Messiahs! Rulers and the Role of Religion

When a man can present himself as a god, or at least as divinity’s chosen servant, and his supporters promote his fantasy, he can wield authority like no other. Messiahs! explores history’s recurring rise of despotic rulers and examines how they portrayed themselves as gods in their quest for domination. Whether emperors or kings, tyrants or despots, they all succumbed to megalomania. Has the world seen the last of these god-men?