Artists & Writers

Medieval era

Al-Jahiz

775 CE – 868 CE

Arabic writer (776–869)

Modern era

May Ziadeh

February 11, 1886 – October 17, 1941

Lebanese-Palestinian writer (1886-1941)

Modern era

Nizar Qabbani

March 21, 1923 – April 30, 1998

Syrian diplomat, poet and publisher (1923-1998)

Medieval era

Ahmad ibn Majid

1432 – 1500

Arab navigator and cartographer

Muhammad Ali Pasha

Historical figure

Modern era

Hoda Shaarawi

June 23, 1879 – December 12, 1947

Egyptian feminist and nationalist (1879–1947)

Modern era

Taha Hussein

November 14, 1889 – October 28, 1973

Egyptian writer and literary critic (1889–1973)

Modern era

Abd el-Krim

January 12, 1882 – February 6, 1963

War leader and president of the Rif Republic from 1921 to 1926

Modern era

Abdelhamid Ben Badis

December 4, 1889 – April 16, 1940

Muslim scholar (1889–1940)

Modern era

Mohammed Abdullah Hassan

April 7, 1856 – December 21, 1920

Emir of Diiriye Guure and his Dervish Kingdom (1856-1920)

Early Modern era

Usman dan Fodio

December 15, 1754 – 1817

Founder of the Sokoto Caliphate

Medieval era

Andrei Rublev

c. 1360 – October 17, 1428

Medieval Russian artist (1360s-1428)

Early Modern era

Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz

November 12, 1651 – April 17, 1695

Mexican writer, philosopher, playwright and poet

Modern era

Octavio Paz

March 31, 1914 – April 19, 1998

Mexican writer, poet an diplomat (1914–1998)

Early Modern era

Francisco Morazan

October 3, 1792 – September 15, 1842

President of Federal Republic of Central America (1830-1839)

Modern era

Ruben Dario

January 18, 1867 – February 6, 1916

Nicaraguan poet, journalist, writer, and diplomat (1867-1916)

Modern era

Juan Pablo Duarte

January 26, 1813 – July 15, 1876

Presidente y libertador of the Dominican Republic (1813-1876)

Early Modern era

Francisco de Miranda

March 28, 1750 – July 14, 1816

Venezuelan military leader (1750–1816)

Early Modern era

Andres Bello

November 29, 1781 – October 15, 1865

Venezuelan humanist, diplomat, poet, legislator, philosopher, educator and philologist (1781-1865)

Modern era

Cesar Vallejo

March 16, 1892 – April 15, 1938

Peruvian writer

Modern era

Violeta Parra

October 4, 1917 – February 5, 1967

Chilean musician and folklorist

Early Modern era

Manuel Belgrano

June 3, 1770 – June 20, 1820

Argentine politician and military leader

Modern era

Domingo Faustino Sarmiento

February 15, 1811 – September 11, 1888

Argentinian politician and writer (1811-1888)

Modern era

Carlos Gardel

December 11, 1890 – June 24, 1935

Uruguayan singer, songwriter, actor; the most prominent figure in the history of tango

Modern era

Mercedes Sosa

July 9, 1935 – October 4, 2009

Argentine singer (1935-2009)

Modern era

Louis Riel

October 22, 1844 – November 16, 1885

Métis leader in Canada (1844–1885)

Modern era

Liliuokalani

September 2, 1838 – November 11, 1917

Monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom (1838–1917)

Modern era

Ned Kelly

1854 – November 11, 1880

Australian bushranger (1854–1880)

Modern era

David Unaipon

September 28, 1872 – February 7, 1967

Indigenous Australian inventor and writer (1872–1967)

Modern era

Banjo Paterson

February 17, 1864 – February 5, 1941

Australian journalist, author and poet (1864 - 1941)

Modern era

Apirana Ngata

July 3, 1874 – July 14, 1950

New Zealand politician and lawyer (1874-1950)

Modern era

Roger Mortimer

1909 – 1991

Racing correspondent

Medieval era

Dunstan

909 CE – May 19, 988 CE

Archbishop of Canterbury and saint

Caedmon

d. 680 CE

Ancient English poet

Medieval era

Augustine of Canterbury

c. 550 CE – c. 605 CE

6th-century missionary, archbishop, and saint

Medieval era

William Caxton

1422 – 1491

English merchant and printer (c. 1422–c. 1491)

Medieval era

Gerald of Wales

1146 – c. 1220

Medieval clergyman and historian

Contemporary era

Michael Scot

1951 – August 12, 2018

Scottish writer (1951–2018)

Ancient era

Brendan the Navigator

486 CE – 577 CE

Irish monastic saint

Early Modern era

Lanfranc

January 26, 1582 – November 30, 1647

Italian painter (1582-1647)

Medieval era

Charles the Bald

June 13, 823 CE – October 6, 877 CE

King of West Francia from 843 to 877 and Carolingian Emperor from 875 to 877

Medieval era

Alfonso X of Castile

November 23, 1221 – April 4, 1284

King of Castile from 1252 to 1284

Medieval era

Afonso Henriques

July 25, 1109 – December 6, 1185

King of Portugal from 1139 to 1185

Medieval era

Ibn Hazm

November 7, 994 CE – August 15, 1064

Andalusian Muslim polymath, historian, jurist, philosopher and theologian (994–1064)

Wallada bint al-Mustakfi

d. March 26, 1091

Al-Andalus poet

Medieval era

Ibn Tufail

1110 – 1185

Arab Muslim polymath (c. 1105–1185)

Medieval era

Ziryab

777 CE – 857 CE

9th-century poet and musician

Medieval era

Samuel ibn Naghrillah

993 CE – 1055

Spanish poet, vizier, and general

Medieval era

Guido Cavalcanti

1258 – August 29, 1300

Italian poet (1258-1300)

Medieval era

Brunetto Latini

1220 – 1294

Italian scholar and statesman, c. 1220–1294

Medieval era

Marsilius of Padua

1275 – 1342

Italian philosopher (1275–1342)

Beatriz Galindo

d. November 23, 1535

Spanish educator and writer

Medieval era

Ausias March

1400 – March 3, 1459

Valencian poet and knight

Medieval era

Joanot Martorell

1413 – 1465

Valencian knight

Contemporary era

Ramon Muntaner

September 29, 1950 – December 9, 2021

Catalan singer-songwriter and composer

Medieval era

Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor

955 CE – December 7, 983 CE

Holy Roman Emperor from 973 to 983 and King of Italy from 980 to 983

Medieval era

Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor

980 CE – January 24, 1002

Holy Roman Emperor from 996 to 1002

Medieval era

Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor

November 11, 1050 – August 7, 1106

Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 to 1105

Medieval era

Lothair I

795 CE – September 29, 855 CE

Emperor of the Carolingian Empire from 817 to 855

Medieval era

Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor

October 28, 1016 – October 5, 1056

Holy Roman Emperor