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🇨🇭 Switzerland🇵🇹 Portugal
FieldAllHistorical FiguresPoliticiansWritersArtistsReligious FiguresAcademicsModelsMusiciansArchitectsScientists
  1. 1Isabella I of CastileIsabella I of Castile1451–1504 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Models19 decades
  2. 2Vlad the ImpalerVlad the Impaler1431–1476 · Models3 decades
  3. 3Ferdinand II of AragonFerdinand II of Aragon1452–1516 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Models14 decades
  4. 4Maximilian I, Holy Roman EmperorMaximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor1459–1519 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Models22 decades
  5. 5Frederick III, Holy Roman EmperorFrederick III, Holy Roman Emperor1415–1493 · 🇦🇹 Austria · Models22 decades
  6. 6John II of AragonJohn II of Aragon1398–1479 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Modelsnot measured—
  7. 7Frederick III, Elector of SaxonyFrederick III, Elector of Saxony1463–1525 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models22 decades
  8. 8Ladislaus the PosthumousLadislaus the Posthumous1440–1457 · Models12 decades
  9. 9Blanche I of NavarreBlanche I of Navarre1387–1441 · Models0 decades
  10. 10Gian Galeazzo SforzaGian Galeazzo Sforza1469–1494 · Models20 decades
  11. 11Vladislaus II of HungaryVladislaus II of Hungary1456–1516 · Modelsnot measured—
  12. 12TOTaejong of Joseon1367–1422 · Modelsnot measured—
  13. 13Charles, Prince of VianaCharles, Prince of Viana1421–1461 · Models22 decades
  14. 14Albrecht III Achilles, Elector of BrandenburgAlbrecht III Achilles, Elector of Brandenburg1414–1486 · Modelsnot measured—
  15. 15Frederick II, Elector of BrandenburgFrederick II, Elector of Brandenburg1413–1471 · Models22 decades
  16. 16Hongxi EmperorHongxi Emperor1378–1425 · 🇨🇳 China · Models0 decades
  17. 17Leonor I of NavarreLeonor I of Navarre1426–1479 · Modelsnot measured—
  18. 18Emperor Yingzong of MingEmperor Yingzong of Ming1427–1464 · 🇨🇳 China · Modelsnot measured—
  19. 19Jingtai EmperorJingtai Emperor1428–1457 · 🇨🇳 China · Modelsnot measured—
  20. 20Jianwen EmperorJianwen Emperor1377–1402 · 🇨🇳 China · Models0 decades
  21. 21HuitzilihuitlHuitzilihuitldied 1417 · Models2 decades
  22. 22Go-TsuchimikadoGo-Tsuchimikado1442–1500 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Models0 decades
  23. 23Leonello d'Este, Marquis of FerraraLeonello d'Este, Marquis of Ferrara1407–1450 · Models0 decades
  24. 24Husayn BayqarahHusayn Bayqarah1438–1506 · Models0 decades
  25. 25Christopher I, Margrave of BadenChristopher I, Margrave of Baden1453–1527 · Models19 decades
  26. 26Alexios IV of TrebizondAlexios IV of Trebizond1379–1429 · Modelsnot measured—
  27. 27Andronikos V PalaiologosAndronikos V Palaiologos1400–1407 · Modelsnot measured—
  28. 28Basarab Laiotă cel BătrânBasarab Laiotă cel Bătrândied 1480 · Modelsnot measured—
  29. 29PMPir Muhammad1374–1407 · Models6 decades
  30. 30Magnus II, Duke of MecklenburgMagnus II, Duke of Mecklenburg1441–1503 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models17 decades
  31. 31Nasir-ad-Din FarajNasir-ad-Din Faraj1386–1412 · Modelsnot measured—
  32. 32Badi' al-Zaman MirzaBadi' al-Zaman Mirza1456–1515 · Modelsnot measured—
  33. 33Al-Salih HajjiAl-Salih Hajji1372–1412 · Modelsnot measured—
  34. 34Sikandar ButshikanSikandar Butshikan1400–1413 · Models0 decades
  35. 35BIBoniface III1424–1494 · Models9 decades
  36. 36Mahmud ShahMahmud Shah1400–1528 · Models13 decades
  37. 37Ilona SzilágyiIlona Szilágyi1450–1497 · Modelsnot measured—
  38. 38JIJohn III, Burgrave of Nuremberg1369–1420 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models22 decades
  39. 39MVMuhammed VIII, Sultan of Granada1409–1431 · Modelsnot measured—
  40. 40Lucrezia ButiLucrezia Buti1435–1488 · Models0 decades
  41. 41Bernard II, Duke of Saxe-LauenburgBernard II, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg1385–1463 · Models0 decades
  42. 42Henry III, Landgrave of Upper HesseHenry III, Landgrave of Upper Hesse1440–1483 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models22 decades
  43. 43EwuareEwuare1400–1473 · 🇳🇬 Nigeria · Modelsnot measured—
  44. 44SMSigismund, Margrave of Bayreuth1468–1495 · Modelsnot measured—
  45. 45Konrad X the WhiteKonrad X the White1420–1492 · Modelsnot measured—
  46. 46HIHenry IX of Lubin1369–1419 · Modelsnot measured—
  47. 47Rupert II of LubinRupert II of Lubin1392–1431 · Modelsnot measured—
  48. 48Konrad IX the BlackKonrad IX the Black1415–1471 · Modelsnot measured—
  49. 49LILudovico I, Marquess of Saluzzo1405–1475 · Models0 decades
  50. 50William, Margrave of Hachberg-SausenbergWilliam, Margrave of Hachberg-Sausenberg1406–1482 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Modelsnot measured—
  51. 51Dan III DaniculDan III Daniculdied 1460 · Modelsnot measured—
  52. 52HDHenry, Duke of Mecklenburg-Stargard1412–1466 · Modelsnot measured—
  53. 53Wenceslaus III of OławaWenceslaus III of Oława1400–1423 · Modelsnot measured—
  54. 54Ginevra de' BenciGinevra de' Benci1457–1490 · Models0 decades
  55. 55Albert, Margrave of Baden-HachbergAlbert, Margrave of Baden-Hachberg1456–1488 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models0 decades
  56. 56AAAbu Abdallah IVdied 1504 · Modelsnot measured—
  57. 57QIQasim I of Astrakhandied 1500 · Modelsnot measured—
  58. 58Henry X of HaynauHenry X of Haynau1426–1452 · Modelsnot measured—
  59. 59Anna of SaganAnna of Sagan1450–1541 · Modelsnot measured—
  60. 60AIAlbert II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Stargard1400–1423 · Models20 decades
  61. 61Carlo II ManfrediCarlo II Manfredi1439–1484 · Modelsnot measured—
  62. 62Otto II, Margrave of Baden-HachbergOtto II, Margrave of Baden-Hachberg1400–1418 · Models15 decades
  63. 63HOHenry of Saxony1422–1435 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models22 decades
  64. 64Hugo, Margrave of Hachberg-SausenbergHugo, Margrave of Hachberg-Sausenbergdied 1444 · Modelsnot measured—
  65. 65Rupert, Count Palatine of SimmernRupert, Count Palatine of Simmern1461–1507 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models0 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.