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. 1Pope Innocent IIIPope Innocent III1160–1216 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures22 decades
  2. 2Thomas BecketThomas Becket1119–1170 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Religious Figures22 decades
  3. 3Pope Alexander IIIPope Alexander III1100–1181 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures22 decades
  4. 4Adrian IVAdrian IVdied 1159 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Religious Figures22 decades
  5. 5Pope Callixtus IIPope Callixtus II1065–1124 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures0 decades
  6. 6Pope Honorius IIIPope Honorius III1148–1227 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures19 decades
  7. 7Pope Innocent IIPope Innocent II1100–1143 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures13 decades
  8. 8William of TyreWilliam of Tyre1130–1186 · Religious Figures22 decades
  9. 9Pope Celestine IIIPope Celestine III1106–1198 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures2 decades
  10. 10Hugues de PayensHugues de Payens1074–1136 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures0 decades
  11. 11Pope Gregory VIIIPope Gregory VIII1100–1187 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures0 decades
  12. 12Pope Lucius IIIPope Lucius III1110–1185 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures3 decades
  13. 13Saint RosaliaSaint Rosalia1130–1170 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures0 decades
  14. 14Peter LombardPeter Lombard1100–1160 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures22 decades
  15. 15Pope Honorius IIPope Honorius II1100–1130 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures0 decades
  16. 16Pope Celestine IIPope Celestine IIdied 1144 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures0 decades
  17. 17Norbert of XantenNorbert of Xanten1080–1134 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Religious Figures0 decades
  18. 18Pope Anastasius IVPope Anastasius IVdied 1154 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures0 decades
  19. 19Anacletus IIAnacletus II1091–1138 · Religious Figures1 decades
  20. 20Sverre of NorwaySverre of Norway1151–1202 · 🇳🇴 Norway · Religious Figures0 decades
  21. 21Arnaud AmalricArnaud Amalric1160–1225 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures4 decades
  22. 22Saint MalachySaint Malachy1094–1148 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Religious Figures0 decades
  23. 23CICelestine II1100–1126 · Religious Figures0 decades
  24. 24Arnold of BresciaArnold of Brescia1100–1155 · Religious Figures18 decades
  25. 25John of MathaJohn of Matha1160–1213 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures22 decades
  26. 26Gerald of WalesGerald of Wales1146–1220 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Religious Figures7 decades
  27. 27Maurice de SullyMaurice de Sully1110–1196 · Religious Figures0 decades
  28. 28Stephen LangtonStephen Langton1150–1228 · Religious Figures22 decades
  29. 29Innocent IIIInnocent III1110–1183 · Religious Figures22 decades
  30. 30HenryHenry1100–1156 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  31. 31CICallixtus IIIdied 1179 · Religious Figures0 decades
  32. 32Felix of ValoisFelix of Valois1127–1212 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures21 decades
  33. 33VIVictor IV1100–1139 · Religious Figures6 decades
  34. 34Conrad of WittelsbachConrad of Wittelsbach1125–1200 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures0 decades
  35. 35Hermann JosephHermann Joseph1150–1241 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures0 decades
  36. 36TTheodoric1100–1102 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  37. 37Saint ThorlakSaint Thorlak1133–1193 · Religious Figures0 decades
  38. 38Dagobert of PisaDagobert of Pisa1100–1105 · Religious Figures0 decades
  39. 39Rupert of DeutzRupert of Deutz1075–1129 · Religious Figures3 decades
  40. 40Henry of BloisHenry of Blois1096–1171 · Religious Figures11 decades
  41. 41Hugh of LincolnHugh of Lincoln1135–1200 · Religious Figures20 decades
  42. 42GGeoffrey1152–1212 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  43. 43Saint MeinhardSaint Meinhard1130–1196 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  44. 44Arnulf of ChocquesArnulf of Chocquesdied 1118 · Religious Figures0 decades
  45. 45RORaymond of Aguilers1100–1200 · Religious Figures2 decades
  46. 46EOEdmund of Scotland1100–1100 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  47. 47RaineriusRainerius1118–1161 · Religious Figures0 decades
  48. 48Diego GelmírezDiego Gelmírez1069–1140 · Religious Figures0 decades
  49. 49TOTheobald of Bec1090–1161 · Religious Figures0 decades
  50. 50Henry of France, Archbishop of ReimsHenry of France, Archbishop of Reims1121–1175 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures22 decades
  51. 51Bernard II, Lord of LippeBernard II, Lord of Lippe1140–1224 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures21 decades
  52. 52Saint BotvidSaint Botvid1100–1120 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  53. 53Albert of LouvainAlbert of Louvain1166–1192 · Religious Figures0 decades
  54. 54Raymond of FiteroRaymond of Fiterodied 1163 · Religious Figures0 decades
  55. 55APAimery Picaud1101–1101 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures0 decades
  56. 56Anthelm of BelleyAnthelm of Belley1107–1178 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  57. 57Conon of NasoConon of Naso1139–1236 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  58. 58Bretislaus III, Duke of BohemiaBretislaus III, Duke of Bohemia1137–1197 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  59. 59Theoderich von TreydenTheoderich von Treyden1160–1218 · Religious Figures0 decades
  60. 60Godfrey of AmiensGodfrey of Amiens1066–1115 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures0 decades
  61. 61Robert of NewminsterRobert of Newminster1100–1159 · Religious Figures0 decades
  62. 62Siegfried of BallenstedtSiegfried of Ballenstedt1075–1113 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  63. 63HOHermann of Dorpat1163–1248 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  64. 64VicelinusVicelinus1090–1154 · Religious Figures14 decades
  65. 65Adalbert of MainzAdalbert of Mainz1100–1137 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures0 decades
  66. 66Iwo OdrowążIwo Odrowąż1160–1229 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  67. 67Nerses of LambronNerses of Lambron1153–1198 · Religious Figures0 decades
  68. 68Saint ErnestSaint Ernest1116–1148 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures0 decades
  69. 69HDHugh de Puiset1125–1195 · Religious Figures15 decades
  70. 70HuguccioHuguccio1150–1210 · Religious Figures6 decades
  71. 71Rudolf of ZähringenRudolf of Zähringen1130–1191 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures0 decades
  72. 72RDRalph d'Escures1068–1122 · Religious Figures0 decades
  73. 73WWarmund1100–1128 · Religious Figures0 decades
  74. 74Eusebius of EsztergomEusebius of Esztergom1150–1270 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  75. 75Adalbert III of BohemiaAdalbert III of Bohemia1145–1200 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  76. 76MMuneko-naishinnō1126–1189 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  77. 77EOEskil of Lund1111–1181 · Religious Figures0 decades
  78. 78Galdino della SalaGaldino della Sala1100–1176 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  79. 79RahereRaheredied 1144 · Religious Figures16 decades
  80. 80AOAdolf of Altena1157–1220 · Religious Figures0 decades
  81. 81Valdemar of DenmarkValdemar of Denmark1158–1236 · Religious Figures0 decades
  82. 82Walter of the MillWalter of the Mill1130–1190 · Religious Figures0 decades
  83. 83Konrad II. von BabenbergKonrad II. von Babenberg1115–1168 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  84. 84Julian of CuencaJulian of Cuenca1128–1208 · Religious Figures0 decades
  85. 85WWibald1098–1158 · Religious Figures0 decades
  86. 86Konrad of QuerfurtKonrad of Querfurt1158–1202 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures10 decades
  87. 87RNRalph Neville1150–1244 · Religious Figures14 decades
  88. 88Guarinus of PalestrinaGuarinus of Palestrina1084–1158 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  89. 89Guðmundur ArasonGuðmundur Arason1161–1237 · Religious Figures0 decades
  90. 90RORichard of Dover1101–1184 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  91. 91BogumilusBogumilus1135–1182 · Religious Figures0 decades
  92. 92Wichmann of SeeburgWichmann of Seeburg1115–1192 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  93. 93Jocelin of GlasgowJocelin of Glasgow1130–1199 · Religious Figures0 decades
  94. 94Robert of CourçonRobert of Courçon1160–1218 · Religious Figures0 decades
  95. 95William GiffardWilliam Giffard1100–1129 · Religious Figures10 decades
  96. 96Guarinus of SittenGuarinus of Sitten1065–1150 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  97. 97John of TrogirJohn of Trogir1100–1111 · Religious Figures0 decades
  98. 98Wolfger von ErlaWolfger von Erla1140–1218 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures5 decades
  99. 99RORoger of Worcester1134–1179 · Religious Figures0 decades
  100. 100Geoffrey of VendômeGeoffrey of Vendôme1093–1132 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures0 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.