Greatest Comandeer From Medieval europe ?

[SigniferOne]

I'm surprised no one has brought up El Cid, yet. An undefeated warrior, champion of Alfonso, carved himself his own private kingdom (Valencia). Arabic poets lamented something like: "He's the greatest warrior we'd ever seen, God curse him."

[Last Roman]

I'm surprised no one has brought up El Cid, yet. An undefeated warrior, champion of Alfonso, carved himself his own private kingdom (Valencia). Arabic poets lamented something like: "He's the greatest warrior we'd ever seen, God curse him."

ahem:

the Black Prince comes to mind, Belisarius, Henry V, El Cid to name a few.

[Flavius Nevitta]

I would like to add Rudolph I. of Habsburg.

the battle of Duernkrut was a great victory for him

[Steistas]

Alexander Nevsky
William Wallace

[Sadreddine]

One more to add:

Muhammad Ibn Abi Amir, known as Al-Mansur bi Lah. That is, Almanzor.

No hispanic kingdom defeated him in his numerous campaigns against Aragon, Castille-Leon or Navarre, who were his vassals and paid tribute to him. Sacked Barcelona once, Burgos many times and Santiago de Compostela to provoke all christiandom in his most famous (or infamous) campaign.

And that if we don´t mention his also victorious campaigns in northern Africa while being at the service of the Caliph Al-Hakam II, before turning himself into the ruler of the Caliphate by manipulating the true Caliph into submission.

[JANOSIK007]

I would like to add Rudolph I. of Habsburg.

the battle of Duernkrut was a great victory for him

Rudolf?
OttakarII was better. Although he lost Durnkrut to Rudolf, he fought to his last breath like a lion. But the reason he lost is because his army was ournumbered. Rudolf had Imperium, Papacy, and Hungary on his side, while Ottakar had only his Bohemian crownlands, plus few Imperial and Polish allies.

When Ottakar led a Crusade against Prussians, Rudolf served in his army as a retainer. I think of the two, Ottakar was better. Just consider that he fought bitterly with his troops, even when they were routing. That shows guts.

[Phaedo]

Undoubtedly, Jan Žižka deserves some credit.

Also, one that I believe has remained unmentioned - Enrico Dandolo.

[TenkiSoratoti]

Sir John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shewsbury.

Talbot Link

[Sadreddine]

I´m seeing here than it´s very difficult, if not impossible, to pick one general that almost all of us agree he is the best commander in the Medieval period. Granted, we haven´t got an Hannibal or an Alexander here.

Why is this? I have my own opinion on the matter but let´s see what you think of this curious thing...

[Lavastein]

how can you people forsake him? the man who fought for us Christians. The man who broke the hordes with his semi civilized germans. Charles Martel.


Charles Martel, the only man in history to have broken the back of the invader Islam. He is the wests Constantine. The saviour in alll but name. He should be a saint. How evil it is the church hasnt did such a noble deed to such a great man. Good germans Good weapons great battle. Bless his soul for saving civiliation. Bless you noble sir. May you rest in heven where the saints lay in the bossom of the lord.

Thank You +

look him up on wiki and read about what other historians thought of him.

[Luxchamp]

Vlad Tepes -> interesting tactics
Saladin -> he intrigues me -> reading a book about him


on a personal note John the Blind, Count of Luxembourg and King of Bohemia (+ Crécy, 1346)

an able politician, and a noble heart. totally blind, he chose not to forsake his allegiance to the french king and rode into battle, to die. methinks the black prince took his motto 'ich dien' (i serve) as his own after the battle



(on a short note, he died by an arrow which penetrated his brains through his left eye and a lance/sword [don't remember exactly] thrust through his chest)

he's a national hero in luxembourg (my country you undoubtedly guessed already) and lies in honor in the crypt beside the ducal family of luxembourg...

[Lavastein]

blind and rode into battle? how the hell was he expected to fight? but god is that brave. stupid but brave. There is nothing like valient men.

[Rion]

IIRC he wasn't born blind, so he knew how to ride and fight, and it was his intention to just hack against the enemy from horseback.
Edit: Here's my list (although I may have forgotten some):
Jan Zizka
Bertrand du Guesclin
Robert the Bruce
the Black Prince
Saladin
El Cid
Henry V

[Aether]

Of course Richard the lionhearthed the first after the fall of Jeruzalem who won a battle against saladin's forces


my favorite Gruuthuyse not important in global history but an important man in Burgundian history

Charlemaigne

actually I'm totaly agreeing with rigneck

[Valus]

Of course Richard the lionhearthed the first who won a battle against saladin's forces

Not true, Saladin was defeated by Baldwin IV at the battle of Mont Gisard in 1177 which predates Richards crusade...
But I have to agree that Richard was nonetheless one of the best commanders during the medieval age, though if he was the "best" I cannot tell....

[Aether]

In Arsuf with the landing of Richard the lionhearthed in 1191 he defeated saladin's army.
He let his infantrymen surround his horsemen as a protective square, so that the tactics of saladin's army hit'n run wouldn't work, instead of making the english horsemen tired, they themselves had tired their horses on the infantrymen, so that the heavy horses of the english who were well rested would be capable of running as fast as the moorish ones. That was the tactic Richard used on Saladin's horsemen who had lighter and faster horses.

[Steeven]

Bohemond of Taranto comes to mind, he was the mastermind behind all the battles during the first Crusade. Without him the crusaders would be annihilated.

Also Belisarius needs to be mentioned of course. And Charlemagne.

[Aether]

Not true, Saladin was defeated by Baldwin IV at the battle of Mont Gisard in 1177 which predates Richards crusade...
But I have to agree that Richard was nonetheless one of the best commanders during the medieval age, though if he was the "best" I cannot tell....

ok you win :p

[Edvinsen]

Edward the Longshanks

[Henry of Grosmont]

Edward the Longshanks

As a ruler -no doubt. As a general, well, let's say, he was good.
Zizka - In my opinion, one of the best that time.
Lionheart sucked as a general and king. He was famous as a warrior and spendidng some time in jail for mureder. (and after this, somebody's saying, inquisitiors burned his heir. lol)

John the Blind, Count of Luxembourg and King of Bohemia

I would like to suggest you to read moe about him. Yes, they say he was chivalrous, but stupid, sorry.
Henry V - yes. His campaign planning was good. The rest, everybody knows.
The Black Prince - oops. One of the bloodiest and dreadest general of Medieval, possibly.
Saladin - agreed.
Alexander Nevski. Hoho. His victories were nothing, but russian propoganda. the same way, they denied vikings and vends, they exadurated numbers on both, Neva river and Chudskoe lake battles. First, they were swedish pillgrims and very few warriors, Alexander wanted to make an example of them. Second battle, his almost 6000 army, including his Druzhina, professional soldiers (retainers) around (they say it differenty 2400-4000), so, I won't put the numbers, against 1200 expedition corps (around 80-120 knights). Great victory. Yeah, right. And same goes to Dimitry Donskoy - russian rulers love, and always did to take their victories "slightly" different than it was. The only general, thr great one, genious, they had, was Suvorov, but first, has nothing to do with Medieval, second was infantile manic, writing Ekaterina was a whore (I would say slut) etc.
Belisarius, Martel, Charlemagne and Ragnar Lodbrok should be included too.