Who was the highest ranking spy ever?
Upvote:2
If early Roman history is to be believed (it isn't really true, as we know, but it's such a darn good read...), then Sextus Tarquinius would be pretty high on the list:
Gabii reneged from the Latin treaty with Rome for unknown reasons. Tarquinius' son, Sextus Tarquinius, went to Gabii, pretending to be in revolt against his father and asking for assistance.[19] He was accepted, and after successfully commanding various military expeditions, he was appointed as the leading general of the army of Gabii. As general, he commanded a number of minor but successful skirmishes against Roman forces, with the complicity of the Roman king.[20]
He sent a message to the king asking what to do next. Receiving the messenger in the garden the king said nothing at all (for which he might have been held liable later) but strolled around lopping off the heads of the tallest poppies with a stick. Sextus took this to be a message to destroy the aristocrats of Gabii including Antistius Petro whom according to legend Sextus accused of plotting with Tarquinius Superbus Sextus' return to Rome dead or alive, thereby provoking the Gabines to stone Antistius to death.[21] Tarquinius Superbus was able to take advantage of the ensuing confusion and bring Gabii into submission without battle. (Source)
Upvote:3
Probably Cardinal Talleyrand, who had been Napoleon's foreign minister and was still on his Council of State while working with the Coalition to unseat Napoleon after 1807.
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Source: stackoverflow.com
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