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The 100 Most Important Historical Figures Is it true that they say that there are historical figures?
The 100 Most Important #Historical Figures
Is it true that they say that there are 100 historical figures?
Were these really historical figures, or did they ride on the suffering and hardships of others?
Thanks to their endeavors, creations and ideas, #humanity as we know it today is largely the result of their contributions.
History is full of people who marked a turning point in the development of humanity. Today, the world is what it is thanks to their thoughts, ideas and actions, with a significance that often escapes our knowledge. To pay tribute to them, here is a list of the 47 most #important historical figures.
Of course, our selection is incomplete, since we could easily choose hundreds of heroes, writers, philosophers and scientists from every country. Nevertheless, this is a good starting point to get to know their stories and life deeds. Are you ready?
The most important historical figures
Before we begin, we must first be clear that our list of the most important historical figures does not revolve around their ethics, but rather the consequences that their ideas and actions have generated. While many of them changed the world for the better, others did nothing but plague it.
Also note that the list is not sorted by importance. Each of the names is accompanied by their birth and death dates. In some cases, we also include the date traditionally associated with these moments. However, given that some of them lived many centuries ago, a reliable source of exact dates is not always available. With this in mind, let's begin.
1. Jesus of Nazareth (4 BC – 30-33 AD)
The leading figure of Christianity, Jesus of Nazareth, was a Jewish preacher who lived in the first century AD. His schism today brings together more than 2.4 billion believers, of whom almost 1.4 billion are Catholics. His teachings have been at the center of theologians for two millennia. Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea and was, according to tradition, a descendant of King David.
But something about religions and their founders is not true in the name of the Word of God and is very vague. This question is rather an excess of human thinking. And all religious books, most of some religions, are based on misogyny, not on the better transformation of women as sexual commodities
2. Muhammad (570 – 632)
In Islam, Muhammad is the last of the prophets (preceded by Jesus, Moses and Abraham, among others). According to tradition, the prophet founded Islam after a revelation from the archangel Gabriel in the cave of Hira. Today, there are more than 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide.
3. Christopher Columbus (1451–1506)
This navigator and cartographer served the Crown of Castile and led the exploration that would result in the discovery of the Americas. The modern age, and with it globalization, began on October 12, 1492, when he landed on the island of Guanahani (now the Bahamas). He made a total of four voyages before his death on May 20, 1506.
4. Julius Caesar (100 BC–44 BC)
Gaius Julius Caesar was one of the most important politicians and soldiers of ancient Rome. His control of the republic was surrounded by controversy and betrayal.
One of his greatest achievements was the Gallic Wars, which would expand Roman territory into parts of what are now France, Belgium, #Switzerland, #Germany, and the Netherlands. A plot hatched by some senators put an end to his life.
5. #Alexander the Great (356 BC – 323 BC)
Alexander the Great was king of Macedonia until his death. Aristotle was responsible for his education, and his reign is considered by historians to be the beginning of the Hellenistic period. His deeds also inspired other important historical figures such as Julius Caesar and Napoleon Bonaparte.
Alexander the Great is one of the most important heroic figures of antiquity.
6. Plato (427 BC – 347 BC)
Plato is one of the most important philosophers in the history of philosophy. He was a disciple of Socrates and a teacher of Aristotle. His ideas on politics, ethics, citizenship, law and psychology helped to solidify the thinking of Western civilization. He founded the Academy in 387 BC, which is considered the first university in the West.
7. Lao Tzu (seventh century BC)
Despite the gaps in our knowledge of his life, Lao Tzu is one of the most important historical figures of the East. He is believed to have lived in the seventh century BC, and the authorship of the Tao Te Ching, the most important work of Taoism, is attributed to him.
Taoist philosophy is practiced in China, Japan and South Korea, although it also has millions of followers around the world.
8. Leonardo da Vinci (1452 – 1519)
Leonardo da Vinci is the main figure of the Renaissance. His contributions to science, art, music, medicine and philosophy are undeniable. He is a universal icon thanks to paintings such as the Mona Lisa and the Last Supper. He is also known for having made sketches of what are today submarines, helicopters and cars.
9. Johannes Gutenberg (1400 – 1468)
The inventor of the modern movable type printing press has a given place on this list of the most important historical figures. His invention not only allowed the spread of culture but is also considered the beginning of propaganda. This coincided with the Lutheran Schism, so it was a lever in support of the proclamation of Protestant ideas.
10. Miguel de Cervantes (1547 – 1616)
Miguel de Cervantes is considered one of the most important authors in universal literature and is the most important author in Spanish literature. His major work, Don Quixote (1605-1615), is the first modern novel and the second most edited and translated book in the world after the Bible. Cervantes participated in the Battle of Lepanto and was imprisoned in Algiers for five years
11. Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955)
Albert Einstein, perhaps the most famous physicist of all time, is one of the fathers of quantum mechanics through his work on the special and general theories of relativity.
Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, not for these works, but for his publications on the photoelectric effect. His equation, E=mc², is undoubtedly the most famous in history.
12. Adolf Hitler (1889 – 1945)
The leader of Nazi Germany is the most important historical figure of the 20th century. His ideas are synthesized in his book Mein Kampf (1925), partly written during his imprisonment after a failed coup in 1923. Adolf Hitler committed suicide with Eva Braun in 1945 in his bunker as Allied victory was imminent.
13. Charles Darwin (1809 – 1882)
The author of The Origin of Species (1859) laid the foundation for what is now known as the theory of evolution. Today, his ideas, like natural selection, are widely accepted by science. The observations that led him to postulate his theory were made after the voyage of the Beagle, a voyage of almost five years during which he visited much of the globe.
14. Karl Marx (1818 – 1883)
Karl Marx completely shaped political, philosophical, and economic history after his death. The movement that bears his name, Marxism, along with modern communism and scientific socialism, stems from his ideas expressed in The Communist Manifesto (1848) and Das Kapital (1867). Marx focused on the idea that societies progress thanks to the dialectics of class struggle.
15. Isaac Newton (1643 – 1727)
Regarded by many as the greatest scientist of all time. Isaac Newton is the father of the law of universal gravitation and classical physics. His contributions to calculus, mathematics, light and optics made him a benchmark of his time. He also wrote some treatises on alchemy and theology. He died at the age of 84 from renal colic.
16. Genghis Khan (1162 – 1227)
Genghis Khan was one of the most ambitious military leaders in history. In just a few years, he managed to expand the Mongol Empire by thousands of kilometers, thus establishing, at least in territorial terms, one of the largest empires in history.
17. Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948)
Mahatma Gandhi managed to make his mark as one of the most important historical figures thanks to his thinking and the establishment of nonviolent protests. One of the most important events in his life was the Salt March, which would lead to India's independence from the British Empire. An integrationist fanatic murdered him at the age of 78.
18. Louis Pasteur (1822 – 1895)
Pasteur is credited with the pasteurization process, and his studies have contributed greatly to the creation of vaccines, antibiotics, and sterilization processes.
His research marked a turning point in the natural sciences, especially in chemistry and bacteriology. He died in September 1895 in France, aged 72.
19. Galileo Galilei (1564 – 1642)
The famous astronomer is one of the founders of the scientific revolution of the Renaissance. He made improvements to the telescope, with which he could carry out various experimental works. Contrary to popular belief, he was not executed by the Inquisition, but was sentenced to house arrest. Although there are doubts about its attribution, the phrase “And yet she moves” has entered the history of popular culture.
20. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791)
An undisputed genius in the history of music. Mozart is a person who needs no introduction. He is considered the greatest exponent of the classical style, with a wide oeuvre despite his early death (only 35 years old). Regarding this event, there are more than a few speculations. His works are still praised today.
21. Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC)
Aristotle’s works are a reference for Western political, religious, philosophical, scientific and natural theory. He founded the Lyceum, which would become a participant in the formal birth of the Peripatetic school. More than 2,000 years after his death, his ideas continue to influence writers, thinkers, artists and philosophers.
22. Michelangelo (1475 – 1564)
This Renaissance painter, sculptor and architect is responsible for works of universal scope, such as David and the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Perfectionism was his main characteristic, which led to his gaining a reputation that few artists had in life. He died at the age of 88, after a career of more than 70 years linked to art.
23. Neil Armstrong (1930-2012)
The first man to walk on the moon truly deserves a place among the most important historical figures. In July 1969, millions of viewers around the world heard the famous phrase “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Today, at the dawn of Mars exploration, these words are more relevant than ever.
24. Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939)
The father of psychoanalysis is one of the most important intellectual figures of the 20th century. Like other characters on this list, his life and contributions are not without controversy. Today, some of his ideas, such as the Oedipus complex, are known to a large part of humanity.
25. Josef Stalin (1878 – 1953)
Lenin’s successor as the top figure in the Soviet Union played a leading role in the political and military events of the first half of the 20th century. Stalin died on March 5, 1953, of a stroke caused by his high blood pressure.
26. Marie Curie (1867–1934)
Marie Curie is the most well-known scientist in popular culture, thanks to the resurgence of her discoveries in recent decades. She was the first person to receive two separate Nobel Prizes, one in physics (for her contributions to radiation) and the other in chemistry (for her studies of radium and polonium). Curie died of aplastic anemia at the age of 66 in France.
27. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968)
As an activist for the civil rights of African Americans in the United States, his work earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. He combined these activities with his service as a Baptist pastor.
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis in 1968. It was one of the most publicized assassinations in the country's history. His legacy is still felt today.
28. Napoleon Bonaparte (1796 – 1821)
Regarded as one of the greatest military strategists of modern times. Napoleon Bonaparte played a crucial role in the political-administrative transformation of Europe in the early 19th century. He was proclaimed Emperor of the French and King of Italy. He died in May 1821.
29. Martin Luther (1483 – 1546)
Along with Calvin, Luther is the most representative figure of the Protestant Reformation and therefore cannot be missing from any list of the most important historical figures. His revolution is known today as the Lutheran Schism, which divided the church in two halves forever.
30. William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616)
Regarded as the most important writer in the English language, Shakespeare created works that are today emblematic of popular culture: Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth and Othello are just a few of them. During his lifetime, he achieved great fame, although not as great as that which he received after his death. “To be or not to be, that is the question” resonates in the ears of all his admirers.
31. Pythagoras (570 BC – 495 BC)
Since ancient times, he has been credited with the Pythagorean theorem, the theory of proportions, the sphericity of the Earth, the Pythagorean mood, the five regular solids, and the identity of the morning and evening stars, among other things. His ideas were classified as Pythagoreanism, and they strongly influenced all philosophers after his death.
32. George Washington (1723 – 1799)
George Washington was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and the country's first president. He played a leading role in the ratification of the United States Constitution and in the Patriot victory in the Revolutionary War. He is considered a hero in his country, where his legacy is vividly remembered.
33. Lenin (1870 – 1924)
Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, better known as Lenin, was a Russian politician, revolutionary, and philosopher who was considered the greatest exponent of the October Revolution of 1917. His ideas are called Marxism-Leninism, or simply Leninism, and they continue to have a great influence both politically and economically.
34. Buddha (5th century BC (disputed))
Siddhartha Gautama, better known as the Buddha, was a religious ascetic teacher who lived in South Asia. He is believed to have been born in what is now Nepal, although his life is based on many legends and myths. He is the founder of what is now called Buddhism, a faith that unites more than 500 million people around the world.
35. Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC)
Kong Fuzi, or Confucius, was a Chinese philosopher and politician whose ideas are now known as Confucianism. This system is dominant in China, Korea, Japan, and other countries. Confucianism is based on the Five Classics: the Book of Songs, the Book of Records, the Book of Changes, the Book of Rites, and the Spring and Autumn Annals.
36. Paul of Tarsus (5-10 AD – 58-67 AD)
One of the most important apostles of Christianity, also known as Saint Paul. Among other works, he is believed to be the author of several books of the Bible, including Galatians, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Philemon, Philippians, and 1 Thessalonians. He founded the first Christian churches, and his ideas coalesced into what is known as Pauline Christianity.
37. Euclid (325 BC – 265 BC)
Euclid is often called the father of geometry because his work Elementa was a leader in the field well into the 19th century. More specifically, his system is called Euclidean geometry. He is recognized as one of the most important and transcendent mathematicians in human history.
38. Constantine I (272 – 337)
Also known as Constantine the Great, and to some Orthodox churches as Saint Constantine. He was the Roman emperor who granted Christians freedom of worship. He did so through the Edict of Milan in 313, which was key to the expansion of the religion. His mother, Helena, conducted a search for holy relics that also contributed to the establishment of the church.
39. Isabella I of Castile (1451 – 1504)
Also known as Isabella the Catholic. She played a key role in the political, territorial, and economic reorganization of Spain. During her reign, the Spanish Empire was born, one of the most extensive and enduring empires in human history. She also supported Christopher Columbus in what would later become the discovery of America.
40. Francisco Pizarro (1478 – 1541)
Francisco Pizarro, Spanish conqueror of the Inca Empire, in what is now part of Peru, was governor of Nueva Castilla, and his skeleton is now in the cathedral of Lima. Along with Hernán Cortés, another of the most important historical figures on our list, he is one of the greatest conquerors of the Americas.
41. Hernán Cortés (1485 – 1547)
This Spanish conqueror of the Mexica Empire, in what is now part of Mexico, was governor of New Spain. With 700 men and weapons, in alliance with tribes that disliked the Aztecs and their king, he conquered the Aztec Empire. He is also known for burning their ships.
42. John Calvin (1509 – 1564)
This theologian and philosopher is considered one of the greatest proponents of the Protestant Reformation. His doctrine is known as Calvinism, which he developed and established in Switzerland. The Huguenots, the Presbyterian churches, and the Congregational churches are some of those who follow his ideas.
43. Augustine of Hippo (354 – 430)
Better known as Saint Augustine. He was a Christian theologian and philosopher, considered one of the most powerful thinkers of the church. His most important works are Confessions and The City of God, which have had a great influence on the culture of Europe. His remains are today in San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro.
44. Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)
This German composer is considered one of the most important of all time. He wrote sonatas for piano, chamber music, piano concertos, sacred music, opera, and orchestral music, among others. His nine symphonies are perhaps the most popular, to the point that they have established themselves as part of popular culture through series, films, and advertising.
45. Nicolaus Copernicus (1473 – 1543)
Renaissance mathematician and astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus described how the Earth rotated on its axis and, like the other planets, orbited the Sun. His model appears in On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies (1543), first printed shortly before his death. The effect of the work and its model is known as the Copernican Revolution, a term often used for major breakthroughs or changes in humanity.
46. Homer (c. 800 BC)
Homer is the great Greek poet traditionally known as the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey. His existence is still debated, as is his authorship of the two epics. In any case, as a literary figure, he has been the most important and transcendent in history, so we cannot leave him out of this list of the most important historical figures.
47. Peter I of Russia (1672 – 1725)
One of the greatest historical figures of Russia, also known as Peter the Great. He made the nation one of the most important in Europe at the time, and that by leading the country in a Western direction. His legacy is part of the popular culture of the Russian people, as well as that of Europe and the rest of the world.
With this last name, we round off our list of the most important historical figures. Although we have left hundreds out, as we mentioned at the beginning, the above have left their mark, for better or worse, through their poetic, literary, artistic, philosophical, theological, political and scientific significance
Who's biggest, the 100 most significant figures in history?
Who's Biggest? The 100 Most Significant Figures in History ...
The 100 Most Significant Figures in History
Jesus.
Napoleon.
Muhammad.
William Shakespeare.
Abraham Lincoln.
George Washington.
Adolf Hitler.
Aristotle.
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