History Main / TheConqueror

** No longer unique to Walhart as Chrom himself in Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE can reclass into this and Alm in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia can overclass into this.

** No longer unique to Wallhart as Chrom himself in Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE can reclas into this and Alm in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia can Overclass into this.

* ''Literature/DragonridersOfPern'': Lord Fax of The Seven Holds. He was Lord of one hold by birthright, gained another through marriage and just took over the other five through force. By the time we first see him in ''Dragonsflight'', it's just in time to see him killed by F'lar. His takeover occurs in the background of the prequel novel, ''Masterharper of Pern.''

ConquerorFromTheFuture is a SubTrope of this when the Conqueror in question has, in fact, actually managed to conquer something. GalacticConqueror and YoungConqueror are specific variants. MultiversalConqueror is this trope taken to its logical extreme.

* ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'': Tamriel has seen several of these in its time. The most notable would be Emperor Tiber Septim (born a Nord named Talos), who became the first person to unite all of Tamriel under his rule and after his death became a god. He did it primarily through, well, [[CaptainObvious conquest]], but gained a couple provinces through shrewd diplomacy as well (such as the peaceful vassalization of the dark elven theocracy {{Morrowind}}). There's also Reman Cyrodiil, founder of the Second Empire, who conquered less territory than Septim but was no less influential on Tamrielic history and culture.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[Creator/GaiusJuliusCaesar "Veni, vidi, vici."]][[labelnote:Translation]]"I came, I saw, I conquered."[[/labelnote]]]]

* Creator/GaiusJuliusCaesar was so effective his name became a title for emperors after him - future Roman rulers were referred to as Caesars[[note]]Because of family connections at first; it wasn't until after the end of the dynasty that "Caesar" became not a name referring to the current ruler but a formal title.[[/note]], while German and Russian leaders were referred to as Kaisers and Czars/Tsars, respectively.

* In the ''Literature/BlackCompany'' series, [[SorcerousOverlord The Lady]] qualifies as this, having subjugated an entire continent. In the past, her husband [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast The Dominator]] was even worse.

* [[Franchise/TheElderScrolls Tamriel]] has seen several of these in its time. The most notable would be Tiber Septim, who became the first person to unite all of Tamriel under his rule and after his death became a god. He did it primarily through, well, [[CaptainObvious conquest]], but gained a couple provinces through shrewd diplomacy as well. There's also Reman Cyrodiil, founder of the Second Empire, who conquered less territory than Septim but was no less influential on Tamrielic history and culture.

* King William I of England, better known as William the Conqueror, first battled to secure his claim on Normandy, then invaded England in 1066. Though he only conquered one small island, the impact of that one small conquest on world history cannot possibly be overstated. It certainly helped him be remembered as more than William the Bastard (he was the son of Duke Robert I by a mistress, hence the aforementioned battle to secure his claim on Normandy.)

* Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon united Spain under their joint banners and drove the Muslims out of Western Europe. And then they subsidized an ocean voyage by some guy named UsefulNotes/ChristopherColumbus. Modern Spaniards like to give the credit to Ferdinand alone because Isabella was an icon of the Franco regime, but [[DatedHistory Isabella was a far more capable ruler]] and a better general to boot; while she was leading troops - often [[PregnantBadass while pregnant]] - he was off porking his various mistresses before showing up after the battle to take credit.

* UsefulNotes/NapoleonBonaparte, who ''almost'' succeeded in uniting Europe under his rule, if it weren't for those pesky British and a bad winter in Russia.

* [[Franchise/TheElderScrolls Tamriel]] has seen several of these in its time. The most notable would be Tiber Septim, who became the first person to unite all of Tamriel under his rule and after his death became a god. He did it primarily through, well, [[CaptainObvious conquest]], but gained a couple provinces through shrewd diplomacy as well. There's also Reman Cyrodiil, founder of the Second Empire, who conquered less territory than Septim but was no less influential on Tamrielic hisory and culture.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mehmet_the_conqueror2.jpg]]

** During the 41st Millennium, [[LargeHamTitle Lord Commander Solar]] Macharius waged a seven-year crusade that added a thousand worlds to the Imperium, the greatest expansion since the Great Crusade. He only stopped when his troops refused to push into space outside the range of the Astronomicom, the psychic lighthouse required for safe [[HyperspaceIsAScaryPlace Warp travel]]. Much like Alexander the Great, Macharius died suddenly, and his conquests collapsed into a civil war between his successor generals.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mehmet_the_conqueror1.jpg]]

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mehmet_the_conqueror.jpg]]

* Creator/GaiusJuliusCaesar was so effective his name became a title for emperors after him - future Roman rulers were referred to as Caesars, while German and Russian leaders were referred to as Kaisers and Czars/Tsars, respectively.

->Great men are not peacemakers. Great men are conquerors!

* UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler nearly managed to succeed where Napoleon had failed and unite Europe under one banner. He also failed where Napoleon had failed - he never was able to conquer the British, and possibly due to developments in the Balkans, Operation Barbarossa, the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, was launched on the same day as Napoleon's invasion of Russia. For extra TemptingFate points, he planned the later phases of the war from Poltava, where Charles XII's [[UsefulNotes/GreatNorthernWar invasion of Russia had failed.]]

* Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon united Spain under their joint banners and drove the Muslims out of Western Europe. And then they subsidized an ocean voyage by some guy named UsefulNotes/ChristopherColumbus. Modern Spaniards like to give the credit to Ferdinand alone because Isabella was an icon of the Franco regime, but [[HistoryMarchesOn Isabella was a far more capable ruler]] and a better general to boot; while she was leading troops - often [[PregnantBadass while pregnant]] - he was off porking his various mistresses before showing up after the battle to take credit.

* ''The Conqueror'' was a 1956 {{Biopic}} about the life of Genghis Khan, who by his death had taken over a whacking big chunk of Central Asia. Nowadays it's best remembered for [[WTHCastingAgency inexplicably casting]] Creator/JohnWayne as UsefulNotes/GenghisKhan.

A true Conqueror strives to claim the [[TakeOverTheWorld whole of the known world]] through military, and often succeeds. (Note that he often doesn't put much thought into running it once he's taken it; he just wants the bragging rights). This is in contrast to those characters who rise to universal power through other means (such as subverting the democratic process or literally being ''appointed'' dictator by a legislative body).

* ''The Conqueror'' was a 1956 {{Biopic}} about the life of Genghis Khan, who by his death had taken over a whacking big chunk of Central Asia. Nowadays it's best remembered for [[WTHCastingAgency inexplicably casting]] Creator/JohnWayne as GenghisKhan.

* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', we have Chin the Conqueror. The Avatar-verse's equivalent of Genghis Khan, it took the ruthless [[GodInHumanForm Avatar Kyoshi]] to stop him.

-->-- '''[[MirrorUniverse Mirror Archer]]''', ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'', "In A Mirror, Darkly"

* UsefulNotes/GenghisKhan, who ruled an empire that made Alexander's look like a postage stamp (though he didn't personally conquer all of said land). What's said above under {{Literature}} about Artur Hawkwing's realm is actually adapted from a boast Genghis Khan made: "A virgin with a bag of gold around her neck could walk naked from one end of my realm to another without being attacked."

->[[MirrorUniverse Mirror Archer]]: Great men are not peacemakers. Great men are conquerors!
-->-- '''Series/StarTrekEnterprise''', "In A Mirror, Darkly"

** By the GrandFinale, [[spoiler:Lelouch conquers the ENTIRE PLANET by taking control of a near-indestructible flying fortress that fires super nukes, now manned by elite scientists that are mind controlled to be absolutely loyal to him. YAY]]. Then he dies [[spoiler:intentionally but gives the empire to his little sister, so that's a happy end for everyone else]].

* MarvelComics has Kang the Conqueror, Rama Tut, the Scarlet Centurion and Immortus. The catch is that these are all actually the same guy: He's traveled through time so often, and created so many {{Alternate Timeline}}s, that there is now an entire LegionOfDoom called the Council of Kangs made up entirely of his own iterations. Immortus, it seems, is the original Kang, who is now a BoxedCrook: forced to spend eternity undoing the Continuity Snarl that is the Marvel universe thanks largely to him.

* ''The Conqueror'' was a 1956 {{Biopic}} about the life of Genghis Khan, who by his death had taken over a whacking big chunk of Central Asia.

* General Tacticus, from whose name the the word "tactics" is derived, was a famous Morporkian leader of the Literature/{{Discworld}}. Not only did he win countless wars for the Empire of the time, but when placed in command of a satellite city-state, he promptly did what he regarded as the best move in the interest of said state's defensive self-interest, and attacked Ankh-Morpork. And won, of course. He also famously wrote a book that is the Disc's equivalent of ''The Art of War'', which is standard reference material for military leaders the Disc over.
* Artur "Hawkwing" Paendrag of ''TheWheelOfTime'' not only managed to take over the entire continent, but also ran it so well that "a child could carry a bag of gold from one coast to the other without fear", although his justice system became a bit draconian in later years. The only group he failed to conquer were the Aes Sedai, and possibly only because he died before his war against them was concluded. Unfortunately, he succumbed to the VetinariParadox, and his hard-won Empire collapsed soon after he died.
* The ''{{Malloreon}}'' had Emperor Korzeth, who managed to unite his continent after their patron god and king, Torak, was felled (but [[NotQuiteDead not killed]]) in battle, spending his entire life in a series of bloody wars so that he could pass the empire on to his descendants. His ultimate descendant, Zakath, had aims to finish the job and take the whole planet, but his ambitions cooled over time.

* Kieron in Steven Brust's ''{{Dragaera}}''. In addition, Sethra the Younger is a wannabe TheConqueror, though she has not succeeded (yet).
* RobertAsprin's ''Myth Conceptions'' introduces Big Julie, the general in charge of one of the largest armies anyone has ever seen. He's conquered a fair bit of the entire world by the time he's stopped by the heroes. Of course, he's a CaptainErsatz of Julius Caesar.

* In the ''BlackCompany'' series, [[SorcerousOverlord The Lady]] qualifies as this, having subjugated an entire continent. In the past, her husband [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast The Dominator]] was even worse.
* Rider in ''LightNovel/FateZero'' is none other than Alexander the Great and is known by the additional title ''King of Conquerors''.

* ''HerculesTheLegendaryJourneys'''

* In the official setting for ''{{Champions}}'', there's Istvatha V'han, "The Empress of a Billion Universes", an immortal time-travelling DimensionLord who really has conquered a billion other dimensions.
* Two major examples from the lore of ''{{Warhammer 40k}}'':
** The great human conqueror, [[LargeHamTitle Lord Commander Solar]] Macharius of the Imperium, who deliberately draws parallels to Alexander the Great, waged a seven year long Crusade to expand the borders of the Imperium, with the stated goal of creating the largest such campaign since the days of the Great Crusade (he succeeded, adding nearly a thousand worlds to the Imperial fold). His troops halted only because they had reached the edge of the Astronomican, which permits [[HyperspaceIsAScaryPlace (mostly) safe Warp travel]], although he was game to press onwards.
** The great conqueror of the RisingEmpire of the Tau, Shas'O'Shovah or [[YouAreTheTranslatedForeignWord Fire Commander Farsight]]. One of three foremost students of [[OldMaster the legendary warmaster, Puretide]], Farsight was the first Tau commander to claim major victories against both the Orks and the Imperium; he literally WroteTheBook on both foes, ''The Book of the Beast'' and the ''Mirrorcodex'' (after the Space Marines' [[BigBookOfWar Codex Astartes]]) respectively. After defending the nascent empire from the Imperium's invasion fleets in the Damocles Gulf Crusade, he spearheaded an assault back across the [[NegativeSpaceWedgie Gulf]], conquering several Imperial worlds in quick succession before turning his attention to the Orks nearby and driving them from their worlds as well. During this time his [[ManBehindTheMan Etheral "guides"]] were killed by enemy action, leaving him adrift and separate from the Empire's command structure, so he took direct control of his newly-conquered worlds and ''declared independence'' from the rest of the Tau to form the Farsight Enclaves, the first and only Tau known to do so.

* UsefulNotes/HernanCortez
* UsefulNotes/NapoleonBonaparte, who ''almost'' succeeded in uniting Europe under his rule, if it weren't for those pesky British and a bad winter in Russia.
* Creator/GaiusJuliusCaesar. So effective his name became a title for emperors after him.
* UsefulNotes/AlexanderTheGreat, who holds the record for most land personally conquered by a single individual.
* QinShiHuangdi, the conqueror of "all under heaven" (i.e. China). Not only did he conquer, the empire (and the idea) of China that he founded continues to this day as a major world power more than 2,000 years later, unlike most other conquerors' handiwork.
* UsefulNotes/GenghisKhan, who ruled an empire that made Alexander's look like a postage stamp (but who did not personally conquer all of said land). What's said above under {{Literature}} about Artur Hawkwing's realm is actually adapted from a boast Genghis Khan made: "A virgin with a bag of gold around her neck could walk naked from one end of my realm to another without being attacked."
* King William I of England (better known as William the Conqueror), first battled to secure his claim on Normandy, then invaded England in 1066. While he really only conquered one small island, the impact of that one small conquest on world history cannot possibly be overstated.
** Also, prior to being known as UsefulNotes/WilliamTheConqueror, he was known as William ''the Bastard'': his father, Robert I, Duke of Normandy, had no legitimate issue. William himself was Robert's son by his mistress, the daughter of a tanner (or burgher who owned a tannery, it's not clear) and the aforementioned battling to secure his claim was on account of the somewhat irregular succession of a bastard to the duchy. No doubt he really appreciated the switch in titles.
* Charlemagne, King of the Franks and later the original Holy Roman Emperor.

* UsefulNotes/CyrusTheGreat ''created'' the Persian Empire by conquering pretty much every other civilization in Southwest Asia, the Near East, and the Middle East, from Anatolia to the Indus River. Furthermore, he was a savvy statesman able to give his empire a lasting stability by being generous to the conquered peoples enough to secure their loyalty. Cambyses and Darius, Cyrus's successors, added Egypt, parts of Greece and even more of India to Cyrus's empire.

* Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon united Spain under their joint banners and drove the Muslims out of Western Europe. And then they subsidized an ocean voyage by some guy named UsefulNotes/ChristopherColumbus. (Modern Spaniards like to give the credit to Ferdinand alone because Isabella was an icon of the Franco regime, but [[HistoryMarchesOn Isabella was a far more capable ruler]] and a better general to boot; while she was leading troops--often [[PregnantBadass while pregnant]]--he was off porking his various mistresses before showing up after the battle to take credit.)
* Suleiman the Magnificent: Under his rule, the Ottoman's controlled everything from Algeria to Iran and from Ethiopia to Hungary. In a bit of a departure from some of the other Conquerors here, Suleiman was also known for the great improvements he made to the administrative system of his country. While in the West he was Suleiman the Magnificent, in the East he was known as Suleiman the Lawgiver.
* UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler
** He accomplished what Napoleon Bonaparte tried to do: he ruled a Europe united under one banner. Unsurprisingly, he was overthrown by the same factors (that is, not being able to conquer the British and, most importantly, violating Montgomery's Second Law of War: "Never march on Moscow."
** Hitler also launched Operation Barbarossa, his invasion of the USSR, on the same day Napoleon had invaded Russia. [[SarcasmMode Because we all know how well that turned out.]] It's possible that unexpected developments in the Balkans forced him to postpone the attack until the Wehrmacht had dealt with Yugoslavia and Greece. For extra TemptingFate points, he planned the later phases of the war from Poltava, where Charles XII's [[GreatNorthernWar invasion of Russia had failed.]]
* Timur-I-Lenk (aka Tamerlane), who claimed descent from UsefulNotes/GenghisKhan, and united both the Chagatai Khantate and the Il-Khanate, as well as various other Central Asian states under one banner--his own. He also earned a reputation for brutality that was pretty much unsurpassed until the modern eras of fascism and communism, building pyramids of skulls from his slain enemies, and massacring entire cities. He was once quoted as saying "As there is only one God in Heaven, there should be only one ruler on Earth."
* Harald Fairhair: First king of Norway.

* The first conqueror we have records for was Sargon of Akkad, aka Sargon the Great, a Semitic ruler (and son of a royal gardener) who, after launching a coup d'etat in his home city-state of Akkad, overran every Semitic and Sumerian city-state in Iraq, creating the Akkadian Empire. Akkadia would outlast Sargon by one hundred fifty years, and he has gone down history as the man who ''invented'' the concept of empire.