People
Historical Figures and Influential People in History
Explore rulers, generals, thinkers, scientists and reformers who shaped world history. Search for a specific person, or browse by era, region, country and A–Z.
Medieval Period Figures in Other
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9 results
Atahualpa
1500–1533PER
He had just won a civil war for control of the largest empire in the Americas when a small group of Spanish strangers arrived and captured him at dinner.
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Cnut the Great
995–1035Denmark
He conquered England as an outsider, became its most effective king, and according to legend placed his throne at the water's edge to show his lords that even kings can't stop the tide.
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Genghis Khan
1162–1227Mongolia
Born with nothing but a name and a grudge, he built the largest contiguous empire in human history — and no one has ever fully explained how.
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Guthrum
830–890Denmark
He invaded England at the head of a Viking army, was defeated, and accepted baptism as part of the peace terms — with his conqueror, Alfred, standing as his godfather.
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Harald Hardrada
1015–1066Norway
A Norwegian king and seasoned warrior, Harald Hardrada pursued power across Europe before launching the last major Viking invasion of England in 1066.
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Kublai Khan
1215–1294Mongolia
He ruled the largest empire in history, launched two invasions of Japan — both destroyed by storms — and spent his final years heavy, ill, and wondering if the empire was actually governable.
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Leif Erikson
970–1020ISL
He reached North America five centuries before Columbus, set up a camp, and then sailed home — leaving a discovery that the world forgot until modern archaeology dug it back up.
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Nicolaus Copernicus
1473–1543Poland
He spent decades developing a model of the solar system with the Earth moving round the Sun, delayed publishing it for years out of fear, and died days after the first copies arrived.
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Timur
1336–1405UZB
He claimed to be building a new Mongol Empire, destroyed cities that resisted him so thoroughly they were never rebuilt, and left a legacy that later rulers still invoked centuries after his death.
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