Claim profile
1400–1499

The 15th century

Whose working lives fell in the 15th 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 15th century, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.

CountryAll🇫🇷 France🇩🇪 Germany🇮🇹 Italy🇹🇷 Turkey🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇪🇸 Spain🇯🇵 Japan🇸🇪 Sweden🇵🇹 Portugal🇨🇭 Switzerland
FieldAllHistorical FiguresPoliticiansWritersArtistsReligious FiguresAcademicsModelsMusiciansArchitectsScientists
  1. 1Louis XI of FranceLouis XI of France1423–1483 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians8 decades
  2. 2Charles VIII of FranceCharles VIII of France1470–1498 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians11 decades
  3. 3Charles the BoldCharles the Bold1433–1477 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians22 decades
  4. 4Mary of BurgundyMary of Burgundy1457–1482 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians22 decades
  5. 5Philip the GoodPhilip the Good1396–1467 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0 decades
  6. 6Francis IIFrancis II1435–1488 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians12 decades
  7. 7Jacqueline, Countess of HainautJacqueline, Countess of Hainaut1401–1436 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians5 decades
  8. 8Jean de DunoisJean de Dunois1403–1468 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0 decades
  9. 9Arthur III, Duke of BrittanyArthur III, Duke of Brittany1393–1458 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0 decades
  10. 10Gian Giacomo TrivulzioGian Giacomo Trivulzio1440–1518 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians22 decades
  11. 11Charles I of AlbretCharles I of Albret1368–1415 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0 decades
  12. 12Georges d'AmboiseGeorges d'Amboise1460–1510 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians22 decades
  13. 13Bonne of ArtoisBonne of Artois1396–1425 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0 decades
  14. 14COCatherine of Foix, Countess of Candale1460–1490 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians10 decades
  15. 15Joan II, Countess of AuvergneJoan II, Countess of Auvergne1378–1424 · 🇫🇷 France · Politiciansnot measured—
  16. 16Jean BureauJean Bureau1390–1463 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians22 decades
  17. 17Marguerite, Countess of VertusMarguerite, Countess of Vertus1406–1466 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians16 decades
  18. 18Louis de Bourbon, Bishop of LiègeLouis de Bourbon, Bishop of Liège1438–1482 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians22 decades
  19. 19Jean BalueJean Balue1422–1491 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0 decades
  20. 20Charles II of AlbretCharles II of Albret1407–1471 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0 decades
  21. 21Guillaume BriçonnetGuillaume Briçonnet1445–1514 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians22 decades
  22. 22Antoine DupratAntoine Duprat1463–1535 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians22 decades
  23. 23Étienne ChevalierÉtienne Chevalier1410–1474 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians17 decades
  24. 24Jean de Villiers de L'Isle-AdamJean de Villiers de L'Isle-Adam1384–1437 · 🇫🇷 France · Politiciansnot measured—
  25. 25Guillaume de MontmorencyGuillaume de Montmorency1453–1531 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians19 decades
  26. 26Tanneguy du ChastelTanneguy du Chastel1369–1449 · 🇫🇷 France · Politiciansnot measured—
  27. 27Pierre d'AmboisePierre d'Amboise1408–1473 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians16 decades
  28. 28Jean de CréquyJean de Créquy1395–1474 · 🇫🇷 France · Politicians0 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.