Cardinal Richelieu – French statesman. Philippe de Champaigne

Cardinal Richelieu was also known as Red Cardinal. He was Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, an aristocrat and statesman of France. From 1616 to 1617 he was a secretary of state and head of government (chief minister of the king) from 1624 until his death. Richelieu, among other things, was very prolific playwright and his plays were published in the first royal printing house. Historians have viewed Richelieu as either a patriot or a tyrant, and he was later vilified in Alexandre Dumas’s classic novel The Three Musketeers (1844).
Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu was born on September 9, 1585 in Paris. He was the fourth of the five children into a family of Francois du Plessis, the lord of Richelieu, and Suzanne de La Porte.
Armand studied grammar and philosophy at the College de Navarre. Later he entered military academy. In 1603 he began serious study of theology.
At the end of 1608 Richelieu arrived in Lucon and became an assiduous bishop.
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Gaius Julius Caesar – brilliant Roman general

Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman statesman and political figure, leader and writer, consul, dictator and great pontiff. He helped create the ancient Roman Empire. He was without a doubt the most significant figure in the history of Rome.
In the 60 BC he organized the first triumvirate with two influential politicians – Gnaeus Pompey the Great and Marcus Licinius Crassus. Later he spent more than eight years on the territory of modern Switzerland, France, Belgium, Germany and the UK in the Gallic War. He added a vast territory from the Atlantic to the Rhine to the Roman Republic and became famous as a talented military leader. In addition to the political and military activities Caesar is known as a writer. Due to the simplicity and clarity of style, his works are considered classics of Roman literature and used in teaching Latin language.
Gaius Julius Caesar was born on July 13, 100 BC. It is known that his father was a senator.
He became the head of his family at the age of 16, following the death of his father.
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Ernst Biron – regent of Russia

Ernst Biron was a count, duke of Courland, regent of Russia, imperial favorite. The dark era of foreign dominance is known as Bironovshchina.
Ernst Johann Biron was born on November 23, 1690. He was one of three sons and five daughters.
Ernst rose through court service to Anna Ioanovna in her capacity. He had a great influence on the Empress.
Biron gained status by marriage to Benigna Gotlib Trott von Treyden. The couple had two sons and one daughter.
In 1730 Biron became grand chamberlain and count of the Holy Roman Empire and his wife became lady- in-waiting. His brothers entered the Russian army.
In 1737, with the assistance of Anna Ioanovna, he was elected Duke of Courland. After Anna Ioanovna death on October 17, 1740 Biron became regent for infant Ivan VI.
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Alfred the Great – King of Wessex

Alfred the Great was the King of Wessex in 871-899. He saved part of England from falling under the control of Denmark. At the time, England was divided into several small kingdoms, and Wessex was one of those. He was one of England’s best-loved kings. He established the English monarchy and alone among all English rulers bears the title “the Great.”
Alfred was born in 849 at Wantage, Berkshire. He was the youngest, the fifth son of Ethelwulf, king of Wessex.
After his father’s death in 858, Ethelbald succeeded to the whole kingdom. After his death in 860 his brothers Ethelberht (860-65), then Ethelred (865-71), ruled in turn. During his older brother Ethelred’s reign, Alfred had helped fight off an initial invasion of the Great Army into Wessex. In 871 after the death of Ethelred Alfred became king.
Several English kingdoms fell to the Danes, who were also called Vikings. In 871 and again between 876 and 878 Alfred’s Wessex forces fought against the invaders.
Alfred’s son and grandsons eventually gained control over all of England.
Alfred the Great died on October 26, 899
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Benito Mussolini – Italian dictator

Benito Mussolini was an Italian politician and statesman, writer, National fascist party (NFP) leader, the dictator, the leader (Duce), who led Italy as prime minister in 1922-1943. He was the First Marshal of the Empire (30 March 1938). After 1936 his official title was His Excellency Benito Mussolini, Head of Government, Duce of Fascism and the founder of the empire. Mussolini was one of the founders of Italian Fascism. He led Italy into three successive wars, the last of which overturned his regime.
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was born on July 29, 1883 in Predappio, Emilia Romagna. His father was a blacksmith and an ardent Socialist, and his mother was a schoolteacher.
In 1900 Mussolini became a member of the Socialist party. In 1901 he took his diploma di maestro and then taught secondary school briefly.
In 1904 Mussolini became engaged in politics. The young man had an amazing oratorical abilities and strong character, which helped him to get to state heights. He attacked clericalism, militarism, and reformism. In each attack he was extremist and violent. His Marxism was greatly influenced by Nietzsche’s reactionary modernism and Social Darwinism, Spengler’s anthropological and historical pessimism, and Sorel’s revolutionary syndicalism.
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Dwight David Eisenhower – 34th president of America

Dwight David Eisenhower was an American statesman and military leader, US army General (1944) and the 34th president of the United States (January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961). His two terms in office were a time of peace and prosperity. Eisenhower was the only postwar president who received more positive than negative ratings for his entire time in office.
Eisenhower was born on October 14, 1890 in Denison, Texas. He was the third of the seven sons. Eisenhower was called Ike from an early age.
In 1915 Dwight graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. In 1916 he married Mamie Geneva Doud. They had two sons.
During World War I Eisenhower commanded a tank training center. After the war he served in the United States, the Panama Canal Zone, Europe, and the Philippines.
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Franklin Delano Roosevelt – 32nd president of America

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the thirty-second president of the United States, who led the nation out of the Great Depression and later into World War II. Before he died, he established the United Nations. He was the only president elected to the office four times.
Franklin Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882 at Hyde Park, New York. He was the only child of James and Sara Delano Roosevelt. When Franklin was born, his father was 51 years old and his mother was 28.
At the age of 14 he went to Groton School. He studied in Harvard University where he was an editor of the Harvard newspaper.
Despite his mother’s opposition, Franklin married his cousin Eleanor on March 17, 1905. The couple had six children. In the same year he entered Columbia University Law School. He became a lawyer and entered a clerkship in the Wall Street firm of Carter, Ledyard and Milburn.
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