That's a stretch Tyran. That's a huge stretch. No academic source I've seen ever mentions that.

And shouldn't all the anti-Hitler people be jumping off the genghis khan train if that's true? Since he would then be responsible for the deaths of a third of Europe on top of 45 million or so in China and another 40 million or so in the rest of the world in his conquests alone?

Give me a break.

I'm with phil - militarily, the two are a wash. Politically, Napoleon implemented reforms that fundamentally changed the way the western world worked. Didn't he standardize the metric system too?

Genghis: 11
Napoleon: 9

Well, as far as I'm informed about the propagation of the Black Death, the Mongols can't be credited, for the use of gunpowder there are many different theories about how it got to Europe, among which the Mongol theory is to my knowledge one of the least plausible ones. I'd be delighted though, if you could provide some sources instead of just claiming they we"re credited" (I'd like to know by whom).

As to your misconception about the feudal system, I suggest you start with Wikipedia and read from there.

Switching my vote to Napoleon. The clincher comes down to Genghis Khan not finishing his military expeditions. Ogedei Khan was the one who made the Mongol Empire second in size only to the British, and he, not Genghis, was the one who so profoundly changed Chinese history and the like in Central Asia. If Genghis finished his military ventures, he would be responsible for more responsible for these things and would keep my vote. "the Mongol theory is to my knowledge one of the least plausible ones" Russia, which was once ruled by the Mongols, had to get their gunpowder FROM Europe. If it were the Mongols, Russia would have had it much sooner. Also, the Black Death thing, even if it were the Mongols who caused its spread into Europe, Genghis had nothing to do with that. It was a century after his death.
Napoleon after landing on the shore of France after escaping exile on Elba to his former soldiers: "If there is one among you who wishes to kill his emperor, here I am."
Genghis: 10
Napoleon: 10

Napoleon is directly attributed with cultural and political lines that make up europe. (He is the reason for germany's unification,which i am going on a limb to say is important *cough* hitler *cough*)

I'll switch to Napoleon.

KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"The clincher comes down to Genghis Khan not finishing his military expeditions."
As opposed to Napoleon, who totally accomplished his goal of conquering Europe.

Vashta, I can't see an N in your vote. It doesn't count.

Achieving his goal =/= finishing his expedition.

Neopolian

Neopolitan*

Why was Genghis even nominated? Leader of a very big gang of murderers, theives, and rapists, and nothing else. Contributed nothing to science, built no lasting infrastructure. Brought nothing but death and misery to a large part of the world.

Greatest evil in history? Yes he would be well in the running.

Ataboi votes for Ataboi

Ataboi!

Well, the Mongols were actually pretty nice if you surrendered and unlike most other empires actually had religious freedom.

Religious freedom, safe travel throughout all of the empire for merchants simply because you don't rob merchants when the penalty is a painful death. A good mail and road system

Napoleon had religious freedom too, right? He emancipated the Jewish population of his empire, and was also friendly with the Islamic people he encountered.

Both of these are great choices, although they're more similar than the Alexander vs. Muhammad, it's still quite tricky. As much as I want to exclaim "KHAN!" in honor of Leonard Nimoy, I think the edge is Napoleon's; and the Napoleonic Era is a time that I have a fascination with. Who just rises to power like that? Crazy.

Napoleon Bonaparte.

Khan

And Muhammad! Guys a pedo rapist - yet another great man of history according to webdiplomacy. Hilarious.

@fiedler: first of all, "great" doesn't necessarily mean "good person," and I think that "influential" might be more of what we're looking for. Also, someone can do terrible things yet still do good things--Bill Cosby is apparently an example of that.

Also, I'm not an expert on Islam, but I think you're selling Muhammad a bit short.

Genghis: 11
Napoleon: 13

Close vote so far

Are you fucking kidding me. Genghis Khan was so much more important than Bonaparte

"As much as I want to exclaim "KHAN!" in honor of Leonard Nimoy" Honoring Nimoy would be killing Khan and avenging him.

There wouldn't even be a Russia without the Golden Horde

There would'nt have been a Russia for Napoleon to blunder into nor hitler. This is why Khan should win. His actions defeated Napoleon and Hitler!

Because the abolition of the feudal system everywhere Napoleon conquered wasn't important? Because doubling the size of the United States wasn't important? Because giving the Germans a national identity (and enemy) so that they could become a nation state and eventually major power wasn't important? Because bringing the brutality of the French Revolution to an end wasn't important?
"There wouldn't even be a Russia without the Golden Horde" Okay. Genghis wasn't the Golden Horde.