Top 10 Historical Heroes: Who are they?!

After some discussion, we all thought it would be fun to make a Top 10 of our Favourite Historical Heroes in series and movies. At first we were aiming for a Top 3 until we finally admitted it was an impossible task, as it is we still struggled to choose just 10. Who are those complex, strong men who you’ve come across? We’re looking forward to hear about your favourites and why you chose them. There’s no particular order in this list, it would be beyond us to actually pick just one. And if you have others to suggest we look forward to finding new heroes! After all everyone needs a hero once in a while! Or 2! Or 10!

	Fitzwilliam Darcy by Colin Firth in BBC’s Pride & Prejudice. Most P&P fans will say that Colin Firth is the perfect Darcy, the arrogant, proud and sexy aristocrat who becomes more human and kind through the love of the lively Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Who can forget his clumsy first proposal and his shy second one?
	Count Dracula by Gary Oldman in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Cultured, mysterious, elegant and charming he possesses what humankind has always looked for, eternal life. But what is life without love? Without a soul? For the love of one woman he is capable of anything, even death. The closest adaptation to Bram Stoker’s story brought to life with a stunning interpretation by Gary Oldman.
	Edward Rochester by Toby Stephens in Jane Eyre. Dark, mysterious, strong, arrogant, complex… He is the perfect icon of the romantic hero. Stephens gives him a more human dimension and lots of charisma things that were missing in the previous adaptations. Sometimes he’s almost overwhelming !
	Frederick Wentworth by Rupert Penry-Jones in Persuasion. Being in love with the same woman for 8 years after being rejected shows a loyal and steadfast heart and is certainly deserving of a second chance at love! We won’t deny that Penry-Jones gorgeousness works like a perfect eye-candy.
	Vicomte Valmont by Jonh Malkovich in Dangerous Liaisons. A seducing, amoral, deceitful and vain man, Vicomte de Valmont, is every lady’s nightmare and every woman’s dream. There isn’t a woman alive that wouldn’t fall for his charms. Or is there? Once more John Malkovich embodies a dubious character, one of his specialties, someone that we hate to love.
	John Thornton by Richard Armitage in North & South. A self made man trying to gain Margaret Hale’s love has a rocky path to follow until she accepts him. He scowls and smolders but he also shows he has a loving side. Richard Armitage is perfect in this role with all that contained sensuality and disturbing eyes.
	George Baines by Harvey Keitel in The Piano. He is not handsome or elegant but how could we resist a man who understands a woman’s needs as well as he does. Each touch, each word, each look, each gesture seems to be exactly what Ada craved for. A totally unexpected soul mate who leaves us breathless.
	Angelo Pardi by Olivier Martinez in The Horseman on the Roof. Idealistic, strong, charismatic and protective this young Italian colonel charms you in a way that you cannot ignore. In the end, you can only sigh each time you see how he looks at Pauline.
	Jack Sparrow by Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean. The perfect anti-hero who conquered our hearts with his wit, eccentricity, charm, humor and sexy look. Johnny Depp does an exceptional and original performance and we cannot help but to fall helplessly for him.
	Colonel Brandon by Alan Rickman in Sense & Sensibility. Handsome and rather charismatic, he is one of the most captivating characters in Ang Lee’s movie. While Brandon is always seen as a dull man, Rickman gives him more glamour and conquers our hearts more easily than Marianne’s.