Claim profile
1100–1199

The 12th century

Whose working lives fell in the 12th century. Books are measured from 1800 and readers from 2015, so for this period we can say who lived then, not who was talked about then.

Lived then

The most notable people whose working lives fell in the 12th century, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.

CountryAll🇫🇷 France🇯🇵 Japan🇩🇪 Germany🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇳🇴 Norway🇮🇹 Italy🇪🇸 Spain🇸🇪 Sweden🇨🇳 China🇹🇷 Turkey
FieldAllHistorical FiguresWritersPoliticiansReligious FiguresAcademicsModelsActorsArtistsMusiciansDoctors
  1. 1Minamoto no YoritomoMinamoto no Yoritomo1147–1199 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Politicians0 decades
  2. 2Minamoto no YoshitsuneMinamoto no Yoshitsune1159–1189 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  3. 3Tomoe GozenTomoe Gozen1157–1247 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  4. 4Musashibō BenkeiMusashibō Benkei1155–1189 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—
  5. 5AntokuAntoku1178–1185 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Models0 decades
  6. 6Taira no KiyomoriTaira no Kiyomori1118–1181 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Politicians0 decades
  7. 7Emperor SutokuEmperor Sutoku1119–1164 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  8. 8EisaiEisai1141–1215 · 🇯🇵 Japan6 decades
  9. 9Go-ShirakawaGo-Shirakawa1127–1192 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Historical Figures1 decades
  10. 10TakakuraTakakura1161–1181 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Modelsnot measured—
  11. 11JienJien1155–1225 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers4 decades
  12. 12Minamoto no YoshinakaMinamoto no Yoshinaka1154–1184 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  13. 13TobaToba1103–1156 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Modelsnot measured—
  14. 14Emperor HorikawaEmperor Horikawa1079–1107 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Models0 decades
  15. 15Kamo no ChōmeiKamo no Chōmei1155–1216 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  16. 16Fujiwara no TeikaFujiwara no Teika1162–1241 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  17. 17SaigyōSaigyō1118–1190 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  18. 18Hōjō MasakoHōjō Masako1157–1225 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Politicians0 decades
  19. 19HōnenHōnen1133–1212 · 🇯🇵 Japan1 decades
  20. 20Emperor KonoeEmperor Konoe1139–1155 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Politicians0 decades
  21. 21Minamoto no YoshitomoMinamoto no Yoshitomo1123–1160 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  22. 22RokujōRokujō1164–1176 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Models0 decades
  23. 23Fujiwara no TamakoFujiwara no Tamako1101–1145 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—
  24. 24Minamoto no YorimasaMinamoto no Yorimasa1106–1180 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  25. 25NijōNijō1143–1165 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Modelsnot measured—
  26. 26Hōjō TokimasaHōjō Tokimasa1138–1215 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Politicians0 decades
  27. 27Fujiwara no NarikoFujiwara no Nariko1117–1160 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—
  28. 28UnkeiUnkei1151–1224 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists2 decades
  29. 29FNFujiwara no Yasuhira1155–1189 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  30. 30Fujiwara no HidehiraFujiwara no Hidehira1122–1187 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  31. 31Taira no TokikoTaira no Tokiko1126–1185 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Politiciansnot measured—
  32. 32Shikishi-naishinnōShikishi-naishinnō1149–1201 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writersnot measured—
  33. 33Hōjō YoshitokiHōjō Yoshitoki1163–1224 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Politicians0 decades
  34. 34Fujiwara no TadamichiFujiwara no Tadamichi1097–1164 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  35. 35Taira no MunemoriTaira no Munemori1147–1185 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  36. 36Prince MochihitoPrince Mochihito1151–1180 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Historical Figures0 decades
  37. 37Taira no TomomoriTaira no Tomomori1152–1185 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  38. 38Fujiwara no ToshinariFujiwara no Toshinari1114–1204 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  39. 39Minamoto no TametomoMinamoto no Tametomo1139–1170 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  40. 40Fujiwara no IetakaFujiwara no Ietaka1158–1237 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  41. 41Taira no ShigemoriTaira no Shigemori1138–1179 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  42. 42Fujiwara no AkisukeFujiwara no Akisuke1090–1155 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  43. 43JakurenJakuren1139–1202 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  44. 44Minamoto no TameyoshiMinamoto no Tameyoshi1096–1156 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  45. 45Nijō-in no SanukiNijō-in no Sanuki1141–1217 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writersnot measured—
  46. 46Fujiwara no YorinagaFujiwara no Yorinaga1120–1156 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  47. 47Taira no TokukoTaira no Tokuko1155–1214 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—
  48. 48Taira no KoremoriTaira no Koremori1160–1184 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  49. 49Konoe MotomichiKonoe Motomichi1160–1233 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  50. 50KaikeiKaikei1150–1250 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists3 decades
  51. 51Minamoto no NoriyoriMinamoto no Noriyori1150–1193 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  52. 52Minamoto no YukiieMinamoto no Yukiie1145–1186 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  53. 53Kiyosuke FujiwaraKiyosuke Fujiwara1104–1177 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writersnot measured—
  54. 54Fujiwara no TadazaneFujiwara no Tadazane1078–1162 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  55. 55Fujiwara no MichinoriFujiwara no Michinori1106–1160 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  56. 56ShunkanShunkan1143–1179 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  57. 57Hatakeyama ShigetadaHatakeyama Shigetada1164–1205 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  58. 58Fujiwara no NobuyoriFujiwara no Nobuyori1133–1160 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  59. 59Taira no AtsumoriTaira no Atsumori1169–1184 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  60. 60Tokudaiji SanesadaTokudaiji Sanesada1139–1192 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writersnot measured—
  61. 61Kajiwara KagetokiKajiwara Kagetoki1140–1200 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  62. 62Fujiwara no KanezaneFujiwara no Kanezane1149–1207 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  63. 63Fujiwara no MotofusaFujiwara no Motofusa1145–1231 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  64. 64Ōe no HiromotoŌe no Hiromoto1143–1225 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—
  65. 65Taira no TadamoriTaira no Tadamori1096–1153 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  66. 66Inpumon-in no TaifuInpumon-in no Taifu1130–1200 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writersnot measured—
  67. 67FNFujiwara no Tashi1140–1202 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—
  68. 68Kumagai NaozaneKumagai Naozane1141–1207 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  69. 69Shun'eShun'e1113–1191 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  70. 70Minamoto no YoshikuniMinamoto no Yoshikuni1091–1155 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—
  71. 71Konoe MotozaneKonoe Motozane1143–1166 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—
  72. 72Minamoto no YoshihiraMinamoto no Yoshihira1140–1160 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  73. 73Fujiwara no TakanobuFujiwara no Takanobu1142–1205 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Artists0 decades
  74. 74FNFujiwara no Shimeko1131–1176 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—
  75. 75Taira no NoritsuneTaira no Noritsune1160–1185 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  76. 76Tokiwa GozenTokiwa Gozenborn 1138 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  77. 77Minamoto no YoshiyasuMinamoto no Yoshiyasu1127–1157 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—
  78. 78Taira no TadanoriTaira no Tadanori1144–1184 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  79. 79SShushi-naishinnō1141–1176 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—
  80. 80Taira no ShigehiraTaira no Shigehira1157–1185 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  81. 81Taira no TsunemoriTaira no Tsunemori1124–1185 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  82. 82Imai KanehiraImai Kanehira1152–1184 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  83. 83Sasaki TakatsunaSasaki Takatsuna1160–1214 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  84. 84Ashikaga YoshikaneAshikaga Yoshikane1154–1199 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  85. 85Wada YoshimoriWada Yoshimori1147–1213 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  86. 86Ryōshi-naishinnōRyōshi-naishinnō1147–1216 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—
  87. 87Taira no KagekiyoTaira no Kagekiyo1150–1196 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  88. 88MMuneko-naishinnō1126–1189 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  89. 89FNFujiwara no Kiyoko1122–1182 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—
  90. 90DōinDōin1090–1182 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writersnot measured—
  91. 91Hatakeyama ShigeyasuHatakeyama Shigeyasudied 1205 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—
  92. 92KakubanKakuban1095–1144 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  93. 93FNFujiwara no Kinshi1134–1209 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Historical Figuresnot measured—
  94. 94Minamoto no KanemasaMinamoto no Kanemasa1100–1200 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  95. 95FNFujiwara no Ikushi1146–1173 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—
  96. 96KKojijū1121–1202 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  97. 97Minamoto no YoshishigeMinamoto no Yoshishige1114–1202 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—
  98. 98Ano ZenjōAno Zenjō1153–1203 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—
  99. 99MongakuMongaku1139–1203 · 🇯🇵 Japan0 decades
  100. 100Fujiwara no MotohiraFujiwara no Motohira1105–1157 · 🇯🇵 Japannot measured—

How this is measured

  • Placing people in time. Each person belongs to the century in which they were most active — around age 35, and never after their death.
  • Who ranks highest. Within a century, people are ranked where two independent signals agree: how many of the world’s Wikipedia language editions cover them, and how many people actually read about them. Article counts alone can be lifted by a person’s own circle; readers cannot.
  • Fame in print. The curves count how often a name appears in Google Books from 1800 to 2019, as a share of all the words printed each year, in the person’s own language wherever that corpus exists. Those decades are over, so each measurement is made once and kept.
  • What is left out. A lifetime is measured only from 1820, when there is enough print to judge; the five years after a death are skipped as obituaries; and a name shared with someone equally notable is credited to neither.