Leaders & Statesmen
Rulers, presidents, and reformers who steered nations.
records written
Modern era
Ramon Emeterio Betances
April 8, 1827 – September 16, 1898
Puerto Rican nationalist (1827–1898)
Early Modern era
Francisco de Paula Santander
April 2, 1792 – March 6, 1840
Colombian military and political leader (1792-1840)
Early Modern era
Francisco de Miranda
March 28, 1750 – July 14, 1816
Venezuelan military leader (1750–1816)
Early Modern era
Manuela Saenz
December 27, 1797 – November 23, 1856
Ecuadorian revolutionary heroine (1797-1856)
Early Modern era
Tupac Amaru II
March 10, 1738 – May 18, 1781
Leader of a large Andean uprising against the Spanish in Peru (1738-1781)
Early Modern era
Micaela Bastidas
June 23, 1744 – May 18, 1781
Martyr of Peruvian independence
Modern era
Arturo Prat
April 3, 1848 – May 21, 1879
Chilean naval officer, lawyer, and professor
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)
Early Modern era
Jose Artigas
June 19, 1764 – September 23, 1850
Uruguayan military leader during the War for Independence
Early Modern era
Tiradentes
November 12, 1746 – April 21, 1792
Political activist for Brazilian independence (1746–1792)
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
Eddie Mabo
June 29, 1936 – January 21, 1992
Indigenous Australian activist (1936–1992)
Modern era
Kate Sheppard
March 10, 1847 – July 13, 1934
Prominent member of New Zealand's women's suffrage (1848–1934)
Modern era
Apirana Ngata
July 3, 1874 – July 14, 1950
New Zealand politician and lawyer (1874-1950)
Medieval era
Æthelstan
895 CE – October 27, 939 CE
King of Wessex and first king of England (r. 924-939)
Medieval era
Offa of Mercia
c. 800 CE – July 29, 796 CE
King of Mercia
Medieval era
Æthelred the Unready
967 CE – April 23, 1016
King of England
Edward the Confessor
d. January 5, 1066
Anglo-Saxon King of England from 1042 to 1066
Medieval era
Edmund Ironside
993 CE – November 30, 1016
King of the English, Wessex dynasty
Medieval era
Sweyn Forkbeard
April 17, 963 CE – February 3, 1014
King of Denmark, England, and Norway
Medieval era
Henry I of England
1068 – December 1, 1135
King of England from 1100 to 1135 (1068–1135)
Medieval era
Stephen of England
1095 – October 25, 1154
King of England from 1135 to 1154
Medieval era
Henry III of England
October 1, 1207 – November 16, 1272
King of England from 1216 to 1272
Medieval era
Edward II of England
April 25, 1284 – September 21, 1327
King of England from 1307 to 1327
Medieval era
Richard II of England
January 6, 1367 – February 14, 1400
King of England from 1377 to 1399
Medieval era
Henry IV of England
1367 – March 20, 1413
King of England from 1399 to 1413
Medieval era
Henry VI of England
December 6, 1421 – May 21, 1471
King of England from 1422 to 1461 and from 1470 to 1471, disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453
Medieval era
Margaret of Anjou
March 23, 1430 – August 25, 1482
15th-century English royal consort (1430-1482)
Medieval era
Edward IV of England
April 28, 1442 – April 9, 1483
King of England from 1461 to 1470 and 1471 to 1483
Medieval era
Edward V of England
b. November 2, 1470
King of England in 1483 (1470-1483)
Medieval era
Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick
November 22, 1428 – April 14, 1471
Jure uxoris 16th Earl of Warwick and suo jure 6th Earl of Salisbury (1428-1471)
Medieval era
Owain Glyndwr
1359 – 1416
Welsh rebel and pretender (died c. 1416)
Medieval era
Llywelyn the Great
1173 – April 11, 1240
Prince of Gwynedd from 1199 to 1240
Medieval era
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd
1220 – December 11, 1282
Prince of Gwynedd
Medieval era
Macbeth of Scotland
1005 – August 15, 1057
King of Scotland from 1040 to 1057
Medieval era
Kenneth MacAlpin
810 CE – February 8, 858 CE
King of the Picts
Medieval era
Egbert of Wessex
771 CE – 839 CE
King of Wessex
Medieval era
Edgar the Peaceful
943 CE – July 8, 975 CE
King of the English (r. 959–975)
Medieval era
Æthelberht of Kent
552 CE – February 24, 612 CE
King of Kent from 589
Medieval era
William II of England
1060 – August 2, 1100
King of England from 1087 to 1100
Medieval era
John of Gaunt
June 24, 1340 – February 3, 1399
English magnate of the House of Plantagenet (1340-1399)
Medieval era
Piers Gaveston
1284 – June 19, 1312
Favourite of King Edward II of England (1284-1312)
Medieval era
Gerald of Wales
1146 – c. 1220
Medieval clergyman and historian
Medieval era
Saint Margaret of Scotland
1045 – November 16, 1093
Queen of Scotland from 1070 to 1093
Medieval era
Somerled
1100 – 1164
Twelfth-century King of the Isles, Lord of Argyll, and religious patron
Medieval era
Diarmait Mac Murchada
1110 – May 1, 1171
King of Leinster in Ireland
Ancient era
Clovis I
466 CE – November 27, 511 CE
First king of the Franks (c. 466-511)
Medieval era
Pepin the Short
715 CE – September 24, 768 CE
King of the Franks from 751 to 768
Medieval era
Louis the Pious
April 16, 778 CE – June 20, 840 CE
King of the Franks
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
Philip IV of France
1268 – November 29, 1314
King of France from 1285 to 1314 (1268–1314)
Medieval era
Charles V of France
January 21, 1338 – September 16, 1380
King of France from 1364 to 1380 (1338–1380)
Medieval era
Charles VI of France
December 3, 1368 – October 21, 1422
King of France from 1380 to 1422 (1368–1422)
Medieval era
Charles VII of France
February 22, 1403 – July 22, 1461
Monarch of the House of Valois who ruled as King of France (1403-1461)
Medieval era
Louis XI of France
July 3, 1423 – August 30, 1483
King of France from 1461 to 1483 (1423–1483)
Medieval era
Philip the Bold
January 17, 1342 – April 27, 1404
Duke of Burgundy (1342-1404)
Medieval era
Charles the Bold
November 10, 1433 – January 5, 1477
Last Valois Duke of Burgundy (1433-1477)
Medieval era
Alfonso VI of Leon
1040 – July 1, 1109
King of León (1065 to 1109), of Castile (1072 to 1109), and of Galicia (1071 to 1109)