History of the commoners, who achieved power and might.
As a rule, the power has always been concentrated in the hands of aristocrats and inherited.
But the history of known cases where people from lower classes became the rulers of entire countries. In this review, five commoners who have achieved the highest state authority.
Maximin the Thracian Emperor of Rome
The Roman Emperor Maximinus the Thracian was born about 173 BC By some accounts, he was an ordinary shepherd, but had tremendous growth. That is why it was noticed by the legionaries and were invited to join their ranks. Maximian was called “man-mountain”. In the Chronicles it is mentioned: his height was 2.5 meters, which probably was an exaggeration.
Personal qualities, above average in intelligence and power did Maximinus army commander on the Rhine, and then, after the murder of the Emperor Severus – ruler of Rome.
Ivaylo lahane – king of Bulgaria
Ivaylo lahane became king of Bulgaria at the end of the XIII century. The nickname “lahane” (in Greek “Kale”) it was due to ignorance and ignoble origin. About 1277 Ivailo managed to rally a peasant army to fight the Mongols. When the rumors of the victories of the armies of Evila came to the then king Constantine I, he described the peasant as a direct threat to their power and set out to destroy Ivaylo.
The king was not lucky: his troops were defeated, and Constantine himself killed. Ivailo managed to repel the raids of the Mongols, married the wife of Constantine and officially became the Tsar of Bulgaria in 1278.
Mansdotter Katarina – Queen of Sweden
Katherine Mansdotter was a servant of the beloved musician of the king of Sweden Eric XIV. One day, the king saw her and fell in love with. At first, Katherine remained in the status of mistress, and then the king has married a girl in 1568. Eric himself suffered from a mental disorder, so he was deposed from the throne. Catarina admitted was not involved in extravagant acts of her husband, so the next king Johan III granted her an estate in Finland. The common people loved his ex-Queen.
Cixi – Dowager Empress of China
Cixi managed to go from being a concubine of the lowest rank to the Empress of China. The future Queen was born in an ordinary Manchu family. At 16 she was in the harem of the Emperor, but had such low status that the Governor hardly knew about its existence. But the girl proved’re not shy of a dozen. She schemed, only to emerge from the shadows.
After Cixi gave birth to the Emperor’s heir, her power at court increased. Over time, the Emperor gave Cixi more power, and after his death, the former concubine became retentum and the actual ruler of China. Over time, her son died of smallpox, which was followed by several Palace coups. In the end, the power is again concentrated in the hands of Cixi. For half a century reign, Cixi ravaged the country.
Mao Zedong – leader of China
Mao Zedong had to rule a quarter of the population. Mao himself was born 26 December 1893 into a poor peasant family in shaoshan. To 13 years of age he attended school, but then had to leave because the boy had to work on the ground. At 14, his father Mao forcibly married son, but in reality he did not live with his wife. Three years later, Mao left home in search of a better life. He went to middle school in Changsha. In the same period in Shanghai erupts in revolution and Mao joins the ranks of the militia.
In 1935, Mao Zedong had already occupied leading positions in the Communist party, and after a few years he rose to the top of the political ladder and became the first leader of the people’s Republic of China.
