Leading Figures in History

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

39104 persons found

Rūdolfs Jurciņš

b. 1909

Latvian basketball player

Rudolph A. Marcus

b. 1923

Canadian-born American chemist and Nobel laureate (1923–2026)

Rudolph Dirks

American cartoonist

Rudolph Goclenius

German philosopher

Rudolph II of Burgundy

King of Burgundy from 912 to 937

Rudolph Valentino

b. 1895

Italian actor (1895–1926)

Rudolph, Duke of Lorraine

Duke of Lorraine from 1328 to 1346

Rudra Mohammad Shahidullah

Bangladeshi poet (1956–1991)

Rudy Gay

b. 1986

American basketball player (born 1986)

Rudy Giuliani

b. 1944

American attorney and politician (born 1944)

Rudy Gobert

b. 1992

French basketball player (born 1992)

Rudy Lewis

American singer (1936–1964)

Rudy Pérez

b. 1958

Cuban-born American musician, songwriter, producer and composer

Rudy Perpich

b. 1928

American politician

Rudy Ruettiger

b. 1948

American football player and motivational speaker (born 1948)

Rudy Vallée

American musician (1901–1986)

Rudy York

b. 1913

American baseball player and manager (1913–1970)

Rue McClanahan

American actress (1934–2010)

Rued Langgaard

Danish composer (1893–1952)

Rufino Tamayo

Mexican painter, printmaker, and sculptor (1899–1991)

Rufus Wainwright

b. 1973

Canadian-American singer-songwriter (born 1973)

Rufus Wilmot Griswold

American anthologist (1815–1857)

Ruggero Deodato

b. 1939

Italian film director and screenwriter (1939–2022)

Ruggero Leoncavallo

b. 1857

Italian composer (1857–1919)