posted on Jan, 6 2009 @ 07:56 AM
Napoleon, definitly.
He won more battles than Alexander, Hannibal and Julius Caesar together, and these men knew a lot about war. The Campaign of Italy (1796-97),
Austerlitz, Iena-Auerstaedt, Friedland can be compared with Gaugameles, Cannae or Alesia. And the mythic campaign of France of 1814 prooved that the
Eagle'head was not down : despite an enormous numeric inferiority, he defeated deeply the allied armies (Montereau, Champaubert, Brienne, Vauchamps,
Montmirail), destroying a whole army strong of 100,000 men. Only the number of its ennemies allowed the Coalition to defeat it.
Clausewitz, one of the greatest military theorician, saw in him the God of war.
There is no european country of this time able to claim that Napoleon didn't defeat it. Austria, Prussia, Russia, UK, Spain, Portugal, all were
defeated (Prussia was almost destroyed in 1806, despite its status of most powerful military nation after France).
Napoleon was also a great administrator : France has still his administration and his legal system (so do the most part of the conquered countries).
For the 2nd rank, lot of people can claim the cup :
- Duke of Malborourgh (England), winner at Blenheim.
- Duke Eugene of Savoye, french-born general of the Empire (same time than Malborourgh)
- Maréchal de Luxembourg (XVIIth c.) (France)
- Maréchal de Turenne (XVIIth c.) (France)
Both Louis XIV's generals.
- Louis II de Condé (France), circa 1640's, the main artisan of the spanish defeat during the 30 Years War : the famous spanish Tercio were
annihilated by his cavalry charge at Rocroi, 1643, he was less than 25 !
- Erwin Rommel (Germany, WWII).
- Philippe II Augustus, King of France from 1180 to 1223, probably the greatest european monarch of the Middle Age.
- William Wallace (Scotland, XIIIth c.)
- Genghis Khan (Mongolia, XIIIth c.), one of the greatest conqueror of History.
- Charles the VIIth, King of France : under his rule, the French push the English out of France. 2 great battles deserves to be mentionned, Formigny
(1450) and Castillon (1453), first massive utilisation of guns on an european battlefield.
So many other warriors deserves to be mentionned too, like Washington (UK-USA), Patton (USA), Foch (France), Davout (France, undefeated mrechal of
Napoleon), Frederic II of Prussia, Charles Quint (Spain), Cortez (Spain)...
But NAPOLEON is the greatest, for the last 1000 years but also for the whole world history.
As Wellington answered to the question "who is the greatest warrior" :
"In this age, in past ages, in any age, Napoleon".