I don't think your students were smart enough to understand the meaning of benevolent. Little did they know they were writing about a malevolent leader instead. It looks like you may need to get them all a dictionary and thesaurus and tell them to read a page a day. Good luck you still have the rest of the year as their teacher.

Kind of makes sense. If the Holocaust had never happened Hitler would probably be regarded as one of the world's finest leaders. If not, he would certainly be regarded as a hero in Germany. The Nazis may have had a track record for racial segregation and mass extermination yes... But, I should point out that many empires have. Including the British, Chinese, American (some scholars class America as an Empire), and Japanese. Japan actually killed more Chinese civilians in the Second World War than the Nazis did Jews, but they don't tell you that in school... But, the Nazis were leagues ahead of other societies in other things. They were big on public health programmes. They were the first Government to ever introduce an animal rights policy as well. And you also have to admit, Hitler was charismatic and inspired his followers. As far as leaders go, he may not have been benevolent (far from it in fact) but he was a very good leader. Also, people saying Hitler was the worst human to have ever lived. Who committed the worst crime against humanity in history. Yes, you have a point. But go read about the Medieval period in particular. Some figures from the Medieval period give Hitler a run for his money when it comes to that title. The Plantagenets in England spring to mind. Edward III's chevauchees across France. His son Edward the Black Prince personally ordering the destruction of towns and cities in France and the deaths of all the inhabitants. It's only since the Rwandan massacre that we have appreciated how devastating the Hundred Years' War actually was... But, it was THE war of the Medieval period. The Second World War may have cost more lives, but it was fought with our level of equipment. The Hundred Years War was fought with swords and fire. Edward III in 1339 claimed to have destroyed 2,117 towns and villages in one raid. In 1355 Edward the Black prince travelled 675 miles in 68 days, burning 4 square miles of land per person in his army (18,000 square miles in total). We now believe this figure is probably accurate. Personally, I would have chosen James IV of Scotland as my inspirational, benevolent, world influencing King. He tried to avoid war with England when possible. But when it came, he was one of the first to put on his armour to fight alongside his men (telling a Spanish ambassador on one occasion that anyone who is prepared to order men to die for him, should be prepared to die alongside them). World changing because Historians like myself often regard him as Europe's (or at least the British Isle's) last Medieval King. So his death marked the start of the modern era.

How about off-limits topics? My current English professor (the only one I will take because he's that good) always starts off a paper with a list off verboten topics and requires topics to be written and submitted for approval to insure if it is appropriate and if the complexity of the topic and skill of the student match.

Well it's true...be more specific on leaders or give each of them them a leader to write on

Well technically he fulfills the leader described in the assignment. You never said whether the benefit must be good or not.