Underrated and unfairly maligned historical figures

Cardinal Richelieu - An accomplished strategist and military commander, Richelieu developed French sea power from a very lowly base, checked the imperial influence and ambitions of the Hapsburgs, and, perhaps most notably, masterminded the French victory over the Huguenots and the British at the Siege of La Rochelle. Domestically, he was a brilliant administrator, modernising the French political structure, consolidating French power, and moulding the country into a modern nation-state, both politically and culturally. To promote the political unity of the French nation he worked to standardise the French language, establishing the French Academy, and, despite being a staunch Catholic, promoted religious tolerance. He was also responsible for the redevelopment of the Sorbonne, creating its modern structure.

And apart from all this, Richelieu was also a great patron of the arts - personally supporting a number of writers, promoting the theatre at a time when it wasn't held in particularly high regard, and establishing one of the largest and most important collections in Europe.

A deeply flawed man, to be sure, but also without doubt a great one and hardly someone deserving of the kind of purely malevolent and treacherous reputation that he has today. (A reputation which surely stems, at least in large part, from his villainous role in the d'Artagnan Romances of Alexandre Dumas.)

Judas Iscariot - If he had not betrayed Jesus, surely there would have been no crucifixion. Without the crucifixion, there could surely be no resurrection. And without these two events, there is most likely no Christian religion in existence today. So, would it not be fair to say that Judas Iscariot is actually the true father of modern Christianity?

Originally Posted by Serenity Now

Judas Iscariot - If he had not betrayed Jesus, surely there would have been no crucifixion. Without the crucifixion, there could surely be no resurrection. And without these two events, there is most likely no Christian religion in existence today. So, would it not be fair to say that Judas Iscariot is actually the true father of modern Christianity?

i believe god planned it though.

he had to betray jesus for him to die.

and who ever believed in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (john 3-16)

Tommy Docherty

EDIT:

Caligula, and

Octavian or Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus to give him his fullest title. Completely kicked the arses of Mark Antony and Cleopatra ( the Brangelina of their time ) at The Battle of Actium.

Originally Posted by Serenity Now

and moulding the country into a modern nation-state, both politically and culturally. .)

I can't comment on the rest of it but I don't agree with this as with the exception of Paris and about 3 other towns France was just a collection of rural villages which where people virtually never strayed from and were full of #@&%!ed peasants with absolutly no notion of France of a nation.

Originally Posted by Serenity Now

Judas Iscariot - If he had not betrayed Jesus, surely there would have been no crucifixion. Without the crucifixion, there could surely be no resurrection. And without these two events, there is most likely no Christian religion in existence today. So, would it not be fair to say that Judas Iscariot is actually the true father of modern Christianity?

No and if so then it could also be said of his father , his father , his father etc.etc also anyone who influenced his decision to be where he was when he was , or possibly just God who IMHO is the true father of all christianity modern or otherwise HTH

elephantstone


derided as a banjo playing bogtrotter, but the truth is he drives a really nice car and has a lovely smile

Darren Fletcher

Hitler



Lovely fella truth be told.

Cromwell. Not his son, he was a £#%&!wit, I mean Olly.

Did what needed to be done, and the worst of what happened in Ireland happened after him.

Originally Posted by MrBishi

Cromwell. Not his son, he was a £#%&!wit, I mean Olly.

Did what needed to be done, and the worst of what happened in Ireland happened after him.

That @#%&! cancelled Christmas ffs

Originally Posted by Baron_van_Marlon

That @#%&! cancelled Christmas ffs

So did he, the @#%&!.

Thomas the Apostle.

His doubt was a virtue rather than a flaw IMHO.

Originally Posted by teflon_terry

Thomas the Apostle.

His doubt was a virtue rather than a flaw IMHO.

patron saint of conspiracy theorists

Originally Posted by Baron_van_Marlon

That @#%&! cancelled Christmas ffs

Not him personally, his people clamped down on religious holidays in general.

Also, he was sick of the commercialisation.

Harry Flashman
nft!

Originally Posted by MrBishi

Not him personally, his people clamped down on religious holidays in general.

Also, he was sick of the commercialisation.

Fair play, the man was a visionary in retrospect.

Benito Mussolini. Economic genius.

Originally Posted by denis lawless

patron saint of conspiracy theorists

Actually, the one thing that a conspiracy theorist has no room for is doubt.