Leading Figures in History

Discover the people who shaped our world — from rulers and scientists to artists and activists.

62243 persons found

Valery Klimov (violinist)

b. 1931

Russian musician (1931–2022)

Valery Legasov

b. 1936

Former Soviet inorganic chemist and member of the USSR Academy of Sciences (1936–1988)

Valéry Mézague

Cameroonian footballer (1983–2014)

Valery Shumakov

b. 1931

Russian surgeon and transplantologist

Valery V. Afanasyev

b. 1976

Russian ice hockey coach (born 1976)

Valgerd Svarstad Haugland

b. 1956

Norwegian politician (born 1956)

Vali Ionescu

b. 1960

Romanian long jumper (born 1960)

Vali Myers

b. 1930

Australian artist, dancer, bohemian and muse

Vallabhbhai Patel

b. 1875

Indian independence activist (1875–1950)

Valli Lember-Bogatkina

b. 1921

Estonian artist (1921–2016)

Valter Biiber

b. 1907

Estonian footballer

Valter Birsa

b. 1986

Slovenian footballer (born 1986)

Valter Palm

Estonian boxer

Valtteri Bottas

b. 1989

Finnish racing driver (born 1989)

Valve Pormeister

Estonian architect

Valyantsin Byalkevich

Belarusian footballer (1973–2014)

Van Alexander

American musician (1915–2015)

Văn Cao

b. 1923

Vietnamese composer from Haiphong

Van Cliburn

b. 1934

American pianist (1934–2013)

Van Heflin

American actor (1908–1971)

Van Johnson

b. 1916

American actor (1916–2008)

Van McCoy

American musician, producer and songwriter (1940–1979)