Civ 6

Saladin was a successful military commander who fought the crusaders. He was highly respected even by his enemies. I'm not even sure how it's possible to be a great Muslim leader during the crusades and gain the crusaders's respect, but he did it.
Roosevelt had every manly hobby you could think of and was an all-around badass.
Montezuma was the emperor of the Aztec empire, which had possibly the most savage culture in human history. They regularly sacrificed people by the thousands.
Pedro II lead Brazil through an extremely turbulent time and three successful wars. He was also a genius and impressed some of the greatest minds of his time.
Qin Shi Huang was the first emperor of China. He waded through a sea of blood to accomplish it and was utterly ruthless.
Cleopatra was an adept and cunning manipulator who allegedly poisoned her former husband, who was also her younger brother, to cement her power. She managed to wrap Ceaser, one of the greatest people in history, around her finger - and then did the same with Mark Anthony, a ruthless and calculating military leader. Her machinations caused wars, strife and destruction.
Victoria ruled the British Empire for 63 years. During her reign, it became history's biggest empire by a significant margin. 'The sun never sets in the British Empire' was not a metaphor. It involved ruthless colonial conquests.
Catherine de Medici was among the most influential rulers in Europe at a time when women typically served as pawns in political marriages. She steered some of the muddiest and bloodiest political waters we know of and is one of history's greatest political schemers. Translation: one of the most ruthless and cunning people who ever lived.
Frederick Barbarossa built an empire with a lifetime of successful wars. He joined the Third Crusade despite his advanced years and died just as he lived: at war.
Gorgo was a woman and a leader of Sparta, which is nearly impossible. She saw Sparta through the Greco-Persian wars. Really, no introduction is necessary.
Pericles was another successful Greek leader during the Greco-Persian wars. He was as skilled a politician as he was a general.
Gandhi successfully opposed the British Empire. He was entirely dedicated to his cause, lived a life of inhuman discipline and sacrifice, was imprisoned, persecuted and eventually assassinated. He knew the risks all along.
Hojo Tokimune was the embodiment of the samurai ideal, a successful military leader and he really needs no further description.
Mvemba a Nzinga claimed the throne after a civil war against his half brother.
Harald Hardrada was called 'the last Viking' and was literally an early medieval super-elite Viking commando. Not kidding.
Trajan lead the Roman Empire to its absolute peak in territory and power. It wasn't exactly a peaceful process.
Peter is probably the most successful and revered Russian leader. Again, it involved just a little bit of military conflict.
Tomirys, having defeated the ruler of the Persian empire, quote from wiki: 'had his corpse beheaded and crucified, and shoved his head into a wineskin filled with human blood.'
Philip II ruled the Spanish empire at its peak. He fought many successful wars. He also patronized the Spanish Inquisition, one of the most vicious, cruel and evil organizations in history.
Gilgamesh is the first literary hero in history, and he was an action hero. It is also thought with reasonable certainty that he was a real, actual person. I assume you have to be pretty fucking epic to become the first hero in human history.