Leading Figures in History

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

62243 persons found

William VIII of Aquitaine

Duke of Gascony

William VIII of Montferrat

b. 1420

Marquess of Montferrat

William W. Boardman

American politician (1794–1871)

William W. Chapman

b. 1808

American politician

William W. Momyer

United States Air Force general (1916–2012)

William W. Snow

b. 1812

American politician

William Wade (English politician)

16th/17th-century English statesman

William Wakefield Baum

American Catholic prelate (1926–2015)

William Waldegrave, 1st Baron Radstock

b. 1753

Royal Navy officer and colonial administrator (1753–1825)

William Wales (optician)

English-American optical instrument inventor (1838–1907)

William Walker (filibuster)

b. 1824

American physician, lawyer, journalist, and mercenary (1824–1860)

William Wallace

Scottish knight (1270–1305)

William Waller

English soldier and politician (c. 1598-1668)

William Warburton

English writer and critic (1698–1779)

William Warham

Archbishop of Canterbury from 1503 to 1532

William Watson (scientist)

English physician and scientist (1715–1787)

William Watt (Australian politician)

Australian politician (1871–1946)

William Waynflete

15th-century English bishop and educator

William Wentworth

b. 1790

Australian statesman, writer and explorer

William Westmoreland

United States Army general (1914–2005)

William Whewell

b. 1794

English polymath (1794–1866)

William Whiston

English theologian, historian, translator and mathematician (1667–1752)

William Whitelaw

b. 1918

British politician (1918–1999)

William Wilberforce

English politician and abolitionist (1759–1833)