This book tells the story of ten kings. Kings made the rules by which their people lived. Kings carried on wars to protect their realms or expand their power, and kings, like the rest of us, were complex human beings. Starting with Hammurabi, who ruled Mesopotamia, to Peter the Great, the legendary Russian czar, Milton Meltzer shows the reader how political leaders use and abuse power. Although each of these men lived hundreds or thousands of years ago, these tales provide a striking portrait of how human behavior remains virtually unchanged over time and how one person can alter the course of history.