These masters of persuasion didn’t always have powerful armies behind them, but they knew how to win people over.
Cleopatra VII
Instead of using brute force to take power, Cleopatra managed to both ascend to power in Egypt and keep Egypt independent by captivating two of Rome’s mightiest leaders, Julius Caesar and Marc Antony.
Although she was beautiful, it was her amazing magnetism, quick wit, and knowledge of many languages that made her an irresistible political ally and companion.
Giacomo Casanova
He was born poor in Venice but stepped into the highest royal courts all over Europe by captivating them with his eloquent speech, wit, and magnetism. He reinvented himself into an intellectual nobleman who traveled around Europe hobnobbing with Kings, Popes, and even Voltaire while being supported financially by nearly every rich person he met.
Madame de Pompadour
Jeanne Antoinette Poisson was born a commoner and, with her infinite charisma, natural talent for art, and razor-sharp wit, bewitched King Louis XV of France into making her his official chief mistress.
She quickly rose to become his official mistress, reigning over France for almost two decades as the King’s most trusted advisor on matters of politics, philosophy and art.
Grigori Rasputin
Despite being a semi-literate Siberian peasant mystic, Rasputin wormed his way into the royal Russian court by sheer force of personality. Tsarina Alexandra believed that Rasputin’s trance-like chanting and prayers could calm the bleeding episodes of her son, hemophiliac Alexei.
With such deep influence over the Tsar and Tsarina, Rasputin quickly became a power behind the throne, an advisor on matters of state in Russia’s final years.
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn entered the Tudor court as a lady-in-waiting and forever changed the English monarchy with her French-polished wit, charm, and keen mind.
She would not be King Henry VIII’s mistress of convenience, ensnaring the king so deeply that he severed ties with the Catholic Church, annulled his first marriage, and changed the course of English history to make her his queen.
Benjamin Franklin
While the American colonies were fighting for their lives in the Revolutionary War, they needed the help of French money and military. So they sent Benjamin Franklin to Paris.
Appealing directly to French idealistic romance, Franklin wore a fur cap, played the part of the rugged philosopher from the backwoods, and used his keen humor, high intellect, and flirtation in Parisian salons to help secure the much-needed alliance.
Thomas Cromwell
The son of a lowly blacksmith, Cromwell climbed his way up to become Henry VIII’s most powerful minister by any and every means possible.
With unmatched skill in administration, flattery, hospitality, and problem-solving for the moody king, Cromwell climbed the ladder from common law clerk all the way to Earl of Essex. His influence would only end when political rivals brought about his ruin.
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
A stunning man of remarkable conversational skills and charisma, Villiers managed to impress King James I of England so much that he went from being a low-level country gentleman to the highest-ranking peer in the country. He became James’s favorite (and lover), giving him enormous political sway that he also leveraged to pass along to James’s son, King Charles I.
Lola Montez
Originally born Eliza Gilbert in Ireland, Lola Montez transformed her identity into that of an alluring, fiery and exotic Spanish dancer. Her magnetic personality and legendary Spider Dance enthralled King Ludwig I of Bavaria so much that he elevated her to a countess and cleared her debt.
He took her advice on matters of state so seriously that she ended up inciting a mass revolution that resulted in him getting kicked off the throne.
Cardinal Mazarin
Jules Mazarin was born into minor Italian nobility and used his diplomatic skills, quiet charisma, and emotional intelligence to gain favor with both Cardinal Richelieu and French King Louis XIII.
After their respective deaths, he ingratiated himself so much with Queen Regent Anne of Austria that she made him Chief Minister and let him control the government of France as well as tutor the young Louis XIV during a time of significant civil strife.
John F. Kennedy
Though highly intelligent, Kennedy’s rapid ascent to political stardom was fueled by television and his innate charisma and charm.
During the now-infamous 1960 televised debate with a nervous Richard Nixon, Kennedy’s calm confidence, telegenic smile and youthful vigor won over millions of television watchers, elevating his political persona and allowing him to take the White House as a youthful representative of hope and change.
Alcibiades
The extremely wealthy Athenian general and politician Alcibiades was renowned throughout Greece during the Peloponnesian War for his extraordinary good looks, his intellectual prowess and oratorical skill, and magnetic charm.
He was so charismatic that he was able to sway the Athenian people to vote in favor of his outrageous campaigns multiple times, and after being exiled for sacrilege, he managed to convince both of Athens’ greatest enemies, Sparta and Persia, to grant him leadership positions.
Ninon de l’Enclos
Ninon de l’Enclos was a French courtesan, writer and freethinker who decided to live life by her own rules during the 17th century in Paris.
With her radiant mind, quick humor and charisma, she presided over a famous literary salon visited by, among others, Molière and the young Voltaire, inspiring such societal admiration that she was visited by the deeply religious Queen Christina of Sweden.
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester
Dudley was a childhood friend of Elizabeth I. Handsome, athletic, and possessed of boundless personal charm, he quickly became her favourite when she became queen.
He completely enthralled the Virgin Queen and she even contemplated marriage to him. Dudley became incredibly rich and powerful through his relationship with Elizabeth, despite the envy of her other Privy councillors.
Empress Theodora
Theodora was born into the very bottom rung of Byzantine society as the daughter of a bearkeeper and made a living as an actress/courtesan.
She was extremely intelligent and beautiful and so intrigued the future Emperor Justinian I that he persuaded his uncle, the Emperor at the time, to alter imperial law allowing a nobleman to marry someone of the lower classes. She became Justinian’s wife and Empress.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
Like our content? Be sure to follow us.
13 historical facts that will totally mess with your sense of time
You might not realize it, but quite a few parts of history sit a lot closer together than they should have any right to, and it’s enough to seriously mess with your mind.
13 historical facts that will totally mess with your sense of time
