Leading Figures in History

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

21511 persons found

Maria Amalia, Duchess of Parma

Duchess of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla from 1771 to 1796

Maria Barbara Carillo

Spanish stake burning victim

Maria Bethânia

b. 1946

Musical artist

Maria Christina, Duchess of Teschen

b. 1742

Duchess of Teschen from 1766 to 1798

María Conchita Alonso

b. 1957

Cuban singer (born 1955)

Maria Dulęba

Polish actress (1881–1959)

María Elena Velasco

Mexican actress, comedian, singer-songwriter and dancer (1940–2015)

Maria Gaetana Agnesi

b. 1718

Italian mathematician and philanthropist (1718–1799)

Maria Goeppert Mayer

b. 1906

German–American physicist (1906–1972)

Maria Koepcke

b. 1924

20th-century German and Peruvian ornithologist

Maria Lacerda de Moura

b. 1887

Brazilian anarcho-feminist journalist (1887–1945)

Maria Lassnig

Austrian artist (1919–2014)

Maria Lawson

b. 1975

Musical artist

Maria Lenk

Brazilian swimmer (1915–2007)

María Luisa Bombal

Chilean novelist and poet (1910–1980)

María Luisa Dehesa Gómez Farías

b. 1912

Mexican architect

Maria Malicka (actress)

b. 1900

Polish actress (1898–1992)

Maria Menounos

b. 1978

American and Greek TV host (born 1978)

Maria Minakowska

b. 1972

Polish historian

Maria Mitchell

American astronomer (1818–1889)

Maria Montessori

Italian physician and educator (1870–1952)

Maria of Aragon, Queen of Portugal

b. 1482

Queen of Portugal from 1500 to 1517

Maria of Austria, Duchess of Jülich-Cleves-Berg

b. 1531

Duchess of Jülich-Cleves-Berg

Maria of Austria, Holy Roman Empress

b. 1528

Holy Roman Empress from 1564 to 1576