1. Political skill and relationships trump brute force
Commenters repeatedly stressed that maintaining power—especially for monarchs who couldn’t rely on physical dominance—depends on shrewd tactics, alliance‑building, and careful communication.
- “When you can't rely on being able to physically overpower your opponents directly … anyone who gets and keeps power does so by some really, really sharp tactics.” – roughly
- “At the level of monarchs, personal physical strength rarely matters regardless of gender anyway.” – hnfong
2. Historical narratives are often shaped by propaganda or myth
Several users pointed out that popular beliefs—like Napoleon’s exceptional shortness or simplistic portrayals of Elizabeth—are later inventions or biased retellings.
- “Napoleon was actually average height for the time period … Claims he was especially short were English propaganda that got accepted and survived to the modern day.” – techjamie
- “Napoleon was hardly short for his time, that was just English propaganda.” – Danox
3. Success hinges on a strong team and fortunate circumstance
The discussion highlighted that effective rulers surround themselves with capable advisors and benefit from luck (e.g., avoiding a predecessor’s mistakes).
- “Elizabeth seems to have been quite masterful and deliberate both in her choice of what she would communicate, and in composing and marshalling her team.” – dsjoerg
- “Elizabeth was lucky in having an excellent team of people working for her.” – sherry