Emperor Palpatine. Genius is all I can say. He organized an entire war just to install himslef in a position of power. But could George Lucas have based the enigma of Palpatine on a real-life world leader? Well, let's make comparisons:

Note: Travel through time may bring on feelings of nausea and history may give headaches......

1933: Adolf Hitler
Not very genius, but still managed to install himself as political leader in the fallout of a World War and depression. We see Palpatine's hatred of alien species and Hitler's hatred of other religions and races.

2000: George W. Bush
Still not a genius, but a conniving political leader at that. Took over the presidency even though he technically lost to Al Gore. Currently manages "legal" wiretaps on domestic citizens and wages mock wars to gain control of other countries, e.g. Iraq.

There are, of course, others. But has anyone else seen this distinction? Whether or not it was Lucas' intention, there are some similarities. Who else does Palpatine seem to reflect? Could Palpatine have really existed in another form?