It is said money can't buy happiness. Meet someone who was once the richest man in the world and one of the most powerful. And definitely one of the unhappiest.
Marcus Licinius Crassus was born in 115 BC to Publius Licinius Crassus, who was Consul of Rome in 97. Young Crassus grew up in an increasingly militaristic Roman Republic with wars against Germanic tribes (113-101) and against allies in the Italian peninsula (91-87). 1/10
As Rome was kept busy in Italy, King Mithridates of Pontus extended his influence to the Roman colonies in the East. The Republic appointed Lucius Cornelius Sulla to restrain Mithridates. Old warhorse, Caius Marius, attempted to remove Sulla, leading to a civil war in Rome. 2/10
With Sulla headed for Asia, Marius got complete control over Rome. Publius Crassus had died during the Marian takeover along with his elder son, and younger Marcus fled to Hispania. He would build an army there, and later join Sulla in Asia with it. 3/10
A victorious Sulla would return triumphantly to Rome, taking Crassus with him. Though Marius had died, his faction still had a strong hold over Rome, and had a numerically larger army. But another young man, with his own army, came out to meet Sulla - Gnaeus Pompeius. 4/10
Sulla would attain control over Rome, declaring himself the Dictator. Crassus played a crucial role in helping Sulla finish off the last of his opponents. He was rewarded heavily for his efforts, gaining the property of Sulla's opponents. He would soon amass a great fortune. 5/10
Though Crassus saw his fortunes grow, it was to Pompey that Sulla would turn to, for war. With successful campaigns in Sicily and Carthage, Pompey was well placed to be the most powerful man in Rome after Sulla, irrespective of all the riches of Crassus. 6/10
Crassus finally got his chance for glory, defeating Spartacus, the leader of the slave rebellion from 73 to 71. But Pompey, who was away in Hispania being schooled by Sertorius on guerrilla warfare, would return in the end and finish off escapees, stealing the final glory. 7/10
The rivalry of the two was at its highest when both were elected as Consuls in 70. With his massive fortune, Crassus would extend credit to many budding politicians, including one whose aunt was the wife of the late Caius Marius - Gaius Julius Caesar. 8/10
Caesar would manoeuvre the two rivals into an alliance of common interest. He would also gain fame and prestige as he embarked on the conquest of Gaul in 58, cementing his place in Roman military lore. Both Pompey and Crassus would return to Consular roles in 55. 9/10
In 54, Crassus would be made the governor of Syria, when he would embark on a battle against Parthia. Crassus seeking a big win to restore his stature in Rome, would find one. But it would come for Parthia, at Carrhae, bringing to end the life of the richest man of Rome. 10/10
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It is said that the candle glows the brightest towards its end. As a nation neared its end, a general took charge and prevented its fall, till he was killed and the nation collapsed.
Julius Valerius Majorianus may have been born around 420 to a distinguished Roman family. In 423, Western Emperor Honorius had died and Ioannes was elevated as Emperor. But soon the Eastern Emperor recognized his cousin, Valentinian, as Emperor. A civil war was imminent. 1/10
Ioannes send out Flavius Aëtius, who had been a hostage as young boy with the Visigoths and the Huns, for help. But by the time Aëtius returned, Ioannes was already dead. Nevertheless, Aëtius retained a formidable role in the military. 2/10
Ending is an inevitability, be it for a star, or a planet, or a life, or even a nation. (Unless of course if you are one of the Endless). Sometimes it can be postponed, but at a greater cost. This is the story of beginning of one such end.
Alaric was born around 370 AD, outside the northern border of the Roman Empire perhaps near the basin of Danube. He would have been a child when he came to the Empire along with the refugee / invading contingent of Germanic tribes that beat the Romans at Adrianople in 378. 1/10
The newly proclaimed Emperor of the East, Theodosius, made peace with the invaders, settling them in the Balkans. In exchange they were made foedus, which meant they will have come to aid of the Roman forces in case of war. 2/10
Rumoured to be the illegitimate son of a King, this young Prince would switch to the side of an enemy nation, when the enemy's capital was under siege. He would lead the resurgence of his new nation, but his student would break its back.
Eugene François de Savoie was born in 1663 to Eugene Maurice de Savoie, Count of Soissons, and Olimpia Mancini. Eugene belonged to a cadet branch of the House of Savoy, but their allegiance was to France. Olimpia was the niece of Cardinal Giulio Mazzarino. 1/10
The Cardinal was the First Minister of France from 1642 to 1661. He was also the de facto ruler of France when King Louis XIV was a minor. The close attachment of King Louis and Olimpia led to a rumour that Louis was Eugene's father, a rumour which Louis denied. 2/10
François-Henri de Montmorency-Bouteville was born in 1628 to François de Montmorency, Count of Bouteville, and Élisabeth Angélique de Vienne. Born posthumously, he was raised by a relative, Charlotte de Montmorency and her husband Henri de Bourbon, Prince de Condé. 1/10
Henri de Bourbon's son, Louis de Bourbon, was one of major generals of France. Though François-Henri was physically weak and hunchbacked, he grew under Condé's wing. Siding with Condé in the Fronde as a rebel, François-Henri went on exile after defeat. 2/10
A prince destined for greatness, heir to an empire where the sun never set, including one nation still named after him. But his autocratic style would lead to his dominion's collapse, though well after his death.
Felipe was born in 1527 to Holy Roman Emperor Karl and Isabel de Portugal. Emperor Karl was also the King of Spain, Naples, Sicily and Sardinia, Lord of Seventeen Provinces in the Low Countries and Archduke of Austria. Isabel was the daughter of the Portuguese King. 1/10
In 1542, a Spanish explorer arrived at an archipelago in Asia, which he named after Felipe. The archipelago later became a Spanish colony for centuries. Between 1554 and 1556, Emperor Karl divided his realm between his son Felipe and brother Ferdinand. 2/10
Elizabeth was born in 1533 to English King Henry VIII & Anne Boleyn. Henry had married Anne after breaking away from the Roman Church, annulling his earlier marriage. Unable to sire a male heir, Henry had Anne killed in 1536 for treason, declaring their marriage invalid. 1/10
Though the invalidation of the marriage made her illegitimate, Elizabeth grew up as a princess of England. The birth of a brother in 1537 relieved the inheritance stress on her father and their father's death in 1547 brought young Edward to the throne. 2/10