Leaders Julius Caesar and Czar Nicholas II
Many prominent leaders have been assassinated at the worst possible time. It happened because they had numerous enemies because of their political efforts. It is hard to tell how modern history would change if those murders did not occur. There are numerous similarities between Julius Caesar and Czar Nicholas II of Russia.
Many call the first one the greatest figure in the world’s history, and it is hard to disagree if all of his achievements are taken into consideration. He was born a hundred years before our era. During childhood, he was interested in subjects such as philosophy, strategy, and astronomy, and has got an exceptional education. He was determined to reach his goals during his early life (Canfora, 2007). He had to overcome numerous difficulties during his life that have led him to the path of becoming a leader. He had to leave his country because of the rivalry with a dictator Sulla. He has joined an army in Asia where he won numerous battles thanks to his skills. Julius Caesar was able to turn almost any situation in his favor (Nardo, Osgood, & Rosemary, 2009).
He was a great leader and was respected by the people for his incredible speeches (Canfora, 2007). One of the most interesting topics is his relationship with Cleopatra because it was one of the most powerful alliances at that time. His decisions as a general were often bold, but sometimes they were reckless depending on the situation (Ferrill n.d.). It is known that he had suffered 23 sword wounds during the assassination because attackers wanted to make sure that he dies. He was stabbed so many times because he instilled fear, and many believed that he was immortal.
Nicholas II was born in 1968, and most of his childhood was spent in the Gatchina Palace. His mentor has taught him how to speak English, and to pay attention to personal health. The adult life of Nicolas II has started after the assassination of his grandfather. He was incredibly calm and precise with his decisions (Thatcher, 2005). His reign was during the age of changes, and it was hard for him to accept. Tomaszewski states that “despite his reputation as a reactionary and weak-willed ruler, Nicholas II was consistent in his post-1905 foreign policy” (p. 43). In other words, he wanted to follow the steps of his father.
He had to face the first revolution in the history of Russia and has changed the form of government. He had numerous accomplishments. However, the participation of his country in World War I has destroyed his dynasty. Nicolas II has died as a martyr and was buried only 80 years later after the incident. Overall, he was not ready to become a Czar and has made numerous mistakes during his reign.
These assassinated leaders may be compared because there are some similarities. Many believed that they were saints. Julius Caesar is still an idol of many. He made people tremble in his presence, and he has reached an unbelievable status for a man (Griffin, 2009). Czar and his family were also canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church after the assassination. They both made mistakes that have led to their demise because they trusted the people that they should not have, and both were viciously executed. The assassination of a Roman statesman was planned by senators that did not want to attack the Parthian Empire.
There were numerous attempts to murder Julius Caesar, but they were not successful. Nevertheless, he was assassinated in 44 BC by his allies. The association with Gregory Rasputin has led to the collapse of the government of Nicolas II (Whittemore, 2012). Both of them were murdered when they were in their 50s. Another similarity is that they both were military men and had spent a lot of time on the battlefield to sharpen their strategy-making skills. They both have created political alliances that consisted of three countries that were necessary at that time.
However, there are numerous differences between them. First of all, Julius Caesar has led his nation to glory when decisions of the Russian Czar have only caused chaos and ruin. Nicholas II was not as confident and outspoken as a Roman statesman, and many believe that he was not ready to accept his role as a ruler. He was not as brave and spiritual and was not capable of overcoming such difficulties that Julius Caesar had to face. The Roman general was mostly making his own decisions when Russian Czar was listening to the opinions of the ministers.
In conclusion, there are indeed many similarities between these assassinated leaders. They both are crucial figures in the world’s history. Both of them were not as perfect as many believed, but their leadership skills were impressive. They were ruling at different times, and there is no surprise that there are many differences between them. Both leaders had many enemies even among their people. Nevertheless, they will always be remembered and stay on the pages of history.
References
Canfora, L. (2007). Julius Caesar: The life and times of the people’s dictator. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Ferrill, A. (n.d.). Julius Caesar. Web.
Griffin, M. (2009). A companion to Julius Caesar. Chichester, United Kingdom: Wiley-Blackwell.
Nardo, D., Osgod J., & Palmer R. G. (2009). Julius Caesar: Roman general and statesman. Mankato, MN: Capstone.
Thatcher, I. D. (2005). Late Imperial Russia. Manchester, United Kingdom: Manchester University Press.
Tomaszewski, F. K. (2002). Great Russia: Russia and the Triple Entente, 1905-1914. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Whittemore, W. J. (2012). Untimely deaths by assassination. Bloomington, IN: iUniverse Inc.