Who's Your Favorite Historical Figure?

[abaris]

I mean do people have to be perfect?

You'd have to define the favorite in your OP then.

There are many interesting people in history. Hitler, for example, interests me to no end, but obviously I wouldn't call him my favorite.

There are also many people who made history. The above bastard among them, but only the most glaring example.

There are no people in history I admire. Admiration would really require a perfect person. I never found one.

If one of these questions are asked, I always go with artists. They have contributed to society instead of trying to destroy it or bend it to suit their own preferences. I never would choose any politician, leader, soldier, philosopher even, since they may have contributed some, but there's almost always some dark aspect to them. A dark aspect that influenced the world in a negative way. As opposed to artists and their possible human vices.