Other 'Masters of Europe'

I was wondering if there could be any other times, people or countries that could call themselves at any time 'Masters of Europe'

Preconditions to being 'Masters of Europe':
  • Large Swathes of Directly controlled land
  • Large system of vassals and client/ally states (which are dominated by the masters) which controls a large amount of Europe
  • Feared or respected by most of the Continent
The examples I am thinking of at the moment are Napoleon and Hitler in terms of people, and the Roman Empire in terms of Countries.

Is there anyone else who could qualify, especially if given a POD to help them
 
The Habsburgs would probably qualify as well. Spain, Austria (and by extension the HRE, Bohemia, and Hungary), the Low Countries, Milan, and Naples. For France, the Ottomans, and England they were considered a major threat for most of the 16th and 17th centuries.
 
I don't think it'd be fair to count the Ottomans.
Pretty much the defining characteristic of them by Europeans was that they were the unEuropean evil invaders. The Habsburgs were masters of Europe at the time of the Ottoman's height.
 
I don't think it'd be fair to count the Ottomans.
Pretty much the defining characteristic of them by Europeans was that they were the unEuropean evil invaders. The Habsburgs were masters of Europe at the time of the Ottoman's height.

No body did count the Ottomans here anyway. Wilcoxhar said that to Ottomans, aside some other parties, Habsburg Empire was considered as major threat when it was still the master of Europe back then......
 

Nikephoros

Banned
No body did count the Ottomans here anyway. Wilcoxhar said that to Ottomans, aside some other parties, Habsburg Empire was considered as major threat when it was still the master of Europe back then......

More like a threat to the stability of Europe. Not really a "They can conquer us" kind of threat.
 

Thande

Donor
More like a threat to the stability of Europe. Not really a "They can conquer us" kind of threat.

Well that depends in what part of Europe you're in. And, while they weren't under Ottoman auspices, don't forget that Turkish pirates would raid coasts as far as Britain in the 17th century. They even ruled the island of Lundy for a while.
 
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