a viable candidate, but that's a silly reason.

Look up the literally thousands of uses of words and phrases Shakespeare invented that are still used today. People use them every day without realising.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

William the Conquerer.

 

In a more incompetent way King John. The Magna Carte was the first real document giving some freedoms to people other than the King

John ignored it anyways. The credit for the development of parliament should go to Edward I. He was the real greatest king of the English Middle Ages.

Edward I was responsible for the development of Parliament? I thought was famous for expanding his rule over the entirety of the British Isles by basically making Wales and Scotland his bitch.

They show his statue under his entry on the Wikipedia site; he looks evil. In a badass way.

He did that too, but in his defense, Wales got what it deserved. Edward had actually been quite leniant with them after his victory in 1276, before they rebelled again in 1278 and really pissed him off. But yes, it was Edward who first summoned parliament (consisting of representatives from the Church, the barons, and the shires) in order to gain approval to raise money so that he could continue to defend Gascony against the French. He was one of the most popular kings that England has ever had. He did have a bit of a temper though, but he wasn't barbaric the way John or Richard III or even William I were. Only Edward III and Henry II rival him as greatest English king until Tudor times.

 

BTW, don't pay any attention to his portrayal in Braveheart.

[Highland 0]

Well, while I did enjoy Braveheart, I certainly don't consider it to be an historical account. Robert the Bruce is a far more important figure than William Wallace, and a better militiary strategist, something that is not at all touched on in the movie.

[Vern Gagne 0]

I was annoyed by Gibson protraying William Wallace as a Christ like figure during his death scene.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Defined English as its spoken all over the world today?

 

Ok, how many people talk like that today?

 

I can understand why he'd be a viable candidate, but that's a silly reason.

Look up the literally thousands of uses of words and phrases Shakespeare invented that are still used today. People use them every day without realising.

Yeah, like "stuff." Can't thank him enough

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Well, while I did enjoy Braveheart, I certainly don't consider it to be an historical account. Robert the Bruce is a far more important figure than William Wallace, and a better militiary strategist, something that is not at all touched on in the movie.

Absolutely. There are other real inaccuracies in the film too, such as no bridge at the Battle of Sterling Bridge, Isabella is way too old, Edward I outlives Wallace by a couple of years, and worst of all, Wallace was NOT the father of Edward III. Bruce was easily more significant than Wallace.

 

I'm not familiar enough with their military knowledge to say who was better as far as that goes, but Bruce's biggest successes were against the incompetent Edward II, while Wallace had to take on the best military mind of his age in Longshanks.

[Highland 0]

It would be interesting to see how Robert the Bruce would have fared against Edward I on the field, but from what I have read, Bruce used sound guerilla tactics to defeat Edward II's armies. I see no reason not to believe it would have been as effective or nearly so against Edward I, who was a brilliant strategist in his own right.

However, the utter incompetence of Edward II surely played a factor, as you have surmised.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Well, that and his cowardice. He never really made much of an effort against the Scots after Bannockburn. Edward I certainly wouldn't have done that. Pure manpower would likely have won for the English. It would have been interesting to see Bruce against Edward III too, and it almost happened. Robert died a year and a half before Edward overthrew his mother and assumed direct control of England.

[SuperJerk 0]

Where's the love for my homie Charlemagne?

[CheesalaIsGood 0]

My vote is for John Cleese. Just because he rules.

[Guest PlatinumBoy]

In response to Luther making Protestantism huge, he also didn't really do that. I'm Catholic and can safely say Luther was a great guy who only wanted change and was quite devout and good. But he didn't really make the whole Protestant movement grow HUGE, that would have been Calvinism--which lead to the whole Calvinism versus Catholic stuff that was only fueled by money (at least at the highest levels) on both sides. Luther's stuff was too lowkey and didn't help asshole princes think that by being rich alone they were blessed and would get into heaven (which Calvinism and Catholisim both did at the time). Also, you couldn't use it to play aganist the Holy Roman Empire or gain favor with them, so his teachings fell behind the others.

 

As for the best Europeans out there, you guys have the big ones covered, but I'll throw out a honorable mention--Dante. His works really jump started the love for literature and the like that started the Renissance (spelling...).

 

Also, to throw out some other folk who might not be the best, but deserve some credit: John Locke, Adam Smith, St. Thomas Aquinas, Galileo Galilei, Sigmund Freud, and Sophocles among lots of others.

 

But a guy no one has mentioned who could be considered the Greatest would be Aristotle. He did EVERYTHING like Da Vinci did... only back in Greek times of course.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Oliver Cromwell at least deserves mention.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Cromwell ultimately failed though. The monarchy ended up getting restored.

[Guest BDC]

That was his incompetent son's fault, not his.

 

Then again... I think "you can't legislate morality" comes to mind for some reason.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Cromwell ultimately failed though. The monarchy ended up getting restored.

He was the only person in British history to rule the country. In the days when the monarchy wasn't just a figurehead.

 

Another name to toss out. Sir Thomas More. The Cardinal during the reign of Henry the VIII. Executed for Treason in 1535, beatified in 1935.

 

Charles "the Hammer" Martel. Victorious in one of the most important battles in world history. Led the Christians from invading Muslems in Spain in 732. Saving Europe from Islamic rule.

[Guest Steel_Fury]

Newton and Davinci.

 

Philip the Great

Alexander the Great (now Alexander the fabulous)

(They both had great in their name, gotta be worth something)

[The Czech Republic 0]

Charles "the Hammer" Martel. Victorious in one of the most important battles in world history. Led the Christians from invading Muslems in Spain in 732. Saving Europe from Islamic rule.

WE NEED YOU CHARLES WE NEED YOU RIGHT NOW