There is no way that any historical figure who was a military leader is going to be a saint-Julius Caesar was a good example-he was certainly a brutal conqueror-one who captured and executed the leaders of kingdoms all over Europe and farther-as well as being a notorious womanizer, etc-but he was one of history’s great generals and military minds. Texas own Sam Houston was a great fighter and leader, the person who won independence for Texas(and we maybe should have stayed that way, in my opinion)-but he was also said to have been intolerant of dissenting opinions, a harsh man, a womanizer and a hard drinker.
Gengis Khan, Attila the Hun, Alaric, etc-they were all great soldiers and leaders, but no one would ever say they were not also brutal or accuse them of being nice-even General George Patton was supposedly a cruel, explosive and harsh man...
“Texas own Sam Houston...was also said to have been intolerant of dissenting opinions, a harsh man, a womanizer and a hard drinker.”
As a Texan-in-exile, perhaps I am too forgiving of Sam Houston, but those things seem more like a recommendation than an indictment.
Years ago, on the sunny slopes of long ago, I was myself intolerant of dissenting opinions, a harsh man, a womanizer and a hard drinker.
Never founded a country, though.