10 Famous Warriors in History

History is filled with stories of both great and famous warriors who have achieved feats, both heroic and terrible Depending on your nationality or religious and philosophical view, you may hate or love these individuals but you can never deny that very few people have even attempted to do what they have accomplished. You can view their stories as inspirational anecdotes or as cautionary tales. You don’t have to go to war to learn something from the lives they have led, After all, we can all view life as one big battle. Here is our list of:

10 Legendary and Famous Warriors in History

1. William Wallace

William Wallace Statue in Aberdeen

If you think Mel Gibson’s portrayal of William Wallace in the movie Braveheart is excellent, then you will be more than impressed with the feats of the actual hero. He was an unprofessional soldier and his men were not well-trained but he was able to win several victories against the English, the most notable of which is at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. He was eventually caught, hanged and then drawn and quartered while still alive, a penalty reserved people who commit high treason. William Wallace is one of the famous warriors that ever lived in the Scottish history

2. King Leonidas of Sparta

King Leonidas is another warrior whom we became more familiar with thanks to cinemas. The movie 300 depicted the defining battle in Leonidas life when, as king of Sparta, he led 300 warriors against an overwhelmingly large Persian army at the Battle of Thermopylae. Although they were defeated, their courage inspired Greece to eventually repel the Persians.

3. Hannibal of Barca

Hannibal of Barca will be remembered as the warrior who successfully led a massive army which included elephants on foot over the Italian Alps to surprise the Romans. If not for General Scipio Africanus, Hannibal would have achieved the unthinkable feat of conquering Rome. Another impressive figure and one of the famous warriors in history.

4. Alexander the Great

Before dying at the young age of 32, King Alexander III of Macedonia was able to lead several campaigns through Persia, Judea, Syria, Mesopotamia, Egypt, among others. Alexander became king of Macedonia at the age of 20 after his father’s assassination. He never lost a battle, a feat that earned him the title Alexander the Great. He will always be remembered as one of the greatest famous warriors in history

5. Genghis Khan


Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire by leading an army from Japan to Iran and killing tens of millions of people in the process. He is also a great progenitor. A study in 2003 revealed that as much as 0.5% of the males in Mongolia are descendants of Khan.

6. Khalid ibn al-Walid

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Known as the “Drawn Sword of God,” Khalid ibn al-Walid is the companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and one of the most brilliant and successful military leaders in world history. He is credited for uniting Arabia and he died without losing a single battle making him one of the greatest warriors ever.

7. Attila the Hun

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No warrior has struck fear in the hearts of the Romans quite like Attila the Hun. Dubbed as the “The Scourge of God,” Attila is known for being a cruel and barbaric warrior. He is credited with being one of the reasons for the eventual fall of the once mighty Roman civilization.

8. Sun Tzu

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You probably have his book on warfare, The Art of War, but he is more than just a famous military tactician. He is also an accomplished warrior who has been described by his peers and enemies as a man characterised by swiftness, brutality and intelligence.

9. Saladin

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Saladin’s claim to fame is recapturing Jerusalem during the time of the Crusades and returned the city to the Muslims. Though a great warrior, Saladin was also known for his honourable demeanour and kindness. When his army was trying to recapture Jerusalem, he instructed them not to kill or rob civilians and to refrain from damaging the city. He was also known for showing compassion to Richard the Lionheart who begged him for food and water for his starving army. Richard and Saladin eventually called for a truce which led to Jerusalem being shared by both Christians and Muslims.

10. Boudica

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Before becoming a famous warrior, Boudica was the queen of Iceni. Then a series of unfortunate events including her husband’s death, the conquest of her land, the rape of her daughters and her own beating led her to rampage through three cities in England and slaughtering 80,000 people in the process. To avoid being captured, Boudica took her own life when her army was defeated.

Fadamana U
Fadamana U
Fadamana has built up professional writing and editing experience over the years in report and technical articles, informational and creative content across various topic specialties. Outside work, I like to binge on new movies.

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