If you've never played one of these games, the concept is simple. You choose a civilization and attempt to achieve victory through military conquest, scientific achievement, or cultural dominance. Each civilization is based on one from the real world, and gets certain bonuses and traits based on their history. For example, Japan often plays as a military powerful civilization, especially in the mid-game, reflecting the dominance of the Samurai, while Egypt often gets a bonus to the construction of wonders (unique buildings such as the Pyramids which give powerful bonuses). Each Civ is also led by a historical leader who you interact with through diplomacy. These are usually famous, iconic leaders from the history of the civilization chosen both for their fame and for the fact that they are emblematic in some of their culture as a whole.
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| Screenshot from Civilization VI, showing a city which has constructed the Pyramids of Giza wonder. |
As of right now, we have been told about 19 civs the game will launch with. Here are my thoughts on their leaders and why I like or dislike the choice. I've divided the civs into three groups. Choices I think are great overall any that I can't find serious fault with, choices that I think were bad with few redeeming qualities, and choices which I either think are good with some reservations or choices where I don't know enough about the leader's history to make a solid judgement at this point. This is based totally on my personal opinion, so let me know if you disagree with any of my thoughts!
The Good
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| Also, Trajan was ripped which is a nice bonus |
Leader: Trajan
YES. Trajan is by far my favorite Emperor. The first history paper I ever wrote, way back in the mists of time, was a 20 page research biography of this guy. Regarded as one of the top five emperors (only Augustus is regularly ranked higher) the Roman Empire reached its greatest extent under Trajan, and no emperor after him would meet the same level of success. In character, he's also one of the most old school "Romans" of the emperors (despite being born in Spain!). He was a great military leader, but also well educated in the law and with an interest in the arts, philosophy, and architecture. Less famous to the general public than Julius Caesar or one of the "bad" emperors like Nero or Caligula, I'm glad to see Trajan getting a little love from modern pop culture. My favorite choice for a leader by far.
America
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| He also had a Judo gym built in the White House basement so he had a place to beat up visitors. I'm not even making that up! |
Leader Theodore (my hero) Roosevelt
It's not Lincoln or Washington, so I'm happy. Any of you that know my love for the National Parks will understand why I like Teddy. He usually makes the top five list of greatest presidents, a fact illustrated by his inclusion on Mt. Rushmore alongside Lincoln and two of the founding fathers. He was the most quintessentially "American" president I can think of; a brave soldier, an outdoorsman and explorer, a great politician and businessman, a successful rancher and socialite. He blended as equally well with New York high society as he did with poor cowboys out on the range. His campaign platform was shockingly progressive for the time, and even today he would be considered something of a radical for his drive to constantly improve the lives of ordinary Americans while simultaneously tackling corruption and other outside influences. In many ways he was, to me at least, the most "representative' of all of our presidents, and I couldn't be happier with this choice.
Russia
Leader: Peter the Great
I love love love this choice. Peter is arguably the greatest of all of the historical Czars, and is one of the few that can probably be identified by name by a wider western audience. With that said, I wouldn't have minded if they had stuck with Catherine the Great from Civ V, but it seems that they are trying to change things up in this game so I am still a happy camper!
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| Besides, modern games don't feature enough Mustaches |
Germany
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| And if you can't tell, Barbarossa was also a really nice looking guy! |
Leader: Frederick Barbarossa
For once medieval Germany gets some love. Usually in games we get one of two German nations; the Imperial one from the Franco-Prussian War to WWI, or the Nazi one. I'm glad to see the Holy Roman Empire represented in this game. Frederick was extremely powerful in his time; his death while on the way to the Holy Land is seen by some as the beginning of the end of the chances for success during the Crusades. He's considered the greatest medieval German Emperor, and during his own time was both feared and respected by his fellow European leaders. He challenged popes, re-established the German states as a power to be reckoned with, and became a legend while still alive. A fantastic choice even if he wasn't from a grossly under-represented period of German and central European history.
Scythia
Leader: Tomyris
This is another fantastic Choice. Tomyris was a Queen of the Massagetae, a group of Scythians who resisted the expansion of the Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great. Under her leadership the Scythians not only defeated but killed Cyrus, and she was one of the few ancient female rulers spoken of with admiration by the ancient Greek historians. She's also quite probably the most famous Scythian leader by far, so that's a plus too!
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| This painting is titled "Tomyris Plunges the Head of the Dead Cyrus into a Vessel of Blood." She's definitely the leader on this list that I'd be most afraid to fight! |
Norway
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| Call me a skeptic, but I get the feeling that the historical Harald may have been a little more frightening looking than this... |
Leader: Harald Hardrada
Harald is often called the last viking king, and for good reason. In 1066 he led an invasion of England shortly before William the Bastards more famous (and more successful) attempt. Harald was killed during the invasion; at the Battle of Stamford Bridge he wore no armor, entered a berserk rage, and laid into the thick of the fighting swinging his sword two handed. Before becoming king, Harald led a true viking life too; he was a mercenary, fought in several battles, and even served as a bodyguard to the Byzantine Emperor in Constantinople. He's one of the most fondly remembered kings of Norway, and his death is often cited as the end of the viking age.
Spain
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| Philip also had excellent taste in his choice of codpiece and pantyhose. |
Leader: Philip II
Philip was one of the most effective leaders in Spanish history. At one point he was married to the Queen of England (Mary I) and influenced the course of two of the three great powers of Europe. During his rule Spain entered its golden age and the Spanish empire was at the peak of its power. It controlled colonies across the Americas, and its treasure fleets became legendary and inspired the first raiders to attack treasure ships igniting the Golden Age of Piracy. He launched the Spanish Armada against England (spoiler alert: it failed miserably), and was arguably the most famous, influential monarch in his own time. After his death Spain began its slow, steady decline and the nation never really had another truly successful monarch, further cementing Philip's legacy. Great choice.
Japan
Leader: Hojo Tokimune
While not my favorite choice, I do think this is perhaps the most interesting on the list. The obvious choices would have been Emperor Meiji or Tokugawa, but instead they chose the leader who defeated the Mongols. More well known in Japan than in the west, this guy was still extremely influential and stands as one of the greatest medieval leaders of Japan. In addition to kicking Mongol butt, he also helped to spread Zen Buddhism among the upper classes of Japanese society and helped to cement the form that the Samurai class would eventually take.
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| He's actually so poorly known in the west, this is the first image result on a Goolge search of his name. No joke! |
China
Leader: Qin Shi Huang
I mean, they picked the leader the modern country is freaking named for. It can't get much more iconic than that. There are a lot of interesting and iconic leaders they could have gone for , but Qin is a really solid choice. For centuries Qin was remembered for his brutal treatment of his subjects, but in recent decades he has come to be viewed more objectively. This is in part because of Mao, who was fascinated by Qin and ordered that the history of his reign be taught in China in a positive light. He burned books, built the terracotta army, had numerous concubines (who he had buried alive with him when he died), and his tomb remains unopened due to the pools and rivers of liquid mercury he ordered to surround his body after death. Say what you will about Qin, but the guy led an interesting life and aside from a few of the mongols, is definitely the Chinese emperor best known to us here in the west today.
The Bad
France
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| Because when I think of France, I think of a Florentine banking family! |
Leader; Catherine de Medici
No no no no no no no. This is by far my least favorite choice for a leader in the game. I suspect that the developers were seeking to include more female rulers into the game, and wanted to get away from the whole Joan of Arc stereotype. With that said, it's still a bad choice. Firstly, Catherine wasn't French, she was Italian (duh). She never really ruled in her own right, though as regent for her sons during their minority she did wield a high degree of influence in the way the Kingdom was ruled, though no without opposition. She wasn't very popular during her own lifetime in France, and her legacy today continues to be mixed. My big issue here is that France has SO MANY iconic leaders; Napoleon, Louis XIV, Charlemagne (sort of), St. Louis, Philip Augustus, and so many more. Instead they chose an extremely interesting but otherwise extremely odd choice.
Egypt
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| Beauty is no substitute for a solid Roman legion at your side |
Leader: Cleopatra
This one is nearly as bad as France in my mind. I have serious beef with Cleopatra as a historical figure, so much so that I am probably going to write a post on it in the near future. Where do I begin? Firstly, she's not Egyptian, she's Macedonian Greek. Secondly, her greatest accomplishment was getting her empire taken by a Roman teenager (the future Augustus) and his drinking buddy (Agrippa). Okay, that's a gross oversimplification, but it's also not entirely untrue. Much better choice (and to keep the gender diversity going) would have been Hatshepsut; she was and still is considered one of the greatest rulers of Ancient Egypt, but didn't get the benefit of a Shakespeare starring role or an Elizabeth Taylor film. And she was, you know, actually effective. And Egyptian.
The In-Between
Arabia
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| Ok, not a historical depiction, but Ghassan Massoud's portrayal of Saladin in Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven is one of my favorite portrayals of a historical figure in a film ever, and I'll use an image of him whenever I get the excuse! |
Leader: Saladin
I am torn on this one. As a historical figure, I love Saladin and he's one of the most recognizable Muslim leaders in the west thanks to his part in recapturing Jerusalem from the crusaders. With that said, it's a bit of a weird choice for a couple of reasons. Firstly, Saladin wasn't an Arab; he was Kurdish. Secondly, The dynasty which he founded (the Ayyubids) didn't control more than a thin strip of coastal Arabia at his death. I think a more representative leader may have been someone like the Caliph Harun al-Rashid. He was the leader of Arabia in Civ V though, and it may be that the game's developers wished to mix things up a bit. If Saladin was instead represented as the leader of the Ayyubids instead of the more generic "Arabs" this would be one of my favorite choices.
Sumeria
Leader: Gilgamesh
Hmmm. On the one hand, he may have not existed or may be a composite character. On the other, he's the most recognizable leader of ancient Sumeria by far (again, if he existed). Most famous for his depiction in the Epic of Gilgamesh, this is (so far) the most ancient ruler in the game. In this case I'll give it a pass; we don't necessarily have a ton of reliable information on most of the leaders of Sumeria, and I like the fact that the Sumerians getting featured in a game.
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| The Epic of Gilgamesh |
Greece
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| Fun Fact: Pericles would wear his helmet tipped up on his head like this even while in civilian clothes while walking around Athens. This made him a target of ridicule and mockery by many in the city. |
Leader; Pericles
The beef I have here is that Pericles is a great leader for say, Athens. But all of Greece? I'm not sure what the Spartans, Corinthians, Macedonians, etc. would have had to say about that. This is a criticism I have for a few leaders on this list; the consolidation of many different cultures and civilizations into one big umbrella for the sake of simplicity. Yes, when many people think of ancient Greece they think of Athens, but I do think it is a bit of a disservice to all of the other city-states in that modern country to focus on them exclusively. I'd have liked to have seen Athens with Pericles, and then maybe Sparta with Leonidas or something similar instead.
Kongo
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| I pulled this image from a site in what I presume is the Kongo language. I can't vouch for the historical accuracy of the depiction of Alfonso here. Or if this is even him. Google translate has failed me. But I wanted to go with an African depiction of him, so there you go. |
Leader: Mvemba a Nzinga (Alfonso I)
I'll confess, I knew next to nothing about this guy when I saw his announcement trailer. He's definitely the leader (and the Civ) I knew the least about. Also known as Alfonso I after his conversion, he apparently led the Christianization of Kongo and attempted to modernize the Empire. I am told by people more in the know that there are potentially better leaders in terms of influence, but this guy is the one that people are most likely to know. I'm putting this one down as "ambivalent" until I have a chance to read some more!
India
Leader: Gandhi
As a historical choice, this is weird because, of course, Gandhi never "led" India. However, he's almost certainly been included because India/Gandhi have been in the Civ series since day one. In his first appearance the Gandhi AI was bugged, causing the civ to act abnormally. Hilariously, the leader known as one of the greatest representatives on non-violence was prone to launching unprovoked nuclear strikes on his neighbors and generally being extremely aggressive in the game. Because of the popularity of this disparity (even among Indian fans of the series), in sequels to the original game Gandhi was often programmed to act randomly or aggressively intentionally. I'll give this one a pass simply for the tradition of it in Civ games. That said, I wouldn't have minded seeing some new blood. Ashoka would have been a fantastic choice!
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| The nuke-happy Gandhi thing quickly became one of the original gaming memes, and remains popular to this day. |
Brazil
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| Pedro might also win the "best beard" award in Civ Vi. It's definitely a tossup between him and Barbarossa... |
Leader; Pedro II
After Kongo, Brazil is probably the Civ that I know the least about. Under Pedro Brazil became the most wealthy, stable nation in South America and became something of a beacon of liberal ideals under his leadership. He was quite literally a genius and polymath who had interest in a number of scientific, historical, and cultural subjects. Pedro shaped Brazil to have the independent, unique culture and identity it enjoys today, distinct form Portugal or Brazil's Spanish-speaking neighbors. He's often rated as the greatest leader in Brazilian history, and I don't know enough about the subject to dispute that!
Aztecs
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| Montezuma depicted in an Aztec codex, created shortly after the Spanish conquest. I have no idea what's going on in this picture though... |
Leader: Montezuma I
Not a whole lot of competition here to be honest, but still a solid choice. Montezuma essentially created the Aztec Empire and brought it to its largest extent. Unlike his more famous successor Montezuma II, he also didn't have to deal with any pesky European horses, armor, firearms, or diseases. Montezuma is one of the very few native leaders from before the European arrival in the Americas for which we have any information, and this has made him a popular topic of study dating back as far as the decades immediately after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. The only other real choice for leader here would be Montezuma II, but because he was unable to resist European aggression, his legacy and actual effectiveness as ruler are far less clear than in his ancestor's case.
England
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| God Save the Queen |
Leader: Victoria
I both love and hate this choice. Victoria is one of the greatest monarchs in history; heck the last major "named" age bore her name, and if that's not influence, I don't know what is. My problem here is that along with the leader, many of the features of the civ in the game are from the British Empire, not just England. A simple name change to "Great Britain" or similar and I would be happy. Then they could introduce other civs for England, Scotland, Wales, etc. I know its kind of a pedantic complaint, but this IS an opinion post afterall!
And that's it! No sources today, as I don't think they're really needed. If you disagree with any of my assessments, or can think of better leaders in any of these cases, let me know!
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