Look at the high point of humanity, post-Breaking. Artur Hawkwing's empire. He united all the nations under one fair, just and enlightened rule, presided over an era of peace, and even squelched the Trollocs' millenial irruption with a single battle (in those days the Blightborder was well north of Malkier's nothern border, but the battlefield was well south of modern Shienar - that had to be a serious invasion to make it so far past the defenses of the Blightborder in the time the BWB calls the height of the military arts) but the Aes Sedai had to play second fiddle to him, and they could have any of that, so they picked a fight.