In this look at ten royals, beginning with Queen Hatshepsut of Egypt and ending with Catherine the Great, each leader's biography is linked with another based on influences, events, and geography. By uncovering these unique and often overlooked connections, history emerges as a chain of patterns and relationships, and readers will understand how these ten leaders shaped the course of human civilization.

Includes index.

Hatshepsut -- Alexander the Great -- Charlemagne -- Henry VIII -- Charles V -- Suleiman the Magnificent -- Elizabeth I -- Louis XIV -- Frederick the Great -- Catherine the Great -- Other famous kings and queens.