Table of Contents
Introduction: Why History's Rulers Past Were Much Worse Than Today's
1. Herod the Great (73-4 B.C.): Rome's Infanticidal Ruler of Israel
2. Emperor Nero (37-68 A.D.): History's Most Notorious Arsonist and Fiddler
3. Attila the Hun (410-453): 'The Scourge of God' in Europe
4. Genghis Khan (1162-1227): The Enemy of Empires -- And Atmospheric Carbon?
5. Timur the Tatar (1336-1405): Stacking Skulls to Warn Would-Be Rebels
6. Vlad Dracul (1393-1447): The Namesake that Would Terrify the Vampire
7. Montezuma II (1466-1520): The Great Facilitator and Connoisseur of Human Sacrifice
9. Ivan the Terrible (1530-1584): Consolidating Russia, By Any Means Necessary
10. Maximilien Robespierre (1758-1794): The Enlightenment's Butcher
Conclusion: Is Humanity Getting Better?
Excerpt From "History's Most Insane Rulers: Lunatics, Eccentrics, and Megalomaniacs"