# The Greatest Diplomat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 15, 2009, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-diplomat/506507 "2009-08-15T09:57:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-diplomat/506507/21 "2009-08-17T04:03:52Z")
According to Mr. Scott, the best diplomat is a fully-armed phaser bank. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-diplomat/506507/22 "2009-08-17T20:03:41Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > [Metternich](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metternich) is up there. Seconded…was the one I thought of when I read the thread title. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-diplomat/506507/23 "2009-08-17T20:38:36Z")
The Byzantine emperor [Alexius Commenus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexios_I_Komnenos) has be one of the most impressive examples of Diplomacy in history. Successfully kept his empire alive by skillfully playing on enemy off against another, and skillfully managed to hussle the First Crusade through Byzantine territory without it descending into chaos. How good a job he did is witnessed by how soon it all went to crap with less competent emperor on the throne. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-diplomat/506507.md?page=1)