Ranking the most influential men in the world history based on their achievements, both in religious and secular issue

The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History By Michael H. Hart Number Person Time Frame Occupation Reason(s) for Being Placed on the List 1 Muhammad 570-632 Secular and religious leader Prophet; Founder of Islam; Wrote the Koran 2 Isaac Newton 1642-1727 Scientist Many scientific and mathematical inventions/theories 3 Jesus Christ c. 6BC-c. 30 Prophet; Spiritual leader Founder of Christianity 4 Buddha 563BC-483BC Spiritual leader Founder of Buddhism 5 Confucius 551BC-479BC Philosopher; Teacher Created Confucianism 6 St. Paul c. 4-c. 64 Christian apostle His writings in the New Testament of the Bible 7 Ts’ai Lun c. 105 Political official in imperial China Invented paper 8 Johann Gutenberg 1400-1468 Inventor Inventor of printing (printing press) 9 Christopher Columbus 1451-1506 Explorer Discovery of the Americas led to world-wide exploration 10 Albert Einstein 1879-1955 Scientist Theory of relativity 11 Louis Pasteur 1822-1895 Chemist and biologist Germ theory and preventive inoculation 12 Galileo Galilei 1564-1642 Scientist Developed the scientific method; Invented the telescope 13 Aristotle 384BC-322BC Philosopher and scientist Wrote over 170 books on astronomy, zoology, geography, etc; Originated the study of formal logic 14 Euclid c. 300 BC Teacher Wrote Elements, greatest textbook on geometry 15 Moses 13th c. BC Prophet Political figure who led the Hebrews in the Exodus from Egypt; Wrote five books of the Bible (the Jewish Torah); Encouraged the belief of monotheism (belief in one god) 16 Charles Darwin 1809-1882 Biologists Originated the theory of organic evolution by means of natural selection 17 Shih Huang Ti 259BC-210BC Chinese Emperor United China by force of arms and instituted a set of sweeping reforms 18 Augustus Caesar 63BC-14 Political leader Founder of the Roman Empire 19 Nicolaus Copernicus 1473-1543 Lawyer; Astronomer Copernican Theory (First to assert the Earth revolves around the sun) 20 Antoine Laurent Lavoisier 1743-1794 Scientist Organized the system of chemical theory Name Person TimeFrame Occupation Reason(s) for Being Placed on the List 21 Constantine the Great c. 280-337 Political leader First Christian emperor of the Roman Empire 22 James Watt 1736-1819 Inventor Inventor of the first practical steam engine and key figure in the Industrial Revolution 23 Michael Farday 1791-1867 Inventor Invented the first electric motor; Discovered electromagnetic induction 24 James Clerk Maxwell 1831-1879 Physicist Developed a set of four equations that best express the basic laws of electricity and magnetism 25 Martin Luther 1483-1546 Teacher and author Chiefly responsible for the beginning of the Reformation period; The start of Protestantism 26 George Washington 1732-1799 Political leader Military leader and first president of the United States 27 Karl Marx 1818-1883 Philosopher Principal originator of “scientific socialism”; His writings form the theoretical basis of Communism 28 Orville Wright & Wilbur Wright 1871-1948 1867-1912 Inventors Invented the first airplane 29 Genghis Khan c. 1162-1227 Emperor Ruthless leader who eventually ruled the largest empire in all of history 30 Adam Smith 1723-1790 Philosopher Wrote The Wealth of Nations; Leading figure in the development of economic theory 31 Edward de Vere (William Shakespeare) 1550-1604 Playwright and poet Wrote at least 36 plays (including Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, Julius Caesar, and Othello), 154 sonnets, and a few longer poems 32 John Dalton 1766-1844 Scientist Introduced the atomic hypothesis into the mainstream of science 33 Alexander the Great 356BC-323BC Political leader and conqueror Conquered and controlled vast amounts of land; Brought together Greek and Middle Eastern civilizations which resulted in cultural diffusion 34 Napoleon Bonaparte 1769-1821 General and Emperor Great military leader; Authorized the sale of land to the USA (known as the Louisiana Purchase) Name Person TimeFrame Occupation Reason(s) for Being Placed on the List 21 Constantine the Great c. 280-337 Political leader First Christian emperor of the Roman Empire 22 James Watt 1736-1819 Inventor Inventor of the first practical steam engine and key figure in the Industrial Revolution 23 Michael Farday 1791-1867 Inventor Invented the first electric motor; Discovered electromagnetic induction 24 James Clerk Maxwell 1831-1879 Physicist Developed a set of four equations that best express the basic laws of electricity and magnetism 25 Martin Luther 1483-1546 Teacher and author Chiefly responsible for the beginning of the Reformation period; The start of Protestantism 26 George Washington 1732-1799 Political leader Military leader and first president of the United States 27 Karl Marx 1818-1883 Philosopher Principal originator of “scientific socialism”; His writings form the theoretical basis of Communism 28 Orville Wright & Wilbur Wright 1871-1948 1867-1912 Inventors Invented the first airplane 29 Genghis Khan c. 1162-1227 Emperor Ruthless leader who eventually ruled the largest empire in all of history 30 Adam Smith 1723-1790 Philosopher Wrote The Wealth of Nations; Leading figure in the development of economic theory 31 Edward de Vere (William Shakespeare) 1550-1604 Playwright and poet Wrote at least 36 plays (including Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, Julius Caesar, and Othello), 154 sonnets, and a few longer poems 32 John Dalton 1766-1844 Scientist Introduced the atomic hypothesis into the mainstream of science 33 Alexander the Great 356BC-323BC Political leader and conqueror Conquered and controlled vast amounts of land; Brought together Greek and Middle Eastern civilizations which resulted in cultural diffusion 34 Napoleon Bonaparte 1769-1821 General and Emperor Great military leader; Authorized the sale of land to the USA (known as the Louisiana Purchase) Number Person Time Frame Occupation Reason(s) for Being Placed on the List 35 Thomas Edison 1847-1931 Inventor Developed over 1,000 inventions including the phonograph and the practical incandescent light bulb 36 Antony van Leeuwenhoek 1632-1723 Government worker Discovered microbes 37 William T. G. Mortin 1819-1868 Dentist Introduced the use of anesthesia in surgery 38 Guglielmo Marconi 1874-1937 Inventor Invented the radio 39 Adolf Hitler 1889-1945 Political leader Leader of the Nazi party; Leader of Germany during WWII; Masterminded the Holocaust 40 Plato 427BC-347BC Philosopher Wrote over 36 books (including the Republic); Considered one of the great fathers of Western thought 41 Oliver Cromwell 1599-1658 Military leader Man most responsible for eventual establishment of parliamentary democracy as the English form of government 42 Alexander Graham Bell 1847-1922 Inventor Invented the telephone 43 Alexander Fleming 1881-1955 Physician Discovered penicillin 44 John Locke 1632-1704 Philosopher First writer to put together a coherent form of the basic ideas of constitutional democracy 45 Ludwig Van Beethoven 1770-1827 Composer Wrote nine symphonies, 32 piano sonatas, five piano concertos, ten sonatas for the piano and violin, a series of magnificent string quartets, vocal music, theater music, and much more 46 Werner Heisenberg 1901-1976 Physicist Played a significant role in the creation of quantum mechanics 47 Louis Daguerre 1787-1851 Inventor Developed the first practical method of photography 48 Simon Bolivar 1783-1830 Political leader Given the title, The Liberator; He led the liberation of five S. American countries from Spanish rule 49 Rene Descartes 1596-1650 Philosopher, scientist, and mathematician Invented analytic geometry Number Person Time Frame Occupation Reason(s) for Being Placed on the List 50 Michelangelo 1475-1564 Artist His work (paintings, statues, drawings, etc.) profoundly influenced the development of European painting and sculpture 51 Pope Urban II 1042-1099 Religious leader Gave the order to start the First Christian Crusades 52 ‘Umar ibn al-Kattab c. 586-644 Religious leader After Muhammad, Umar was the principle figure in the spread of Islam 53 Asoka c. 300BC-c. 232BC Political leader Third ruler of the Mauryan dynasty and considered the most important monarch in the history of India 54 St. Augustine 354-430 Theologian His writings profoundly influenced Christian doctrines and attitudes throughout the Middle Ages 55 William Harvey 1578-1657 Physician Discovered the circulation of blood and the function of the heart 56 Ernest Rutherford 1871-1937 Physicist Originated the study of nuclear physics 57 John Calvin 1509-1564 Theologian Influential Protestant leader who developed Calvinism (importance of the Bible, dedication to hard work, etc.) 58 Gregor Mendel 1822-1884 Monk and teacher Discovered the basic principles of heredity 59 Max Planck 1858-1947 Physicist Generally considered to be the father of quantum mechanics (developed Planck’s theory) 60 Joseph Lister 1827-1912 Surgeon Introduced the use of antiseptic measures in surgery 61 Nikolaus August Otto 1832-1891 Inventor Built the first four-stroke internal combustion engine 62 Fransisco Pizarro c. 1475-1541 Adventurer and conqueror Conquered the Inca Empire of Peru 63 Hernando Cortes 1485-1547 Adventurer and conqueror Conquered the Aztec Empire of Mexico 64 Thomas Jefferson 1743-1826 Political leader Third president of the United States; Author of the Declaration of Independence Number Person Time Frame Occupation Reason(s) for Being Placed on the List 65 Queen Isabella I 1451-1504 Political ruler Financed Columbus’s voyage across the Atlantic Ocean; Instituted the Spanish Inquistion 66 Joseph Stalin 1879-1953 Political leader Ruthless dictator of the Soviet Union 67 Julius Caesar 100BC-44Bc Military and political leader Played a significant role in the downfall of the Roman Republic; Under his leadership, Roman troops conquered Gaul which provided security for the Roman Empire 68 William the Conqueror c. 1027-1087 Monarch Led the Norman conquest of England which resulted in the blend of the French and Anglo-Saxon cultures 69 Sigmund Freud 1856-1939 Psychologist Originator of psychoanalysis 70 Edward Jenner 1749-1823 Physician Developed and popularized the technique of vaccination as a preventive measure against smallpox 71 William Conrad Rontgen 1845-1923 Scientist Developed the use of X-rays 72 Johann Sebastian Bach 1685-1750 Composer Considered to be one of the two or three composers of all time; First man to successfully combine the differing national styles of music which existed in Western Europe 73 LaoTzu 4th c. BC Author Wrote Tao Te Ching; This book is the basis for Taoism 74 Voltaire 1694-1778 Historian and philosopher Wrote numerous books – most famous, Candide; Influenced political thought which ultimately resulted in the French Revolution 75 Johannes Kepler 1571-1630 Astronomer Discovered the laws of planetary motion 76 Enrico Fermi 1901-1954 Scientist Designed the first nuclear reactor 77 Leonhard Euler 1707-1783 Mathematician and physicist One of the most brilliant and prolific scientists of all time; Wrote 32 full length books concerning practical applications of laws of mechanics Number Person Time Frame Occupation Reason(s) for Being Placed on the List 78 Jean-Jacques Rousseau 1712-1778 Philosopher Major influence on educational theory; Important factor in the rise of Romanticism in literture 79 Niccolo Machiavelli 1469-1527 Political philosopher Wrote the Prince – a book often called the “handbook for dictators” 80 Thomas Mahus 1766-1834 Parson (member of the clergy) and professor of history and political economy First person to stress the overwhelming importance of the problem of overpopulation and to bring this problem to the attention of the intellectual world 81 John F. Kennedy 1917-1963 Political leader President of the United States; The person who was primarily responsible for instituting the Apollo Space Program 82 Gregory Pincus 1903-1967 Biologist Led the way in the development of the oral contraceptive pill 83 Mani 216-276 Prophet Founder of Manichaeism – a religion which, though extinct today, at its height had a very large number of follwers 84 Lenin 1870-1924 Politicalleader Leader principally responsible for the establishment of Communism in Russia 85 Sui Wen Ti 541-604 Emperor Reunified China after it had been badly divided for hundreds of years; As a result, China continues on the path of a powerful nation 86 Vasco de Gama c. 1460-1524 Explorer Discovered the direct sea route from Europe to India by sailing around Africa 87 Cyrus the Great c. 590BC-529BC Military and political leader Founder of the Persian Empire (united most of the ancient Middle East into a single state stretching from India to the Mediterranean Sea) Number Person Time Frame Occupation Reason(s) for Being Placed on the List 88 Peter the Great 1672-1725 Political leader Generally acknowledged to be the most outstanding of the Russian czars (emperor); His policy of westernization was a major factor in the transformation of Russia into a great power 89 Mao Zedong 1893-1976 Political leader Led the Communist party in China; Vastly transformed China politically, economically, socially, and culturally 90 Francis Bacon 1561-1626 Politician and philosopher The first great philosopher to realize that science and technology could transform the world, and an effective advocate of scientific investigation 91 HenryFord 1863-1947 Industrialist Introduced the theory of mass production into modern industry 92 Mencius c. 371BC-c. 289BC Philosopher Wrote, Book of Mencius; Immensely influential writer in China 93 Zoroaster c. 628BC-c. 551BC Prophet Founder of Zoroastrianism, a religion that has endured for over 2,500 years and still has followers today 94 Queen Elizabeth I 1533-1603 Monarch Her 45 year reign was marked by economic prosperity, a great literary flowering, and the rise of England to first rank among the world’s naval powers 95 Mikhail Gorbachev 1931- Political leader Soviet leader who led the decline and fall of the old Soviet regime and the democratization of the new Russia 96 Menes c. 3100 BC Monarch Original king of the first Egyptian dynasty; First ruler to unite Egypt 97 Charlemagne 742-814 Emperor Medieval emperor was the king of Franks, conqueror of Saxony, founder of the Holy Roman Empire, and one of the foremost rulers in European history Number Person Time Frame Occupation Reason(s) for Being Placed on the List 98 Homer 8th c. BC? Author Wrote the Iliad and Odyssey; Influenced Greek poets and playwrights 99 JustinianI 483-565 Emperor Emperor renowned for the great codification of Roman law that was carried out during his reign; Later formed the basis for the development of the law in many European countries 100 Mahavira c. 599BC-c. 527BC Religious leader Founder of Jainism Honorable Mentions and Interesting Misses Abraham Aesop Howard H. Aiken Susan B. Anthony St. Thomas Aquinas Archimedes Aristarchus of Samos Richard Arkwright Neil Armstrong Charles Babbage Jeremy Bentham Antoine Henri Becquerel Otto von Bismark Niels Bohr Louis de Broglie Nicolas Sadi Carnot Cheops (Khufu) Winston Churchhill Karl von Clausewitz Rudolf Clausius Marie Curie Gottlieb Daimler Dante Alighieri King David Democritus Mary Baker Eddy Robert C. W. Ettinger George Fox Benjamin Franklin Frederick the Great Betty Friedan Galen Mohandas K. Gandhi Karl Friedrich Gauss Hammurabi Henry VIII Henry the Navigator Theodor Herzl Hippocrates Thomas Hobbes James Hutton Ikhnaton Isaiah Joan of Arc Immanuel Kant Kemal Ataturk John Maynard Keynes Har Gobind Khorana Martin Luther King, Jr. Alfred C. Kinsey Gustav Kirchhoff Kublai Khan Georg W. F. Hegel Gottfried W. von Leibniz Etienne Lenoir Leonardo da Vinci Abraham Lincoln Liu Pang Louis XIV James Madison Ferdinand Magellan The Virgin Mary Meijo Tenno Dmitri Mendeleev Montesquieu Maria Montessori Samuel Morse Wolfgang Mozart Muawiya I Gerard K. O’Neill Blaise Pascal Ivan Pavlov Pablo Picasso Marco Polo Ptolemy Pythagoras Ronald Reagan Rembrandt Franklin D. Roosevelt Sankara Erwin Schrodinger William B. Shockley Joseph Smith Socrates Sophocles Sun Yat-sen William Henry Talbot Tamurlane Edward Teller Henry David Thoreau Charles H. Townes Harry S. Truman Alessandro Volta Selman A. Waksman James D. Watson Robert Watson-Watt Mary Wollstonecraft Frank Llody Wright Boris Yeltsin Vladimir Zworykin