wing of the archive
The Modern Era
The industrial and imperial centuries: inventors, statesmen, artists, and the makers of the modern world.
Modern era
Andris Bērziņš
b. December 10, 1944
Eighth president of Latvia (born 1944)
Modern era
Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga
b. December 1, 1937
6th President of Latvia
Modern era
Michel Aoun
b. September 30, 1933
13th President of Lebanon from 2016 to 2022
Modern era
Fouad Siniora
b. July 19, 1943
Prime Minister of Lebanon
Modern era
Émile Lahoud
b. January 12, 1936
11th President of Lebanon
Modern era
Mamohato of Lesotho
April 28, 1941 – September 6, 2003
Queen regnant of Lesotho (1941–2003)
Modern era
Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho
May 2, 1938 – January 15, 1996
King of Lesotho (1938-1996)
Modern era
Mantsebo Amelia 'Matsaba
1902 – 1964
Queen of Basutoland (1902–1964)
Modern era
Gabasheane Masupha
December 26, 1903 – 1949
King of Lesotho (1903-1941)
Modern era
Tom Thabane
b. May 28, 1939
Prime Minister of Lesotho
Modern era
Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein
August 16, 1906 – November 13, 1989
Prince of Liechtenstein (1938-1989)
Modern era
Franz I, Prince of Liechtenstein
August 28, 1853 – July 25, 1938
Prince of Liechtenstein (1853-1938)
Modern era
Johann II, Prince of Liechtenstein
October 5, 1840 – February 11, 1929
Prince of Liechtenstein (1840-1929)
Modern era
Walter Kieber
February 20, 1931 – June 21, 2014
Prime Minister of Liechtenstein (1931-2014)
Modern era
Alfred Hilbe
July 22, 1928 – October 31, 2011
Prime Minister of Liechtenstein, 1970 to 1974 (1928–2011)
Modern era
Gerard Batliner
December 9, 1928 – June 25, 2008
Prime Minister of Liechtenstein (1928-2008)
Modern era
Alexander Frick
February 18, 1910 – October 31, 1991
Prime Minister of Liechtenstein (1910-1991)
Modern era
Josef Hoop
December 14, 1895 – October 19, 1959
Liechtenstein Prime Minister (1895-1959)
Modern era
Valdas Adamkus
b. November 3, 1926
Lithuanian politician, twice President of Lithuania (born 1926)
Modern era
Algirdas Brazauskas
September 22, 1932 – June 26, 2010
Lithuanian politician (1932–2010)
Modern era
Jacques Santer
b. May 18, 1937
Prime Minister of Luxembourg from 1984 to 1995
Modern era
Pierre Werner
December 29, 1913 – June 24, 2002
Luxembourgish politician (1913-2002), Prime Minister of Luxembourg (1959-1974, 1979-1984)
Modern era
Gaston Thorn
September 3, 1928 – August 26, 2007
Luxembourgish politician (1928–2007)
Modern era
Roger Kolo
b. September 3, 1943
Malagasy Prime Minister
Modern era
Bingu wa Mutharika
February 24, 1934 – April 5, 2012
Malawi politician and economist (1934-2012)
Modern era
Bakili Muluzi
b. March 17, 1943
Malawian politician
Modern era
Abdul Halim of Kedah
November 28, 1927 – September 11, 2017
5th Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Sultan of Kedah
Modern era
Sirajuddin I of Perlis
b. May 17, 1943
Raja of Perlis
Modern era
Mahathir Mohamad
b. July 10, 1925
Prime Minister of Malaysia from 1981 to 2003 and 2018 to 2020
Modern era
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
November 26, 1939 – April 14, 2025
Prime Minister of Malaysia from 2003 to 2009
Modern era
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
b. December 29, 1937
3rd President of the Maldives from 1978 to 2008
Modern era
Dioncounda Traoré
b. February 23, 1942
President of Mali
Modern era
George William Vella
b. April 24, 1942
Maltese politician
Modern era
Eddie Fenech Adami
b. February 7, 1934
Maltese politician
Modern era
Guido de Marco
July 22, 1931 – August 12, 2010
Maltese politician (1931-2010)
Modern era
Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici
July 17, 1933 – November 5, 2022
Maltese politician (born 1933)
Modern era
Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi
1938 – November 23, 2020
Mauritanian politician (1938–2020)
Modern era
Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya
b. November 28, 1941
President of Mauritania from 1984 to 2005
Modern era
Monique Ohsan Bellepeau
b. January 8, 1942
Former vice president of Mauritius
Modern era
Anerood Jugnauth
March 29, 1930 – June 3, 2021
Mauritian politician (1930–2021)
Modern era
Seewoosagur Ramgoolam
September 19, 1900 – December 15, 1985
Politician, statesman and philanthropist and the first prime minister of Mauritius (1900-1985)
Modern era
Vicente Fox
b. July 2, 1942
62th president of Mexico
Modern era
José López Portillo
June 16, 1920 – February 17, 2004
58th President of Mexico
Modern era
Luis Echeverría
January 17, 1922 – July 8, 2022
57th President of Mexico
Modern era
Gustavo Díaz-Ordaz
March 12, 1911 – July 15, 1979
56th President of Mexico
Modern era
Adolfo López Mateos
May 26, 1910 – September 22, 1969
55th President of Mexico
Modern era
Rainier III, Prince of Monaco
May 31, 1923 – April 6, 2005
Prince of Monaco from 1949 to 2005 (1923-2005)
Modern era
Louis II, Prince of Monaco
July 12, 1870 – May 9, 1949
Prince of Monaco (1870-1949)
Modern era
Albert I, Prince of Monaco
November 13, 1848 – June 26, 1922
Prince of Monaco (1848-1922)
Modern era
Charles III, Prince of Monaco
December 8, 1818 – September 10, 1889
Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 1856
Modern era
Punsalmaagiin Ochirbat
January 23, 1942 – January 17, 2025
Mongolian politician, president of Mongolia
Modern era
Hassan II
July 9, 1929 – July 23, 1999
King of Morocco from 1961 to 1999
Modern era
Mohammed V of Morocco
August 10, 1909 – February 26, 1961
King of Morocco (1909-1961)
Modern era
Lech Walesa
b. September 29, 1943
President of Poland from 1990 to 1995 (born 1943)
Modern era
Lee Kuan Yew
September 16, 1923 – March 23, 2015
1st Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore (1923–2015)
Modern era
King Bhumibol Adulyadej
December 5, 1927 – October 13, 2016
Former King of Thailand (1927–2016)
Modern era
Queen Salote Tupou III
March 13, 1900 – December 16, 1965
Monarch of Tonga (1918-1965)
Modern era
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
May 6, 1918 – November 2, 2004
Sheikh of Abu Dhabi from 1966 to 2003
Modern era
Joseph Smith
December 23, 1805 – June 27, 1844
American religious leader and founder of the Latter Day Saint movement (1805–1844)
Modern era
Bahaullah
November 12, 1817 – May 29, 1892
Founder of the Bahá'í Faith (1817–1892)