Claim profile
1500–1599

The 16th century

Whose working lives fell in the 16th 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 16th century, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.

CountryAll🇪🇸 Spain🇫🇷 France🇯🇵 Japan🇩🇪 Germany🇮🇹 Italy🇹🇷 Turkey🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇸🇪 Sweden🇨🇭 Switzerland🇮🇳 India
FieldAllHistorical FiguresWritersPoliticiansArtistsAcademicsReligious FiguresMusiciansScientistsModelsActors
  1. 1Philip II of SpainPhilip II of Spain1527–1598 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Models22 decades
  2. 2Philip I of CastilePhilip I of Castile1478–1506 · Models3 decades
  3. 3Selim IISelim II1524–1574 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Models18 decades
  4. 4Murad IIIMurad III1546–1595 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Models6 decades
  5. 5Lisa del GiocondoLisa del Giocondo1479–1542 · Models1 decades
  6. 6Henry II of NavarreHenry II of Navarre1503–1555 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Models0 decades
  7. 7Jiajing EmperorJiajing Emperor1507–1567 · 🇨🇳 China · Models0 decades
  8. 8Catherine of NavarreCatherine of Navarre1470–1517 · Models0 decades
  9. 9Augustus, Elector of SaxonyAugustus, Elector of Saxony1526–1586 · Modelsnot measured—
  10. 10Maximilian III, Archduke of AustriaMaximilian III, Archduke of Austria1558–1618 · Models0 decades
  11. 11John III of NavarreJohn III of Navarre1469–1516 · 🇫🇷 France · Models0 decades
  12. 12Henry IVHenry IV1473–1541 · Models19 decades
  13. 13Joachim I Nestor, Elector of BrandenburgJoachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg1484–1535 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models22 decades
  14. 14Frederick III of the PalatinateFrederick III of the Palatinate1515–1576 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models22 decades
  15. 15Zhengde EmperorZhengde Emperor1491–1521 · 🇨🇳 China · Modelsnot measured—
  16. 16Louis VI of the PalatinateLouis VI of the Palatinate1539–1583 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models22 decades
  17. 17Cecilia GalleraniCecilia Gallerani1473–1536 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Models0 decades
  18. 18Longqing EmperorLongqing Emperor1537–1572 · 🇨🇳 China · Models0 decades
  19. 19Joachim Ernest, Prince of AnhaltJoachim Ernest, Prince of Anhalt1536–1586 · Modelsnot measured—
  20. 20Albert Alcibiades, Margrave of Brandenburg-KulmbachAlbert Alcibiades, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach1522–1557 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models0 decades
  21. 21Tecun UmanTecun Uman1504–1524 · Models0 decades
  22. 22Albrecht VII, Duke of MecklenburgAlbrecht VII, Duke of Mecklenburg1486–1547 · Models9 decades
  23. 23Mircea III DraculMircea III Dracul1480–1534 · Modelsnot measured—
  24. 24Casimir, Margrave of Brandenburg-BayreuthCasimir, Margrave of Brandenburg-Bayreuth1481–1527 · Modelsnot measured—
  25. 25William IX, Marquess of MontferratWilliam IX, Marquess of Montferrat1486–1518 · Models4 decades
  26. 26Catherine of MecklenburgCatherine of Mecklenburg1487–1561 · Models0 decades
  27. 27Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-LauenburgMagnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg1470–1543 · Models0 decades
  28. 28Charles II, Margrave of Baden-DurlachCharles II, Margrave of Baden-Durlach1529–1577 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models22 decades
  29. 29John II of SimmernJohn II of Simmern1492–1557 · Models1 decades
  30. 30Duke Heinrich V, Duke of Mecklenburg-SchwerinDuke Heinrich V, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin1479–1552 · Models22 decades
  31. 31İslâm II Girayİslâm II Giraydied 1588 · Modelsnot measured—
  32. 32Alexandru II MirceaAlexandru II Mircea1529–1577 · Modelsnot measured—
  33. 33Mircea the ShepherdMircea the Shepherddied 1559 · Models0 decades
  34. 34John, Margrave of Brandenburg-KüstrinJohn, Margrave of Brandenburg-Küstrin1513–1571 · Modelsnot measured—
  35. 35Sabina of Brandenburg-AnsbachSabina of Brandenburg-Ansbach1529–1575 · Modelsnot measured—
  36. 36Abtai Sain KhanAbtai Sain Khan1534–1586 · Modelsnot measured—
  37. 37John George, Marquess of MontferratJohn George, Marquess of Montferrat1488–1533 · Models22 decades
  38. 38Christopher II, Margrave of Baden-RodemachernChristopher II, Margrave of Baden-Rodemachern1537–1575 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models17 decades
  39. 39Bernhard III, Margrave of Baden-BadenBernhard III, Margrave of Baden-Baden1474–1536 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models17 decades
  40. 40FIFrederick II, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp1568–1587 · Models22 decades
  41. 41Emilie of SaxonyEmilie of Saxony1516–1591 · Modelsnot measured—
  42. 42Ernest Frederick, Margrave of Baden-DurlachErnest Frederick, Margrave of Baden-Durlach1560–1604 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models22 decades
  43. 43Philip I, Margrave of BadenPhilip I, Margrave of Baden1479–1533 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models22 decades
  44. 44James III, Margrave of Baden-HachbergJames III, Margrave of Baden-Hachberg1562–1590 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models22 decades
  45. 45Maria of JeverMaria of Jever1500–1575 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Modelsnot measured—
  46. 46Philip II, Margrave of Baden-BadenPhilip II, Margrave of Baden-Baden1559–1588 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models22 decades
  47. 47Teodosie of WallachiaTeodosie of Wallachia1505–1522 · Modelsnot measured—
  48. 48Mechthild of BavariaMechthild of Bavaria1532–1565 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Models0 decades
  49. 49Peter the YoungerPeter the Younger1547–1569 · Models0 decades
  50. 50Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Margravine of Brandenburg-KüstrinCatherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Margravine of Brandenburg-Küstrin1518–1574 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Modelsnot measured—
  51. 51Andrés de Tapia MotelchiuhAndrés de Tapia Motelchiuh1500–1530 · Modelsnot measured—
  52. 52Francis II, Duke of Saxe-LauenburgFrancis II, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg1547–1619 · Models22 decades
  53. 53Moise of WallachiaMoise of Wallachiadied 1530 · Modelsnot measured—
  54. 54Vlad VI ÎnecatulVlad VI Înecatulborn 1508 · Modelsnot measured—
  55. 55Anne of OstfrieslandAnne of Ostfriesland1562–1621 · Modelsnot measured—
  56. 56Wolrad II, Count of Waldeck-EisenbergWolrad II, Count of Waldeck-Eisenberg1509–1578 · Models2 decades
  57. 57Jean IV de BrosseJean IV de Brosse1505–1564 · Models0 decades
  58. 58MIMagnus II, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg1543–1603 · Models2 decades
  59. 59Elisabeth of Brandenburg-KüstrinElisabeth of Brandenburg-Küstrin1540–1578 · Modelsnot measured—
  60. 60Prataprudra DevaPrataprudra Deva1500–1600 · Models0 decades
  61. 61Alexandru cel RăuAlexandru cel Răudied 1597 · Modelsnot measured—
  62. 62Elisabeth of Brandenburg-Ansbach-KulmbachElisabeth of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach1494–1518 · Modelsnot measured—
  63. 63Bernard IV, Margrave of Baden-DurlachBernard IV, Margrave of Baden-Durlach1517–1553 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Modelsnot measured—
  64. 64Josias I, Count of Waldeck-EisenbergJosias I, Count of Waldeck-Eisenberg1554–1588 · Models0 decades
  65. 65Guy XVI de LavalGuy XVI de Laval1476–1531 · Modelsnot measured—
  66. 66RVRadu VI Bădicadied 1524 · Modelsnot measured—
  67. 67SSanniangzi1550–1612 · Modelsnot measured—
  68. 68BVBasarab VIdied 1529 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Modelsnot measured—
  69. 69RVRadu VIII Ilias Haidăuldied 1558 · Modelsnot measured—
  70. 70SOSophie of Brandenburg-Ansbach1535–1587 · Modelsnot measured—
  71. 71Reinhard IV, Count of Hanau-MünzenbergReinhard IV, Count of Hanau-Münzenberg1473–1512 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Modelsnot measured—
  72. 72OzoluaOzolua1500–1504 · Modelsnot measured—
  73. 73John I, Count of WaldeckJohn I, Count of Waldeck1520–1567 · Models22 decades
  74. 74VDVintilă di Valacchiadied 1574 · Modelsnot measured—
  75. 75LDLucrezia del Fede1480–1550 · Modelsnot measured—

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.