Quote Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla View Post
Henry VIII likewise was no failure, he stood up to the other European powers and the Pope and kept his crown, he increased the power of the monarchy and he eventually produced an heir, though no spare.

Quintus Sertorius was in a league with Hannibal as far as generalship went, if no better given that no oman general beat him. Even in defeat as a traitor he was still respected.
You've got a point about Richard Lionheart. On the other hand, he may have defeated Saladin, but he failed in his objective to restore the kingdom Jerusalem. Similarly, he held of the French, but accomplished no lasting victory. And in order to accomplish all this he extracted three king's ransoms out of England (first to go on crusade, then to ransom him from an insulted ex-crusader, and finally to build a new, state-of-the-art castle in France). One might say he was rather inefficient as monarchs go.

I agree completely about Henry VIII and Quintus Sertorius, BTW.