Leading Figures in History

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

21511 persons found

Maria of Bosnia

Duchess of Bosnia, Countess of Helfenstein

Maria of Calabria

Countess of Alba

Maria of Looz-Heinsberg

Dutch noble lady (1424–1502)

Maria of Montpellier

Queen of Aragon from 1204 to 1213

Maria Reiche

b. 1903

Peruvian archaeologist, mathematician and technical translator (1903–1998)

Maria Schell

Austrian-Swiss actress (1926–2005)

Maria Sharapova

b. 1987

Russian former tennis player (born 1987)

Maria Teresa Rafaela of Spain

b. 1726

Dauphine of France

María Teresa Torró Flor

b. 1992

Spanish tennis player (born 1992)

Maria Theresa

b. 1717

Habsburg monarch from 1740 to 1780

Maria Theresia von Paradis

b. 1759

Austrian musician and composer (1759–1824)

Maria Walliser

b. 1963

Swiss alpine skier

Maria, Duchess of Viseu

b. 1521

Portuguese princess and influential patron of the arts

Mariam A. Aleem

Egyptian artist (1930–2010)

Mariam-uz-Zamani

Empress Consort of Mughal Emperor Akbar

Marian Biskup

Polish historian, author and academic

Marian Glinka

Polish actor and bodybuilder

Marian Mercer

American actress

Marian Robinson

Mother of Michelle Obama (1937–2024)

Marian Smoluchowski

b. 1872

Polish physicist (1872–1917)

Mariana of Austria

Queen of Spain from 1649 to 1665

Marianna Zachariadi

Greek pole vaulter (1990–2013)

Marianne Angermann

b. 1904

Spanish–New Zealand biochemist (1904–1977)

Marianne Elliott (historian)

b. 1948

Irish historian