Demetrius I of Bactria

Demetrius, Greek king of Bactria, is a legend as well as an enigma. Mentioned by Geoffrey Chaucer ("D, lord of Ind") and a hero of Indian folklore under the folk-etymological name Dharma-Mithra, he is mainly known from coins. He was the son of Euthydemus and succeeded him sometime early 2nd century BC, after which he conquered extensive areas in what now is eastern Iran, Pakistan and Punjab, thus briefly creating a large Hellenistic empire far from Greece. Polybius mentions him being murdered by his general Eucratides, the empire being divided shortly after his death. The great Graeco-Indian king Menander of India is said to have been a relative or officer of Demetrius. However, scarcity of sources make historians unsure about chronology, and even whether Demetrius' coins in fact refer to two kings.