Leading Figures in History

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

21509 persons found

Ordoño I of Asturias

King of Asturias from 850 to 866

Orélie-Antoine de Tounens

b. 1825

French adventurer who proclaimed himself king of Araucania and Patagonia

Orhan Kemal

Turkish novelist (1914–1970)

Orhan Pamuk

b. 1952

Turkish novelist, academic and Nobel laureate (born 1952)

Oriana Fallaci

b. 1929

Italian journalist and author (1929–2006)

Orietta Berti

b. 1943

Italian singer (born 1943)

Orlando Cepeda

Puerto Rican baseball player (1937–2024)

Orlando di Lasso

Franco-Flemish composer (1532–1594)

Orlando Gibbons

English composer and keyboard player (1583–1625)

Orlando Sirola

b. 1928

Italian tennis player

Orlando Woolridge

American basketball player (1959–2012)

Ornette Coleman

American jazz musician and composer (1930–2015)

Orrin Hatch

American politician (1934–2022)

Orso Mario Corbino

b. 1876

Italian physicist and politician (1876–1937)

Orson Welles

b. 1915

American actor and filmmaker (1915–1985)

Orval Tessier

b. 1933

Canadian ice hockey player and coach (1933–2022)

Osama bin Laden

Founder of al-Qaeda (1957–2011)

Osamu Dazai

Japanese author (1909–1948)

Osbert Sitwell

English writer (1892–1969)

Óscar Cardozo

b. 1983

Paraguayan footballer (born 1983)

Óscar Carmona

President of Portugal from 1926 to 1951

Oscar Dystel

Oscar Florianus Bluemner

b. 1867

American painter

Óscar García (footballer, born 1973)

b. 1973

Spanish footballer and manager