Leading Figures in History

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

39107 persons found

Elena Rybakina

b. 1999

Kazakhstani tennis player (born 1999)

Elena Verdugo

b. 1925

American actress (1925–2017)

Elena Vesnina

b. 1986

Russian tennis player (born 1986)

Eleonora di Garzia di Toledo

Italian noblewoman

Eleonora Duse

Italian actress (1858–1924)

Eleonora Gonzaga (born 1598)

Holy Roman Empress from 1622 to 1637

Eleonore of Austria, Queen of Poland

b. 1653

Queen of Poland (1670–1673), Duchess of Lorraine (1678–1690)

Éleuthère Irénée du Pont

b. 1771

French-American chemist and industrialist (1771–1834)

Elfriede Rinkel

b. 1922

German concentration camp guard deported from the United States

Elfriede Wever

b. 1900

German middle-distance runner

Eli Apple

b. 1995

American football player (born 1995)

Eli Lilly

b. 1838

American pharmacist, Union Army officer, businessman, philanthropist (1838–1898)

Eli Roth

b. 1972

American film director and screenwriter (born 1972)

Eli Wallach

American actor (1915–2014)

Eli Whitney Blake

American inventor

Elia Dalla Costa

b. 1872

Italian Roman Catholic prelate and cardinal

Eliades Ochoa

b. 1946

Cuban singer and composer

Eliana Gil

b. 1948

Family therapist focusing on trauma and abuse

Elias Ashmole

English antiquarian, politician, officer of arms, astrologer and alchemist

Elias Boudinot

b. 1740

American politician, Founding Father of the United States (1740-1821)

Elias Canetti

b. 1905

German-language author (1905–1994)

Elias Howe

b. 1819

American inventor (1819–1867)

Elias James Corey

b. 1928

American chemist (born 1928)

Elias Katz

b. 1901

Athletics competitor