Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 4, 1861, until his assassination.
Born in a log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky, to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks, he rose from humble beginnings to lead the nation through the Civil War, abolishing slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation. His leadership and the Gettysburg Address remain iconic, though his life ended tragically by John Wilkes Booth’s bullet.
Sri Thyagaraja (May 4, 1767 – January 6, 1847), also known as Tyagaraja or Kakarla Tyagabrahmam, was a legendary Indian composer and saint of Carnatic music.
Born in Tiruvarur, Tamil Nadu, to a Telugu Brahmin family, he is one of the Trinity of Carnatic music (with Shyama Shastri and Muthuswami Dikshitar). A devotee of Lord Rama, he composed over 700 kritis (devotional songs), including the Pancharatna Kritis, emphasizing bhakti (devotion) through music. He lived simply, rejecting royal patronage, and his works remain central to Carnatic performances.
Tipu Sultan (December 1, 1751 – May 4, 1799), known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore from 1782 until his death.
Born in Devanahalli, Karnataka, to Hyder Ali and Fatima Fakhr-un-Nisa, he fiercely resisted British colonial expansion during the Anglo-Mysore Wars, pioneering rocket warfare. His reign featured economic innovations and French alliances, ending with his heroic defense of Seringapatam.
Shivaji Bhonsle, known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (April 19, 1630 – April 3, 1680), was the founder of the Maratha Empire and a legendary warrior-king in Indian history. Born at Shivneri Fort to Shahaji Bhonsle and Jijabai, he resisted Mughal and Bijapur rule, establishing Swarajya (self-rule) through guerrilla warfare and strategic fortresses. Crowned Chhatrapati in 1674, his legacy of valor, administration, and Hindu resurgence endures.
Aurangzeb (November 3, 1618 – March 3, 1707), born Muhi-ud-Din Muhammad, was the sixth Mughal emperor, ruling from 1658 to 1707. The third son of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, he ascended after a fratricidal war of succession, expanding the empire to its greatest territorial extent while enforcing orthodox Islamic policies. His reign saw military successes but also rebellions and economic strain, leaving a complex legacy of administration and religious conservatism.
Akbar the Great (October 15, 1542 – October 27, 1605), born Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad Akbar, was the third Mughal emperor who ruled from 1556 to 1605. Son of Humayun and Hamida Banu Begum, he ascended the throne at age 13 and expanded the Mughal Empire across most of the Indian subcontinent through military conquests, administrative reforms, and religious tolerance policies like Sulh-i-Kul. His reign marked a golden age of art, culture, and economic prosperity, earning him the title "the Great."
Robert LeRoy Ripley (February 22, 1890 – May 27, 1949) was an American cartoonist, entrepreneur, and amateur anthropologist, best known for creating the "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" newspaper panel series, which featured bizarre facts, oddities, and human achievements.
Born in Santa Rosa, California, he started as a sports illustrator and became a global sensation, spawning books, radio shows, and museums. His work emphasized the extraordinary in everyday life, though he often exaggerated his own backstory.
Guru Nanak (April 15, 1469 – September 22, 1539) was the founder of Sikhism and the first of ten Sikh Gurus. Born in Talwandi (now Nankana Sahib, Pakistan) to a Hindu family, he rejected religious orthodoxy, advocating equality, devotion, and unity with one God. His extensive travels, teachings, and composition of hymns (later compiled in the Guru Granth Sahib) shaped a new spiritual tradition.
Swamy Vidyaranya (c. 1296–1391 CE), also identified as Madhavacharya, was a pivotal figure in Indian philosophy and history, serving as the 12th Jagadguru of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham (c. 1380–1386 CE).
Born in Ekasila Nagari (modern Warangal), Andhra Pradesh, to a learned Brahmin family, he authored works like Sarvadarśanasaṅgraha and Pañcadaśī, advancing Advaita Vedanta. Traditionally credited with aiding the founding of the Vijayanagara Empire, his life blends spiritual and political influence.
Omar Khayyam (May 18, 1048 – December 4, 1131) was a Persian polymath, renowned as a poet, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher. Born in Nishapur, Persia (modern-day Iran), he is best known for his Rubaiyat, a collection of quatrains reflecting on life, love, and mortality, translated into English by Edward FitzGerald. His mathematical work included solving cubic equations, and he reformed the Persian calendar.
Prophet Muhammad (c. 570 / 571 CE – June 8, 632 CE) was the founder of Islam, regarded by Muslims as the last messenger of God (Allah). Born in Mecca to the Quraysh tribe, he received revelations from Allah via the angel Gabriel, compiling them into the Quran. His life, marked by prophethood, migration (Hijra), and leadership, unified Arabia under Islam, leaving a legacy that shapes over a billion lives today.
Jesus Christ (c. 7 BCE – c. 30 or 33 CE), the central figure of Christianity, is believed by Christians to be the Son of God and the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament. Born on December 25, 7 BCE, in Bethlehem to Mary and Joseph, according to traditional Christian accounts (e.g., Matthew, Luke), his life—spanning ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection—forms the foundation of Christian theology. This biography uses the proposed birth date of December 25, 7 BCE, though historical estimates vary (e.g., 6–4 BCE).
Augustus Caesar (September 23, 63 BCE – August 19, 14 CE), born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, was the first Roman emperor, reigning from 27 BCE until his death. Adopted by his great-uncle Julius Caesar, he rose to power after Caesar’s assassination, defeating Mark Antony and Cleopatra at Actium (31 BCE). His reign ushered in the Pax Romana, transforming Rome into an empire with lasting legal, architectural, and cultural legacies.
Alexander III of Macedon, known as Alexander the Great (July 22, 356 BCE – June 10 or 11, 323 BCE), was a king of Macedon who created one of history’s largest empires, stretching from Greece to northwest India. Born in Pella to King Philip II and Queen Olympias, he was tutored by Aristotle, succeeded his father at 20, and died at 32, leaving a legacy of conquest, Hellenistic culture, and enduring mythology.
