7 The 100 Most Influential World Leaders of All Time 7

tarnished crown—an achievement of character, as well as

of longevity. It was during her reign that the English mon-

archy took on its modern ceremonial character.

She and Albert had nine children, through whose mar-

riages were descended many of the royal families of Europe.

By the end of the 19th century, Victoria had so many royal

relatives that she was called the “grandmother of Europe.”

Sitting Bull

(b. c. 1831, near Grand River, Dakota Territory [now in South Dakota],

U.S.—d. Dec. 15, 1890, on the Grand River in South Dakota)

S

itting Bull was the Teton Dakota Indian chief under

whom the Sioux tribes united in their struggle for

survival on the North American Great Plains. He is

remembered for his lifelong distrust of white men and his

stubborn determination to resist their domination.

Sitting Bull was born into the Hunkpapa division of

the Teton Sioux. His Indian name was Tatanka Iyotake.

He joined his first war party at age 14 and soon gained a

reputation for fearlessness in battle. He became a leader of

the powerful Strong Heart warrior society and, later, was a

participant in the Silent Eaters, a select group concerned

with tribal welfare. As a tribal leader, Sitting Bull helped

extend the Sioux hunting grounds westward into what had

been the territory of the Shoshone, Crow, Assiniboin, and

other Indian tribes. His first skirmish with white soldiers

occurred in June 1863 during the U.S. Army’s retaliation

against the Santee Sioux after the Minnesota Massacre, in

which the Teton Sioux had no part. For the next five

years, he was in frequent hostile contact with the army,

which was invading the Sioux hunting grounds and bring-

ing ruin to the Indian economy. In 1866 he became principal

chief of the northern hunting Sioux, with Crazy Horse—

leader of the Oglala Sioux—as his vice-chief. Respected