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. 1Pope Alexander VIPope Alexander VI1431–1503 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures22 decades
  2. 2Pope Julius IIPope Julius II1443–1513 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures22 decades
  3. 3Pope Pius IIPope Pius II1405–1464 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures21 decades
  4. 4Pope Adrian VIPope Adrian VI1459–1523 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Religious Figures22 decades
  5. 5Pope Sixtus IVPope Sixtus IV1414–1484 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures22 decades
  6. 6Pope Innocent VIIIPope Innocent VIII1432–1492 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures20 decades
  7. 7Pope Pius IIIPope Pius III1439–1503 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures0 decades
  8. 8Pope Martin VPope Martin V1369–1431 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures5 decades
  9. 9Pope Callixtus IIIPope Callixtus III1379–1458 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures0 decades
  10. 10Pope Nicholas VPope Nicholas V1397–1455 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures10 decades
  11. 11Pope Eugene IVPope Eugene IV1383–1447 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures3 decades
  12. 12Antipope John XXIIIAntipope John XXIII1370–1419 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures0 decades
  13. 13Pope Paul IIPope Paul II1417–1471 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures11 decades
  14. 14Francisco Jiménez de CisnerosFrancisco Jiménez de Cisneros1436–1517 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures20 decades
  15. 15Francis of PaolaFrancis of Paola1416–1507 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Religious Figures0 decades
  16. 16Prokop the GreatProkop the Great1380–1434 · Religious Figures0 decades
  17. 17Pierre CauchonPierre Cauchon1371–1442 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures0 decades
  18. 18John III, Duke of BavariaJohn III, Duke of Bavaria1375–1425 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures22 decades
  19. 19Clement VIIIClement VIII1370–1447 · Religious Figures22 decades
  20. 20Raffaele RiarioRaffaele Riario1461–1521 · Religious Figures22 decades
  21. 21Henry BeaufortHenry Beaufort1375–1447 · Religious Figures17 decades
  22. 22Jan DługoszJan Długosz1415–1480 · Religious Figures0 decades
  23. 23BXBenedict XIV (Bernard Garnier)1370–1430 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures3 decades
  24. 24Charles II, Duke of BourbonCharles II, Duke of Bourbon1434–1488 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures0 decades
  25. 25PLPier Luigi de Borgia1462–1488 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  26. 26John CantiusJohn Cantius1390–1473 · Religious Figures0 decades
  27. 27Oliviero CarafaOliviero Carafa1430–1511 · Religious Figures0 decades
  28. 28Tlacaelel/ TlakaelelTlacaelel/ Tlakaelel1397–1487 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  29. 29Guillaume d'EstoutevilleGuillaume d'Estouteville1403–1483 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures17 decades
  30. 30Pietro RiarioPietro Riario1445–1474 · Religious Figures0 decades
  31. 31Szymon of LipnicaSzymon of Lipnica1437–1482 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  32. 32Pedro de ArbuésPedro de Arbués1441–1485 · Religious Figures21 decades
  33. 33James of the MarchesJames of the Marches1393–1476 · Religious Figures22 decades
  34. 34John of SahagúnJohn of Sahagún1419–1479 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures14 decades
  35. 35Hernando de TalaveraHernando de Talavera1428–1507 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures22 decades
  36. 36Alfonso Carrillo de AcuñaAlfonso Carrillo de Acuña1410–1482 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures1 decades
  37. 37Diego DezaDiego Deza1444–1523 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures22 decades
  38. 38James of CoimbraJames of Coimbra1433–1459 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  39. 39Jöns Bengtsson OxenstiernaJöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna1417–1467 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  40. 40Christopher BainbridgeChristopher Bainbridge1464–1514 · Religious Figures0 decades
  41. 41Conrad IV, duke of OelsConrad IV, duke of Oels1380–1447 · Religious Figures11 decades
  42. 42Juan de Borja Lanzol de Romaní, el mayorJuan de Borja Lanzol de Romaní, el mayor1446–1503 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  43. 43Jorge da CostaJorge da Costa1406–1508 · Religious Figures0 decades
  44. 44Mykolas GiedraitisMykolas Giedraitis1420–1485 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  45. 45Domenico GrimaniDomenico Grimani1461–1523 · Religious Figures0 decades
  46. 46Kettil KarlssonKettil Karlsson1433–1465 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Religious Figures0 decades
  47. 47Louis I, Duke of BarLouis I, Duke of Bardied 1430 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  48. 48Thomas BourchierThomas Bourchier1404–1486 · Religious Figures9 decades
  49. 49Lorenzo PucciLorenzo Pucci1458–1531 · Religious Figures21 decades
  50. 50Aleksander MazowieckiAleksander Mazowiecki1400–1444 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  51. 51Johannes SorethJohannes Soreth1394–1471 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  52. 52LJLuis Julian de Milà1432–1510 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  53. 53Domenico della RovereDomenico della Rovere1442–1501 · Religious Figures0 decades
  54. 54Willem van EnckevoirtWillem van Enckevoirt1464–1534 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  55. 55Jean RolinJean Rolin1408–1483 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures18 decades
  56. 56Bernard II, Duke of Brunswick-LüneburgBernard II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg1432–1464 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures21 decades
  57. 57Antonio Osorio de AcuñaAntonio Osorio de Acuña1459–1526 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Religious Figures22 decades
  58. 58ACAdriano Castellesi1461–1521 · Religious Figures0 decades
  59. 59LOLatino Orsini1411–1477 · Religious Figures0 decades
  60. 60Hermann IV of HesseHermann IV of Hesse1442–1508 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  61. 61Girolamo Basso della RovereGirolamo Basso della Rovere1434–1507 · Religious Figures0 decades
  62. 62Diether von IsenburgDiether von Isenburg1412–1482 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures19 decades
  63. 63Adolf of Nassau-Wiesbaden-IdsteinAdolf of Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein1423–1475 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  64. 64Domenico CapranicaDomenico Capranica1400–1458 · Religious Figures0 decades
  65. 65BXBenedict XIV (Jean Carrier)1370–1437 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures8 decades
  66. 66Louis AlemanLouis Aleman1390–1450 · Religious Figures0 decades
  67. 67Leonhard von KeutschachLeonhard von Keutschach1442–1519 · Religious Figures0 decades
  68. 68Filippo CalandriniFilippo Calandrini1403–1476 · Religious Figures0 decades
  69. 69Didrik SlagheckDidrik Slagheck1450–1522 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Religious Figures0 decades
  70. 70Antonio Pallavicini GentiliAntonio Pallavicini Gentili1441–1507 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  71. 71Frederick IV of BadenFrederick IV of Baden1458–1517 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  72. 72Wincenty KotWincenty Kot1395–1448 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  73. 73Antonio Maria Ciocchi del MonteAntonio Maria Ciocchi del Monte1461–1533 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  74. 74LOLewis of Luxembourg1391–1443 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures22 decades
  75. 75Gennady of NovgorodGennady of Novgorod1410–1505 · Religious Figures0 decades
  76. 76Rudolf von ScherenbergRudolf von Scherenberg1401–1495 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures0 decades
  77. 77Ernest II of SaxonyErnest II of Saxony1464–1513 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures16 decades
  78. 78Francesco SoderiniFrancesco Soderini1453–1524 · Religious Figures0 decades
  79. 79Alain de CoëtivyAlain de Coëtivy1407–1474 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  80. 80Giovanni Battista ZenoGiovanni Battista Zeno1439–1501 · Religious Figures0 decades
  81. 81Niccolò FieschiNiccolò Fieschi1456–1524 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures0 decades
  82. 82RSRobert Stillington1420–1491 · Religious Figures1 decades
  83. 83Pierre de Foix, le jeunePierre de Foix, le jeune1449–1490 · Religious Figures0 decades
  84. 84HDHenry Deane1440–1503 · Religious Figures9 decades
  85. 85Diego Hurtado de Mendoza y QuiñonesDiego Hurtado de Mendoza y Quiñones1444–1502 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  86. 86Anthony NeyrotAnthony Neyrot1425–1460 · Religious Figures0 decades
  87. 87Piotr TomickiPiotr Tomicki1464–1535 · Religious Figures0 decades
  88. 88Alessandro GeraldiniAlessandro Geraldini1455–1525 · Religious Figures7 decades
  89. 89Juan de CervantesJuan de Cervantes1380–1453 · Religious Figures22 decades
  90. 90Jacopo Piccolomini-AmmannatiJacopo Piccolomini-Ammannati1422–1479 · Religious Figures2 decades
  91. 91Alonso de Fonseca y UlloaAlonso de Fonseca y Ulloa1415–1473 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  92. 92GAGiovanni Andrea Bussi1417–1475 · Religious Figures0 decades
  93. 93Lionel WoodvilleLionel Woodville1454–1484 · Religious Figures0 decades
  94. 94Regnault de ChartresRegnault de Chartres1380–1444 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figures0 decades
  95. 95LCLorenzo Cybo de Mari1450–1503 · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  96. 96Marco BarboMarco Barbo1420–1491 · Religious Figures21 decades
  97. 97Jakob UlvssonJakob Ulvsson1430–1521 · 🇸🇪 Sweden · Religious Figures0 decades
  98. 98John II of BadenJohn II of Baden1434–1503 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Religious Figures0 decades
  99. 99Raymond PeraudiRaymond Peraudi1435–1505 · 🇫🇷 France · Religious Figuresnot measured—
  100. 100William WaynfleteWilliam Waynflete1398–1486 · Religious Figures2 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.