What is the most unappreciated fact about a historical figure?

I think we all have a perception of how we imagine certain people to be like, and when we learn the facts, it surprises us. <br><br>I think one example of this is Christopher Columbus. We learn that he was a villain and evil man who treated people horribly and thought he could reach Asia by sailing east. Most of us don't learn that when he arrived to the new world, the local inhabitants were welcoming to him and were even gifts. It wasn't until later when Europeans started colonizing and he was used as leverage for them to get money and land that things started going bad. <br><br>Another example is Alexander the Great, he wasn't some bloodthirsty monster who was just out to conquer land. He was very interested in science and even allowed local leaders to govern themselves as long as they paid tribute. <br><br>I think this is an interesting topic and I'd like to hear some more examples.