Great Rivals in History

When two supremely powerful political rivals lock horns in a clash of personality and ideology, they can change the course of human history. Great Rivals in History brings to life the drama of history's most vicious political and military feuds, ranging through centuries and across the globe. Rivalries have sparked some of the most dramatic episodes in the history of the world, and twenty-four of these are recreated here, among them the lethal feud between ruthless power-seeker Julius Caesar and populist politician Gnaeus Pompey; the dynastic and religious clash of Queen Elizabeth I of England and Mary, Queen of Scots; the differing visions of nationhood that polarized Chiang Kai-Shek and Mao Zedong; and the bitter antagonism of John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, estranged friends wrenched apart by ambition and party loyalties. Impeccably researched and utterly compelling, this book profiles a remarkable cast of implacable foes, and reveals how their tug-of-war over ultimate power and glory shaped the wider history of the world.