Some of the figures mentioned above were truly remarkable, both as military leaders and/or political thinkers... but I've noriced a lack of figures from the Middle Ages in this thread - and I think there were also medieval politicians worth mentioning.
So I would go for Charlemagne - he re-introduced the idea of imperial power in the West. He was also a great military leader who united vast ethnically and culturally different areas of Western Europe under one rule (although some of his decisions might well be disputed) and managed to rule them as peacefully as it was possible at his time (with Saxons being major exception). And he had sort of intelectual interests as well - he sponsored an important cultural revival after dark centuries whereby helping to preserve and enrich ancient legacy for the whole Western civilization.
Another interesting medieval figure was emperor Frederick II in the 13th century, I think - he managed to oppose the pope, instead of leading a crusade he made peace with his Saracen adversaries that provided Christian pilgrims with free access to the Holy land, and as a Sicilian king he maintained religious tolerance (Christians, Muslims and Jews living in hramony in Sicily
) for the benefit of his kingdom. And at time when literacy was still not perfectly common among Western ruling elites, he not even could read and spoke six languages - he also wrote book (on falconry) 
So I would go for Charlemagne - he re-introduced the idea of imperial power in the West. He was also a great military leader who united vast ethnically and culturally different areas of Western Europe under one rule (although some of his decisions might well be disputed) and managed to rule them as peacefully as it was possible at his time (with Saxons being major exception). And he had sort of intelectual interests as well - he sponsored an important cultural revival after dark centuries whereby helping to preserve and enrich ancient legacy for the whole Western civilization.
Another interesting medieval figure was emperor Frederick II in the 13th century, I think - he managed to oppose the pope, instead of leading a crusade he made peace with his Saracen adversaries that provided Christian pilgrims with free access to the Holy land, and as a Sicilian king he maintained religious tolerance (Christians, Muslims and Jews living in hramony in Sicily
) for the benefit of his kingdom. And at time when literacy was still not perfectly common among Western ruling elites, he not even could read and spoke six languages - he also wrote book (on falconry)