Famous Dictators and Influential Leaders

We probably know some of the most famous dictators and influential leaders who became so powerful, but eventually failed in the end.  In this blog post, I listed influential leaders who were charismatic in their own way. Some of these leaders  names will always be a synonymous to “evil.” And some of them were good at leaving a good impression in their countrymen’s heart.

Leader is an individual  who lead, guide, or be in charge and be in command of one country or an organization by choice or appointee. The leader must  have influence or power in political nature and social influence and popular in the field of leadership.

There are leaders with good intentions of changing economic reform of their country and protect their people from human rights violations.  But some leaders who gained power became abusive, power hungry and refused to go down. Often times people revolt against them which results  to crimes, violence and war.

The law of gravity states : “what goes up must come down” thus,  here are some influential leaders who have risen to  power and meet their tragic fall.

1) Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler, was born on April 20,1889, an Austrian and a German politician. He became the Leader of the National Socialist German Worker’s Party, known as the Nazi Party. In 1933 to 1945, he was chosen to be the Chancellor of Germany and became the Head of State as Fuhrer und Reichskanzler. Hitler became very famous for his Rise of Facism in Europe, World War ll and the Holocaust. Hitler suffered nervous breakdown upon learning that his instructions to save Berlin failed and lost the war.  Adolf Hitler committed suicide by gunshot on April 30,1945, with his wife Eva Braun-Hitler who died by cyanide ingestion, at their Fuhrerbunker in Berlin. Some sources said, Hitler asked that their bodies should be burned, but in the Soviet archives, it was reported that they buried Hitler’s remains and was interred. In 1970, their corpse was exhumed and cremated and the ashes were scattered.

 Engelbert Dollfuss

Engelbert Dollfuss, was born on October 4, 1982 in Lower Austria. The 4’11 statesman  of the Austrian Christian Social and Patriotic Front, also served as Minister for Forests and Agriculture and was promoted as Federal Chancellor during the conservative government’ crisis in 1932. He shut down the parliament and banned the Austrian Nazi Party and became the the dictator of his regime. On February 4, 1934, Dollfuss , he prohibited the activities of the Socialist movement and mandate the rule of Austrofascism through absolute obedience to authority of First of May Constitution. On July 26,1934, Dollfuss was assasinated in a failed Coup d’etat attempt By Nazi agents; but through the Stresa Front, Dollfuss’ regime was maintained until 1938 Hitler’s invasion.

2) Benito Mussolini

Benito Amilcare  Andrea Mussoilini, was bron on July 9,1883, an Italian politician and became the leader of the National Fascist Party, and being credited as one of the creator of the Fascism. In 1922, he became the 40th Prime Minister of Italy and used the Italian title as Il Duce or Leader of the movement and became a dictator. In late April 1945, seeing his total defeat, Mussolini and wife Clara Petacci attempted to escape by plane to Switzerland, but were captured and arrested. They  faced execution by the Italian partisan. Their corpses were brought to Milan, and were hung upside-down for public viewing.

3) Juan Domingo Peron

Juan Domingo Peron, was born on October 8, 1895, an Argentine politician and Military officer. Juan Peron served several positions in the government like Secretary of Labor and vice president. Then he became  President of Argentina three times. Juan Peron married three times the first wife Aurelia “Pototta” Peron died of uterine cancer and did not have children, then married the famous Eva Duarte “Evita” Peron who died of cancer and the third wife was Maria Estela Martinez-Peron, who became Peron’s Vice President and suceeded as President after Juan Peron’s death on July 1, 1974 of massive heart attack. On July 1987, the hands of Juan Peron was dismembered from his body from unknown person demanding for US$ 8 million for ransom in return of his hands. The case was unsolved.

Juan Domingo Peron was overthrown by a military coup, the Revolution Libertadora in 1945. Peron fled the country and was not able to arranged the corpse of Eva Peron being displayed in her office at the CGT building. The Military dictatorship took over Argentina and removed the body of Evita Peron which was then buried in undisclosed place.

Maria Eva Duarte de Peron

Maria Eva Duarte’s birthplace and date of birth could not be confirmed, but the Junin’s Civil Registry, shows that a Maria Eva Duarte was born on May 7, 1922, but specific place of birth could not confirm if she was born in Argentina, but some reports said she was born in a small town near the border of Argentina and Paraguay. However,  her baptismal certificate shows that her date of birth is May 7, 1919 using the name of Eva Maria Ibarguren (some report said Eva Peron forged her date of birth for marriage purposes), but some believed Eva Peron destroyed her true birth certificate to forget her past, being an illigetimate child. She then met Juan Peron and got married in a civil rite on October 18, 1945 and later married on a church wedding on December 1945. She became the First Lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death in 1952 at the age of 33 and she held many position during her husband’s regime. Her corpse was embalmed by Dr. Pedro Ara, a famous doctor, replaced glycerine to her blood so that  her corpse will not decay. In 1971, her body was found and was exhumed by Juan Peron and was brought to Spain with his third wife. After Juan Peron’s death, Maria Estela Martinez Peron became successor to President of Argentina. She had Eva Peron’s body buried at the Duarte family tomb.

4) Fulgencio Batista y Zaldivar

Fulgencio Batista y Zaldivar was born in 1901 in Banes, Cuba, but his father baptized him under the name of Ruben Zaldivar. And it was discovered that his name does not exist, and found out that a judge was paid 15,000 Cuban peso for the assumed name. He became the Cuban President , dictator and Military leader serving the country from 1933 to 1944 (1940 Constitution of Cuba) and lived in the United States. He then returned to Cuba in 1952 and lead a coup and was back in power, increased corruption and repressive dictatorship, torture and public executions. The Cuban Revolution under the command of Che Guevarra defeated on January 1, 1959 (New Years Day), Batista at the Battle of Santa Clara. Batista fled Cuba and found political asylum in Portugal and lived there, and died of heart attack on August 6, 1973.

Ernesto “Che” Guevara

Ernesto “Che” Guevara was born on June 14,1928 in Rosario, Argentina. As a young medical student, Che Guevara traveled around Latin America, and saw extreme poverty, inequality between the wealthy and the poor, means of productions are privately owned (capitalism), where the state interfere in the economy protecting big businesses against small businesses (monopolism) and and critics of developed countries and imperialism. In 1953, he became a doctor by profession, but chose to join the political arena. He joined Fidel Castro and younger brother Raul Castro on July 26 and went to Cuba, he led a revolution and overthrown Batista in power and held many position under Fidel Castro’s regime. On October 7, 1967, the Bolivian Special Forces captured Che Guevara. He was executed by Sergent Mario Teran, shooting him 5 times in the legs, one in his right shoulder and arm, one bullet on his chest and the fatal shot on his throat.

5)  Fidel Castro

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz, was born on August 13, 1926, using her mother’s surname “Ruz”, because he was born out of wedlock.  Fidel Castro, a Cuban revolutionary leader and politician, became the Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976. He then assumed the presidency from 1976 to 2008. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba since 1961 to 2011, and converted Cuba as one-party Socialist State with industry being nationalized under state ownership and socialist reforms which he implemented. In 2006 Fidel Castro’s health was slowly deteriorating and appointed his brother to succeed and elected as the new President of Cuba, and Fidel Castro stepped down from power in 2008. His 49 years regime became controversial in Latin America history. Castro escaped many assasination plots or attempts. But in 2007 there was a report that Fidel Castro is suffering from severe diverticulitis and complications from three failed surgery for intestinal disease. But his doctor, Garcia Sibrido, denied this rumored illness.

6)  Rafael Trujillo

Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina, was born on October 24, 1891. He became President officially from 1930 t0 1938, and again on 1942 to 1952. He was famously called El Jefe (the Chief or the Boss), and on August 16, he assumed dictatorial powers at age 38. He then ruled the Dominican Republic and his regime was known as the most bloodiest in America and known as a classic personality cult (mass media propaganda). His regime was blamed and responsible for the Parsley Massacre (mass killing of estimated 20,000 to 30,000  Haitian civilians in 1937). On May 30, 1961, Tuesday night Trujillo was shot dead by an ambush.

7) Augusto Pinochet

Augusto Jose Ramon Pinochet Ugarte, was born on November 25, 1915. He was Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army, from 1973 to 1998, and became the President if the Government Junta of Chile from 1973 to 1974. He became President of the Republic from 1974 until the transition of power to a democratic elected official in 1990 (after his 17 years of ruling). On December 10, 2006, Pinochet died of pulmonary edema and congestive heart failure. He was not granted a military funeral nor even a state funeral and even his cremated ashes were turned down to have it buried in any military grounds. Pinochet died leaving various pending criminal cases of human rights violation, tax evation and embezzlement,  corruption and his questionable wealth of US$ 28 million or even more than that.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on July 18, 1918. He became President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and the first South African elected president of democratic election. He was commonly called Madiba his Xhosa clan name or Tata (Xhosa father).  Before he became president, he was the leader of the Umikhonto we Sizwe (armed wing of the African National Congress) or ANC. He was a legal racial segregation activist (anti-apartheid) from 1948 to 1994 wherein the rights of  non-white inhabitants of South Africa was restricted and the minority rule by white South Africans was maintained. He was the arrested and convicted and sentenced to life in prison, but served 27 years when he was released on February 11, 1990 and became President of South Africa in 1994 to 1999. He was married three times, and has six children and twenty grandchildren and growing greatgrandchildren. In July 2001, Mandela was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was treated radiation course for seven weeks. In 2003 , there was “incorrect reports” about Mandela’s death, and during those time Mandela was on a holiday in Mozambique. Mandela celebrated his 90th birthday on July 18, 2008 disregarding false news about his death. Nelson Mandela recently celebrate his 93rd birthday.

9)  Robert Mugabe

Robert Gabriel  Mugabe born on February 21, 1924, became the Prime Minister in 1980 to 1987, became Head of State since 1987. The Prime Minister was abolished and Mugabe assumed as executive President of Zimbabwe, and gained more power in his regime. His first wife Sally Hayfron-Mugabe died of chronic kidney disease, and their only son, Michael, died of brain malaria at age 3. On August 17, 1996, Mugabe married his secretary and long time mistress, Grace Marulu (who at that time was married to Stanley Goreraza, currently diplomat of China). Since 1980, Mugabe lead the country with criticism internationally because of the 3000 killings during the 1980′s, corruption,political oppression, appointment of “close friends” in his office, lavish lifestyle that causes for the country’s economy to collapsed. Nelson Mandela advised him to “leave office” with dignity, before he could be “chased” like what happened to Augusto Pinochet, but Mugabe ignored Mandela’s concern. His wife Grace Mugabe was known as Gucci Grace or Dis Grace, because of her European shopping spree, extravagant palaces, and properties acquired in Malaysia and Hong Kong, where she and husband could possible escape soon they will be ousted in power. On September 10,2010, rumor and speculations spread that Mugabe is dying of prostate cancer by 2013, as the  WikiLeaks declared in September 11,2011,  through Mugabe’s closed friend Gideon Gono.

10)  Idi Amin Dada

Idi Amin Dada  or Alhaji Dr. Idi Amin Dada,was born in 1925 (unconfirmed date of birth and place). In 1946, he joined the British Colonial Regiment and the King’s African Rifles, became commander and ranked as Major General in the post-colonial Uganda Army and lead the coup deposing Milton Obole. He became the Head of State then promoted himself as Field Marshal. He became President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. He is known as having an erratic behavior.  Idi Amin’s regime was criticized internationally because of human rights violation, ethnic persecution, extra judicial killings (his regime was accused and responsible of 100,000 to 500,000 killings), nepotism, corruption and economic failure, and political repression. He then proclaimed himself as His Excellency President for Life. Idi Amin tried to join his territory of Kagera province of Tanzania, leading to Tanzania – Uganda war that ends his regime. He fled to exile in Libya then to Saudi Arabia until his death of kidney failure on August 16, 2003 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he was buried, and was not allowed to be buried in his country.

11) Francois Duvalier or Papa Doc

Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier was born on April 14, 1907. He was named Papa Doc, for fighting diseases in Haiti.  He became the President of Haiti from 1957 until his death in April 21, 1971. He led a military coup d’etat in 1950 and became President in 1957. His regime based on rural militia and used mass propaganda and belief of voodoo to consolidate his power, and proclaimed himself as Voodoo Priest or houngan . He ruled as “President for Life” from 1964 to 1971. His regime was blamed for the estimated 20,000 to 30,000 Haitians, following an order of Human Capital flight-large-scale emigration of person with technical skills or knowledge or “brain drain”. Haiti has not recovered from these crisis since then. Duvalier suffered massive heart attack and diabetes that made him paranoid and neurological imbalance. He claimed that death of John F. Kennedy was a curse made by him. After his death, he was succeeded by his son, Jean-Claude Duvalier also known as “Baby Doc”.

Jean- Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier

Jean-Claude or Bebe Doc or Baby Doc was born on July 3, 1951 and succeeded his father Francois Duvalier as President of Haiti in 1971. But was overthrown from power in 1986 by popular uprising (rebellion), and fled to France on February 7, 1986 on board U.S. Aircraft and live a luxurious life with his family. He lost his wealth and divorced his wife Michelle in 1993. After two decades of exile Jean-Claude returned on January 16, 2011 to Haiti, but was arrested by Haitian police, facing embezzlement and corruption cases and awaiting trial.

12) Mao Zedung (Mao Tse-Tung), China

Mao Zedong or famously known as Mao Tse-tung or Chairman Mao, was born on December 26, 1983. He was a Chinese Communist Revolutionary warfare strategist, Marxist Philosopher and leader of the Chinese revolution. He was the founder and leader of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) since it was established in 1949 and and control over the nation until his death on September 9, 1976. In August and September 1966, reports said that 1,772 was killed in Beijing alone, during this time Lin Biao was appointed by Chairman Mao and officially chose him to be his successor in 1971. It was later revealed that Lin Biao planned a coup or assassination plot against Mao Zedong. Lin Biao died in a plane crash near Mongolia territory, maybe fleeing from his arrests. Mao Zedong became very ill and died on September 9, 1976 from unconfirmed caused of death, Amyothropic Lateral Sclerosis or much known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. His fourth wife Jiang Quing was sentenced to death in 1981, but was commuted to life imprisonment in 1963. In 1991 she was released in prison after she was diagnosed with throat cancer. She committed suicide by hanging herself on May 14,1991, inside her hospital bathroom.

13) Park Chung Hee of South  Korea

Park Chung-hee was born on September 30, 1917. He became army general of the Republic of Korea Army and leader of South Korea from 1961 until his assassination on October 26,1979. He led the military coup and became a controversial dictator of South Korea and became President and ruled the country for 18 years until his assassination in 1979. The first assassination attempt on Park Chung-hee’s life was on January21, 1968, and the second attempt was on August 15, 1974 by Mun Se-gwang fired a gun at Park but missed and killed his wife instead, Yuk Young-soo. On October 26, 1979, Park Chung-hee was shot to death by his Chief security and Director of Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA), Kim Jae-kyu, a very closed friend of Park Chung-hee.  Kim Jae-kyu was executed by hanging on May 24, 1980.

14)  Kim Il-Sung of North Korea

Kim Il-sung was born on April 15, 1912, and was a Korean Communist politician and leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea from 1948 until his death on July 8,1994 at age 82. He became the Chairman and General Secretary of the Workers Party of Korea. He ruled his country with unlimited power, was referred to as the Suryong (Great Leader) and was given the name by the constitution as the Eternal President. On July 8, 1994, Kim Il-sung had a sudden heart attack and died at age 82, and was succeeded by his son Kim Jong-il.

Kim Jong-il

Kim Jong-il, the son of former Kim Il-sung and his successor, was born on February 16, 1941, (according to Soviet records) or the North Korean record, February 16,1942. He became the leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea, Chairman of the National Defense Commission, General Secretary of the Workers Party of Korea (the ruling party since 1948), and the Supreme Commander of the Korean Peoples Army (the 4th largest army in the world). He became the Supreme Leader of North Korea after North Korea’s constitution was amended on April 2009. In August 2008, it was reported that Kim Il-sung died in 2003 of diabetes, but was denied by North Korean government. But was reported that Kim had a stroke paralyzing part of his hand and feet. In 2010, the WikiLeaks released documents stating that Kim Il-sung is suffering from epilepsy. His son, Kim Jong-un, is the possible successor for his father as North Korea’s Leader.

15) Sukarno of Indonesia

Born Kusno Sosrodihardjo, but most famous with his name Sukarno, was born on June 6, 1901. He was Indonesia’s first President from 1945 to 1967 and was leader to fight for Independence from Netherlands. On March 12, 1967, he was ousted as President of Indonesia by MPRS ( People’s Consultative Assembly) by former cabinet member,  Nasation. He was put under house arrest and became ill and died of kidney failure on June 21,1970 at the age of 69, in Jakarta Army Hospital. Suharto, one of Sukarno’s general replaced him as head of Indonesia.

Suharto was the second President of Indonesia replacing Sukarno after he was put under house arrest. Sukarno was born on June 8, 1921 and held office for 32 years, from 1967 until his resignation in 1998. Suharto built a dominated military and centralized government and an anti-communist government that gained him diplomatic and economic support from the western countries. During Suharto’s regime,  he invaded East Timor that causes estimated 100,000 deaths and was accused of corruption and genocide killings but because of lack of support for the case and poor health he was not tried in court. The Indonesian currency collapsed and foreign investments dropped down, massive lay-offs of workers and unemployment crisis and created tension in the country. On May 21, 1998, Suharto resigned and appointed Vice President B.J. Habbie as the 3rd president of Indonesia according to the constitution. On May 29, 2000 Suharto was put under house arrest, when the Indonesian officials began to re-investigate all his corruption cases during his regime and accused of fraud and embezzlement of US$571 million of donations for the government, to finance family businesses. Beacuse of suspected brain disease, Suaharto was not sentenced and was acquitted from criminal charges and ordered to pay US$110 million from his Supersemar Foundation, a charitable institution of Suharto. On January 27, 2008, Suharto died at age 86,  from complications of heart, kidney, lungs and anemia (low blood pressure).

Tommy Suharto

Hutomo Mandala Putra or famously known as Tommy Suharto, the youngest son of the former Indonesia President Suharto, was born on July 15, 1962. He was accused and found guilty of crime by giving order to assassinate Syafiuddin Kartsasmita, Judge of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia. Tommy Suharto was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment but because of influential power and wealth he was released from jail terms.

16) Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos

Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, was born on September 11, 1917, became the President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. While in power he implemented the Martial Law in 1972 and his regime defaced despotism, nepotism, political repression and human rights violation, corruption, embezzlement of billion of dollars and secreting of investments of “hidden assets and wealth” deposited in the US, Switzerland and other countries. The first family lived a luxurious life during his more than 20 years n power. Ferdinand Marcos was rumored to have Lupus disease, but was denied , but it was reported that Mr Marcos had undergone a kidney transplant secretly, and the surgeon who performed was gone missing and later found murdered. He and wife Imelda Marcos, who have equal power with husband, and family with their loyalists were put in exile in Honolulu, Hawaii after Senator Benigno Aquino’s assassination in 1986, where the people’s revolt against Marcos regime started. The People’s Power Revolution ousted Marcos and family from dictatorship. Ferdinand Marcos died in Hawaii on September 28, 1989 and temporarily interred in Byodo In-Temple in the Island of Oahu, and was flown back to his province in Ilocos Norte, Philippines,  and was interred in a refrigerated crypt.

17) Zulfikar Ali Bhutto

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, became the 4th President of Pakistan from 1971 to 1973, and became the 9th Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1973 to 1977.  He was the founder of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and served as the Chairman of the largest and most influential political party of the country until his execution in 1979 on murder charges. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was ousted from his position in a successful coup d’etat under the code name Operation Fair Play led by General Zia-ul-Haq, held Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in Central Jail Rawalpindi (CJR). General Zia-ul-Haq, proclaimed himself as the Chief Martial Law Administrator of Pakistan.

Benazir Bhutto

Benazir Bhutto, the eldest daughter of Zalfikar Ali-Bhutto , became the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan. She served as Prime Minister of Pakistan twice. She was born on June 21, 1953 and was assassinated on December 27, 2007, she is the wife of the current President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardan.

Dr. Mir Ghulam Murtaza Bhutto

Mir Ghulam Murtaza Bhutto, younger brother of Benazir Bhutto, also a Pakistan politician and member of Parliament of Pakistan. He was born on September 18, 1954. Murtaza was murdered on September 20, 1996 from police encounter during Benazir Bhutto’s regime. The police was acquitted due to lack of evidence and case unsolved.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq was born on August 1924, and became the 6th President of Pakistan, from July 1977 until his death on August 17, 1988. He was appointed as Chief of the Army Staff , led the coup d’etat on July 5, 1976, overthrow Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in a bloodless coup. He became the state ruler and imposed Martial Law. He was known as “fundamentalist Sunni dictator”. On August 17, 1988, Zia along with cabinet members, some of his top generals and US Ambassador to Pakistan Arnold Lewis Raphel died on an aircraft crash.

18) Sadam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (Iraq)

Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was bron on April 28, 1937. He was the 5th President of Iraq from July 16, 1979 until his fall on Aprol 9, 2003. He led the Iran-Iraq war of 1980 to 1988 and was responsible for the 200,000 killings of the civilian deaths and destroying of villages  of the Kurdish people (Iraqi Kurdistan). Saddam’s army was lead by Ali Hassan al-Majid who led the genocidal killings of many Kurdish people. In 1990 Saddam conquered  and looted Kuwait, but the International coalition helped free Kuwait thus began the Gulf War in 1991. The US and UK headed coalition of countries invaded Iraq on March 2003. Iraq’s government was changed to democratic system after Saddam’s Ba’ath Party was disband following his capture by Operation Red dawn on December 13, 2003. Saddam’s trial took place under Iraqi Interim Government and was convicted to death by hanging, on the charges of 148 Iraqi Shi’ites killings in 1982. Saddam Hussein faced death by hanging on December 30, 2006. Ali Hassan al-Majid, Saddam’s  Ba’ath’s Iraqi Defense Minister, Interior Minister Military Commander and Chief of the Iraqi Intelligence Service was sentenced to death by hanging on January 25, 2010 on charges of genocide against Kurds during the al-Anfal campaign against genocidal of the 1980s.He is the first cousin of Saddam Hussein.

19) Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak (Egypt)

Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak was born on May 4, 1928, became the 4th President of Egypt from 1980 to 2011. In 1975 he became Vice President and assumed the presidency on October 14, 1981 after President Anwar El Sadat’s assassination. Mubarak was the longest serving leader since Muhammad Ali Pasha’s regime. The 2011 Egyptian 18 days revolution pushed Mubaral to resign from his 31 years leadership. On April 13, 2011 the prosecutors ordered the former president and his sons to be detained for 15 days to face allegations of corruptions and abused of power and investigating role on Anwar Sadat’s assassination. Hosni Mubarak is now suffering from stomach cancer, circulatory problem with abnormal heartbeat and last July 13, 2011 an unconfirmed report said Mubarak slipped in coma.

Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat (3rd President of Egypt)

Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat became the 3rd President of Egypt from October 15, 1970 until his assassination on October 6, 1981 by fundamentalists army officers. He served 11 years as President of Egypt and won the Nobel Peace Prize for his Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, but this made him unpopular among Arabs and eventually the caused of his murder.

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah Of Iran

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Shah of Iran, Shah of Persia was born October 26, 1919. He ruled Iran from September 16, 1941 until February 11. 1979, he was overthrown by the Iranian Revolution. Mohammad Reza Palahvi was the second and last monarch of the House of Pahlavi of the Iranian Monarchy. His regime was accused of brutality, corruption, luxurious living, economic shortages and inflation, that the US culture is influencing Iran, oppression and centralized royal power body. The Shah of Iran died in exile on July 27, 1980 at the age of 60 of Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia ( a kind of  non-Hodgkin lymphoma).

Ruhollah Khomeini or the Grand Ayatollah Khomeini

Ruhollah Khomeini a religious leader of Iran,  was born on September 24, 1902, famously known as Imam Khomeini and the Grand Ayatollah Khomeini. He ruled Iran after Shah Reza Palahvi’s overthrown from his power, following a revolution and a National referendum, and Ayatollah became the Supreme Leader of Iran. This is the country’s highest position political and religious authority title given to Khomeini. During his regime, Iran suffered human rights violation, and hypocritical rising in power of Khomeini. He was responsible for the “Iranian Hostage crisis” , where 52 Americans were kept hostage for 444 days, from November 4, 1979 until January 20, 1981. Khomeini spent 14 years in exile during Shah Reza Palahvi’s reign. On Januray 17, 1979 the Shah of Iran left the country for “indefinite vacation” but never returned until his death in exile. It was a victorious time for Khomeini who took over the leadership of Iran. Khomeini became ill, and after 11 days of confinement he died on June 3, 1989 at age 86. His successor was Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hoseyni Khamene’i or Ali Kahmene’i  and became the 26th in the list of World’s Most Powerful People in 2010 Forbes magazine. His right arm was paralyzed as result of an assassination attempt in June 1981. Unconfirmed reports stated that Khameini has terminal Leukemia and expected to die soon.

20) Muammar  Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi (Libya)

Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi became despot ruler of Libya since 1969 after a military coup of his predecessor , the crown prince of Libya who was under house arrest after the coup, Sayyid Hassan ar-Rida al-Mahdi as-Senussi, while King Idris of Libya was in Turkey for medical attention. Since then Muammar Gaddafi yook over and proclaimed himself as King of Kings, Brother Leader and Guide of the Revolution. But his 42 years in power was put into an end during the 2011 Libyan civil war and National Transitional Council was created. On June 27, 2011 a warrant of arrest was issued by the International Criminal Court for Gaddafi and his sons Saif al-Islam and brother Abdullah al-Senussi for crimes against humanity. Gaddafi’s wealth with total amount of 6.6 billion dollars of assets was freeze by the US, UK, Germany and France and will be donated to the humanitarian aid for Libya. On August 23, 2011 Gaddafi lost control of the Tripoli government. Gaddafi was described as conceited, erratic and changeable  in temperament and volatile in  nature. He was called “mad dog of the Middle East” by the Reagan’s administration, while Anwar Sadat called him “unbalanced, immature and vicious criminal“. Muammar Gaddafi was reportedsuffering from bipolar (manic depression), schizophrenia, psycho-pathologial condition and delusional fantasies (megalomania). Muammar Gaddafi and his clan are now in hiding in undisclosed place.

Bonus:  Bashar al-Assad of Syria

Bashar al-Assad was born on September 11, 1965, became the President of Syria and regional Secretary of the Ba’ath Party. He was the successor of his father Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria for 29 years until his death on June 10, 2000 of pulminary fibrosis (although some claimed he died of blood cancer) at age 69. Hafez al-Assad was preparing his eldest son Basil al-Assad to be his successor, but Basil died in a car accident and made his second son Bashar his successor as the President of Syria. Bashar’s regiment was criticized economic failure, violating of human rights (he required all internet cafe’s to record all chat forums, Wikipedia websites, Facebooks and YouTube which he blocked in 2008 until February 2011) and corruptions. The Human Right Watch and Amnesty International, are groups that Bashar’s regime and his secret police torture, imprison, and kill political opponents, activists and those who speak against Bashar’s government. Syria was the worst offender among Arab countries. On February 4 and 5 2011 was called the “day of rage” but failed and protests against Bashar’s regime was set again on March 18 and 19 and the biggest protests ever than in Syria for many decades. Bashar promised a “national dialogue” about movement toward reform and new parliamentary elections and urges refugees in Turkey to return to Syria assuring of amnesty. But in August 2011, the famous political cartoonist and known critic of Bashar’s regime, Ali Farzal, was attacked by Syrian Security Forces, mauled him and was hospitalized for fractured both hands and head trauma and threat of braking his bones if he continue to draw Bashar’s cartoon images.

Osama Bin Muhammad bin-Laden was born on March 10, 1957, the founder of Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11, attack of the Twin Tower, United States Pentagon, and numerous mass casualties of civilians and military targets. Osama bin-Laden belong to the wealthy clan of saudi bin-Laden family, an ethnic from Yemani Kindite.  On May 2, 2011 Osama bin-Laden was killed in his hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan by US Navy Seals and CIA operatives in an operation ordered by US President Barack Obama. Bin Laden was buried at the sea.

Just recently people around the world remember the 10th year Anniversary of the terrifying attack by the terrorists.