10 of the Most Notorious Leaders in History

10. Pol Pot (Cambodia, 1976-1979)
Pol Pot, leader of the Khmer Rouge, oversaw one of the deadliest genocides in history. His regime subjected millions to forced labor, starvation, and horrific executions. Entire families, including children, were executed in Cambodia’s infamous Killing Fields, contributing to the deaths of about 2 million people—roughly 25% of the population.

9. Leopold II (Belgium, 1865-1909)
Leopold II’s colonization of the Congo was marked by brutal exploitation. Millions of Congolese were forced into labor to meet rubber and ivory production quotas. When demands weren’t met, mutilation, beatings, and killings followed. An estimated 10 million Congolese died during his reign of terror.

8. Kim Jong-il (North Korea, 1994-2011)
Kim Jong-il’s regime was known for its extreme repression. The North Korean government controlled nearly all aspects of life, and hundreds of thousands were imprisoned under brutal conditions. His mismanagement led to a devastating famine that killed between 240,000 and 3.5 million people.

7. Idi Amin (Uganda, 1971-1979)
Known as the “Butcher of Uganda,” Idi Amin’s dictatorship was infamous for its violent repression, ethnic persecution, and mass killings. Amin reportedly killed up to half a million people, with acts of cruelty that included feeding victims to crocodiles and mutilating one of his wives.

6. Saddam Hussein (Iraq, 1979-2003)
Saddam Hussein’s rule was marked by widespread violence, war, and human rights abuses. His brutal regime was responsible for the deaths of at least 2 million people, including mass killings through chemical attacks and torture. Hussein was eventually convicted of crimes against humanity and hanged in 2006.

5. Mao Zedong (China, 1949-1976)
As the founding leader of the People’s Republic of China, Mao’s policies, including the Great Leap Forward, led to one of the deadliest famines in human history. Millions died from starvation, and many more were subjected to torture and execution. Estimates of the death toll range from 40 to 80 million.

4. Genghis Khan (Mongol Empire, 1206-1227)
Genghis Khan’s military conquests were marked by extreme brutality. His armies are believed to have killed up to 60 million people, with victims suffering gruesome fates, including being used as human shields or executed en masse. Entire cities were obliterated during his campaigns.

3. Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union, 1922-1952)
Stalin’s leadership in the Soviet Union was defined by repression, forced labor camps (Gulags), and purges of political rivals. Millions of people were imprisoned, tortured, or executed. It’s estimated that Stalin was responsible for the deaths of over 15 million people, through famine, executions, and deportations.

2. Vlad the Impaler (Wallachia, 1448-1477)
Vlad the Impaler earned his fearsome reputation through his preferred method of execution—impalement. He terrorized his enemies by impaling tens of thousands of people, including soldiers, rivals, and civilians. His cruelty inspired the legend of Dracula, but the real horror lay in his reign of terror over Wallachia.

1. Adolf Hitler (Germany, 1933-1945)
Adolf Hitler’s dictatorship during World War II led to the deaths of millions. His regime orchestrated the Holocaust, which saw the systematic genocide of 6 million Jews and millions of others deemed undesirable by the Nazis. Hitler’s war crimes and the devastation of WWII made him one of the most notorious figures in history.