Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh selected as greatest leader of World history in poll conducted by BBC

First rank got the Lion of PUNJAB Maharaja Ranjit Singh, second freedom fighter Amilcar Cabral, third PM of Britain Winston Churchill, fourth 16th President of US Abraham lincoln, and at last only woman leader Queen Elizabeth-1 of Britain. 

‘Who is the world’s greatest leader?’ In March-April 2020 edition, a poll was conducted by world-renowned BBC World History Magazine entitled ‘Who is the world’s greatest leader of history?’ A total of 20 leaders were nominated in this survey, who ruled with courage, forbearance, intelligence and foresight. More than 5,000 readers voted in the survey and finally topped Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh as the world's best leader with more than 38 percent of the votes. This is a matter of great pride for the Punjab. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was voted the supreme ruler of the world history for the special work of his rule, supreme administration, secularism, popularity, welfare of the people and, establishing a modern empire. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was nominated for the survey by the British historian Matthew H. Lockwood. Maharaja Ranjit Singh defeated Mughal Emperor Akbar, King William III of Great Britain, Emperor of China Wu Zetian, Empress Catherine the Great of Russia, Empress Blanche of Castile of France and many others.

Amílcar Cabral, a well-known Guinean freedom fighter from Africa, came in second with 25 percent of the votes. Cabral had a long struggle to liberate Guinea from Portugal. He united more than one million Guineans in the struggle for independence against Portugal and achieved independence. Guided by his struggle, the African nation struggled and liberated itself from other Portuguese colonies. He was born into a small family on 12 September 1924 in Bafta, a small town in Guinea. He received his higher education in the Portuguese capital. Living in Portugal, he was greatly influenced by European civilization. After completing his studies and returning home, he rallied the people of Guinea and began the struggle for independence. Guinea became independent in 1973, but Cabral did not see that independence because he had been shot dead by Portuguese spies just eight months before independence. He has a special place in Guinea for his great work.

Third place went to Winston Churchill ,the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, with 7 percent of the vote. He was born on 30 November 1874 in Oxford, England to the Royal Family. He retained Britain in World War II because of his sharp political mind and the precise political decisions made during the war gave Britain a resounding victory in World War II. As a result, his political skills were widely discussed. Winston Churchill was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1940-45 & 1951-55). He was a British politician, army officer and a good writer. He also wrote books on many of his campaigns. Churchill was also well-known as a prolific writer. For which in 1953, he was won the Nobel Prize in Literature .He was also great because he refused to accept the surrender treaty under the terms of German Chancellor Adolf Hitler. He died of a heart attack in 1965 after a long political career.

Fourth place in the survey went to Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States (1861-65). He was born on 12 February 1809 into a poor family. Lincoln had a passion for reading and writing since childhood. Due to poverty at home, he did not let his hobby die and became a successful lawyer by working tirelessly. The practice of enslaving Africans was very common in the United States at that time. Lincoln was a staunch opponent of the practice from an early age and decided to enter politics to end it. In 1861 he was chosen President of the USA. At that time, a CIVIL WAR broke out between the northern and southern states of the United States which lasted for a full four years. In which North America won. More than six lakh people were killed and millions injured in this CIVIL WAR. As a result, the practice of slavery came to an end and all the states decided to remain in one union. Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, while watching a play at the Fort Theater in Washington, DC. A 60-foot-tall statue of Abraham was erected on Mount Rushmore in the United States to protect the country during the war, abolish slavery, and unite the country.

At the fifth place and the top women leader of the list was Queen Elizabeth-1 of England with 4% of the vote. Queen Elizabeth-1 established peace in England and laid the foundations of a strong empire in England by suppressing the Spanish powers. Queen Elizabeth was the last of the five kings of England's Hosh of Tudor and she had to face a lot of struggle and rebellion to become the Queen of England. Elizabeth was multilingual. She mastered English, French, Latin and Italian and learned the art of public speaking. Elizabeth was known throughout England as the "Virgin Queen", yet in 1566 she was forced to marriage by the Parliament of England, but her response silenced everyone by saying that she had married her country and there is no desire to marry a man in the future. The queen was true to her word and had not been married in her life. During the queen's reign, some European explorers discovered a colony on the coast of North America, which they named ‘Virginia’ after her queen. She was the last descendant of the Tudor dynasty. After her death in 1603, her successor was James VI of Scotland and son of Elizabeth's cousin Mary, from whom the Stuart dynasty began.

In addition to the World's top five rulers, the survey also included other rulers who have done great things during their reigns. Their names are - Mughal Emperor Akbar, Alfred the Great who was King of Wessex, Queen Catherine of Russia, Mansa Musa who was King of Mali, Innocent III who was a priest and he mapped the whole Europe from scratch. St. Anthony who contributed to the Mathematician revolution.  Queen of France Blanche of Castile, Amenhotep III  who was the pharaoh of Egypt who ruled Egypt in ancient times, Isabella of Castile who was the queen of Castile, Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese warlord in the 16th century who succeeded in uniting Japan, Biodica who was the first queen of Iceni in the first century, William III who was the king of England, Scotland and Ireland who liberated Europe from France, Wu Zetian who was the ruler of China and the most powerful woman in history, Oliver Cromwell was the Lord of England, Scotland and Ireland, Joan of Arc, leader of the French military.

 Source: historyextra, wiki