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.
#PersonIn print, 1800–2019Echoed
- 1
Richard I of England1157–1199 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures0 decades - 2
Henry I of England1068–1135 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom6 decades - 3
Empress Matilda1102–1167 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures14 decades - 4
.jpg?width=1200)
Thomas Becket1119–1170 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Religious Figures22 decades - 5
.png?width=1200)
Adrian IVdied 1159 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Religious Figures22 decades - 6
Henry the Young King1155–1183 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Models0 decades - 7
Geoffrey of Monmouth1100–1155 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades - 8
.jpg?width=1200)
David I of Scotland1084–1153 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures0 decades - 9
Matilda of Scotland1080–1118 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures2 decades - 10
William the Lion1143–1214 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Politicians22 decades - 11
Geoffrey II1158–1186 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures0 decades - 12
William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke1146–1219 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Politicians22 decades - 13
.jpg?width=1200)
Saint Malachy1094–1148 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Religious Figures0 decades - 14
William of Malmesbury1095–1143 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades - 15
Gerald of Wales1146–1220 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Religious Figures7 decades - 16AWAgatha, wife of Edward the Exile1100–1100 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdomnot measured—
- 17SOSybilla of Normandy1092–1122 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 18GFGwenllian ferch Gruffydd1097–1136 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figuresnot measured—
- 19
Margaret of Huntingdon, Duchess of Brittany1145–1201 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 20
Nest ferch Rhys1085–1136 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figuresnot measured— - 21RDReginald de Dunstanville, 1st Earl of Cornwall1110–1175 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdomnot measured—
- 22GAGruffydd ap Rhys1090–1137 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures0 decades
- 23
William de Tracyborn 1101 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom5 decades - 24COCaradoc of Llancarfan1150–1156 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers0 decades
- 25
Hugh de Kevelioc, 5th Earl of Chester1147–1181 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdomnot measured— - 26
Rhys Gryg1160–1234 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Historical Figures0 decades - 27RPRobert Pullen1080–1146 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Actors0 decades
- 28
Waltheof of Melrose1095–1159 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom0 decades - 29JCJohannes Cotto1100–1150 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Musicians0 decades
- 30HOHugh of Rhuddlan1150–1190 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers0 decades
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.