King Bradley is the Führer of the Amestris state military and has all state alchemist under his direct command. King Bradley almost always maintains a kind and calm demeanor even when issuing orders to engage in battle. This trait often confuses his subordinates, and Roy Mustang admits that he "can't figure the guy out." King Bradley has a son, Selim, and an unnamed wife.

In the 2003 anime series, the Führer maintains his role as the president of the country. Although he is a carefree man, he has a mind like a steel trap and his personality can change rapidly. It was he who finished the Ishval Civil War by sending in the State Alchemists to end it.

In the manga and 2009 anime series, he has a slightly strange sense of humor and has a habit of doing rather odd things for someone of his status. Such things as joking with his subordinates, dressing-up as a tourist while visiting Dublith to meet Izumi Curtis, giving watermelons as gifts to Edward Elric, ditching work to meet the brothers in the hospital, and jumping out of a window to get away from his attendants.