May 21

Lucien Bonaparte was the third surviving brother of Napoleon and an influential political figure. He commanded troops during the French Revolutionary Wars before shifting to diplomacy. Elected President of the Council of Five Hundred, he helped facilitate Napoleon’s rise to power. Lucien served as ambassador to Spain, where he negotiated alliances for the French Republic. His complex relationship with Napoleon led to periods of exile and reconciliation. Lucien’s contributions spanned military, political, and cultural spheres during a transformative era.

Itagaki Taisuke began his career as a samurai in the Tosa Domain before emerging as a key leader in Japan’s early Meiji political scene. Born in 1837, he supported the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate and the restoration of imperial rule. Disillusioned with oligarchic government, Itagaki co-founded the Freedom and People's Rights Movement advocating for constitutional government and civil liberties. He established Japan’s first political party, the Jiyūtō, and lobbied for a national assembly. Itagaki’s efforts laid the groundwork for parliamentary democracy in Japan, and he continued to champion representative government until his death in 1919.

Born in 1863 into the Habsburg dynasty, Archduke Eugen rose through the ranks of the Austro-Hungarian Army. He commanded the Balkan and South armies on the Italian Front, achieving defensive successes against Italy in 1915. Promoted to field marshal, he played a key role in stabilizing Austro-Hungarian military positions. After the war, he served as governor of Bohemia before retiring to private life. Eugen's leadership and memoirs offer insight into the late Habsburg military aristocracy.

Leonidas Vasilikopoulos (1932–2014) was a Greek admiral and intelligence chief of the Hellenic Navy. He devoted over three decades to service, rising through the ranks to lead naval intelligence operations. Under his command, the Greek Navy adopted modern information-gathering techniques and analytical processes. He played a key role in strategic maritime planning during periods of political tension in the Mediterranean. His leadership and reforms strengthened the navy's operational readiness and intelligence capabilities. He is remembered for his disciplined approach and legacy in professionalizing Greek naval intelligence.