The first rulers were the 'big men' of early human tribes, individuals who gained power through their strength, charisma, and success in warfare. The rise of agriculture and the first cities led to the emergence of more formal systems of rule, with the first kings and emperors claiming a divine right to rule. In ancient Mesopotamia, rulers like Sargon of Akkad and Hammurabi of Babylon built vast empires and established the first codes of law.

The history of rulers is a history of conquest and empire-building. Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, and Napoleon Bonaparte are just a few of the great military commanders who carved out vast empires through their strategic genius and ruthless ambition. These empires were often short-lived, but they had a profound and lasting impact on the cultures and societies they conquered.

In the 20th century, the world saw the rise of a new type of ruler: the totalitarian dictator. Figures like Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Mao Zedong wielded absolute power over their societies, leading to unprecedented levels of violence and oppression. The fall of communism and the spread of democracy in the late 20th century seemed to signal the end of the age of the absolute ruler, but the 21st century has seen the rise of new forms of authoritarianism. The struggle between absolute power and the forces of liberty remains a central theme of our time.