Claim profile
1600–1699

The 17th century

Whose working lives fell in the 17th 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 17th century, ranked where Wikipedia coverage and readership agree.

CountryAll🇫🇷 France🇩🇪 Germany🇬🇧 United Kingdom🇯🇵 Japan🇹🇷 Turkey🇳🇱 Netherlands🇪🇸 Spain🇮🇹 Italy🇸🇪 Sweden🇨🇳 China
FieldAllWritersPoliticiansHistorical FiguresArtistsAcademicsScientistsMusiciansReligious FiguresActorsModels
  1. 1Claudio MonteverdiClaudio Monteverdi1567–1643 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians14 decades
  2. 2Jean-Baptiste LullyJean-Baptiste Lully1632–1687 · Musicians6 decades
  3. 3Henry PurcellHenry Purcell1659–1695 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Musicians22 decades
  4. 4JPJohann Pachelbel1653–1706 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians9 decades
  5. 5Arcangelo CorelliArcangelo Corelli1653–1713 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians20 decades
  6. 6Dieterich BuxtehudeDieterich Buxtehude1637–1707 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians1 decades
  7. 7Alessandro ScarlattiAlessandro Scarlatti1660–1725 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians21 decades
  8. 8Heinrich SchützHeinrich Schütz1585–1672 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians20 decades
  9. 9Marc-Antoine CharpentierMarc-Antoine Charpentier1643–1704 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians9 decades
  10. 10Carlo GesualdoCarlo Gesualdo1566–1613 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians20 decades
  11. 11Girolamo FrescobaldiGirolamo Frescobaldi1583–1643 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians17 decades
  12. 12Marin MaraisMarin Marais1656–1728 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians8 decades
  13. 13Michael PraetoriusMichael Praetorius1571–1621 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians15 decades
  14. 14Heinrich BiberHeinrich Biber1644–1704 · Musicians4 decades
  15. 15Francesco CavalliFrancesco Cavalli1602–1676 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians22 decades
  16. 16Gregorio AllegriGregorio Allegri1582–1652 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians16 decades
  17. 17Barbara StrozziBarbara Strozzi1619–1677 · Musicians5 decades
  18. 18Giuseppe TorelliGiuseppe Torelli1658–1709 · Musicians22 decades
  19. 19Francesca CacciniFrancesca Caccini1587–1641 · Musicians9 decades
  20. 20Joachim NeanderJoachim Neander1650–1680 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians14 decades
  21. 21Johann Ambrosius BachJohann Ambrosius Bach1645–1695 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  22. 22Johann Joseph FuxJohann Joseph Fux1660–1741 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians9 decades
  23. 23Alessandro StradellaAlessandro Stradella1643–1682 · Musicians17 decades
  24. 24JJJohann Jakob Froberger1616–1667 · Musicians2 decades
  25. 25Orlando GibbonsOrlando Gibbons1583–1625 · Musicians20 decades
  26. 26GCGiacomo Carissimi1605–1674 · 🇮🇹 Italy · Musicians0 decades
  27. 27André CampraAndré Campra1660–1744 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians7 decades
  28. 28Gaspar Sanz CelmaGaspar Sanz Celma1640–1710 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Musiciansnot measured—
  29. 29Maurice, Landgrave of Hesse-KasselMaurice, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel1572–1632 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  30. 30Ferdinando de' Medici, Grand Prince of TuscanyFerdinando de' Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany1663–1713 · Musicians22 decades
  31. 31Samuel ScheidtSamuel Scheidt1587–1654 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians15 decades
  32. 32Michel Richard DelalandeMichel Richard Delalande1657–1726 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians1 decades
  33. 33Johann KuhnauJohann Kuhnau1660–1722 · Musicians13 decades
  34. 34Johann Christoph Bach IJohann Christoph Bach I1642–1703 · Musicians11 decades
  35. 35Georg MuffatGeorg Muffat1653–1704 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  36. 36GBGeorg Böhm1661–1733 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians17 decades
  37. 37John BlowJohn Blow1649–1708 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Musicians8 decades
  38. 38Thomas CampionThomas Campion1567–1620 · Musicians19 decades
  39. 39LCLouis Couperin1626–1661 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians11 decades
  40. 40Giovanni LegrenziGiovanni Legrenzi1626–1690 · Musicians13 decades
  41. 41Johann CrügerJohann Crüger1598–1662 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians10 decades
  42. 42Johann Hermann ScheinJohann Hermann Schein1586–1630 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians10 decades
  43. 43Nicolaus BruhnsNicolaus Bruhns1665–1697 · Musicians0 decades
  44. 44Johann Adam ReinckenJohann Adam Reincken1643–1722 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Musicians0 decades
  45. 45Isabella LeonardaIsabella Leonarda1620–1704 · Musicians2 decades
  46. 46RDRobert de Visée1652–1730 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians1 decades
  47. 47MDMonsieur de Sainte-Colombe1640–1700 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians0 decades
  48. 48Marusia ChuraiMarusia Churai1625–1653 · Musicians0 decades
  49. 49Moll DavisMoll Davis1648–1708 · Musicians0 decades
  50. 50AWAndreas Werckmeister1645–1706 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians6 decades
  51. 51Tomaso Antonio VitaliTomaso Antonio Vitali1663–1745 · Musicians0 decades
  52. 52ACAntonio Cesti1623–1669 · Musicians0 decades
  53. 53Bernardo PasquiniBernardo Pasquini1637–1710 · Musicians15 decades
  54. 54Jacob van EyckJacob van Eyck1590–1657 · Musicians0 decades
  55. 55Johann Heinrich SchmelzerJohann Heinrich Schmelzer1620–1680 · Musicians4 decades
  56. 56Adriano BanchieriAdriano Banchieri1568–1634 · Musicians19 decades
  57. 57ABAntonia Bembo1643–1715 · Musicians0 decades
  58. 58Johann Michael Bach IJohann Michael Bach I1648–1694 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians2 decades
  59. 59Pierre BeauchampPierre Beauchamp1631–1705 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians1 decades
  60. 60JCJohann Caspar Ferdinand Fischer1656–1746 · Musicians2 decades
  61. 61Johannes Hieronymus KapsbergerJohannes Hieronymus Kapsberger1580–1651 · Musicians0 decades
  62. 62Stefano LandiStefano Landi1587–1639 · Musicians14 decades
  63. 63JRJohann Rosenmüller1619–1684 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians5 decades
  64. 64William LawesWilliam Lawes1602–1645 · Musicians10 decades
  65. 65Johann Kaspar KerllJohann Kaspar Kerll1627–1693 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musiciansnot measured—
  66. 66Matthew LockeMatthew Locke1621–1677 · Musicians10 decades
  67. 67Salamone RossiSalamone Rossi1570–1630 · Musicians0 decades
  68. 68Wojciech BobowskiWojciech Bobowski1610–1675 · Musicians0 decades
  69. 69Chen YuanyuanChen Yuanyuan1624–1681 · Musiciansnot measured—
  70. 70MGMichelagnolo Galilei1575–1631 · Musiciansnot measured—
  71. 71TWThomas Weelkes1576–1623 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Musicians2 decades
  72. 72Heinrich ScheidemannHeinrich Scheidemann1596–1663 · Musicians4 decades
  73. 73Jean-Henri d'AnglebertJean-Henri d'Anglebert1629–1691 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians0 decades
  74. 74Teodósio, Prince of BrazilTeodósio, Prince of Brazil1634–1653 · Musiciansnot measured—
  75. 75Luigi RossiLuigi Rossi1597–1653 · 🇨🇭 Switzerland · Musicians0 decades
  76. 76VAVittoria Aleotti1575–1640 · Musicians0 decades
  77. 77DGDomenico Gabrielli1659–1690 · Musicians0 decades
  78. 78Tarquinio MerulaTarquinio Merula1595–1665 · Musicians7 decades
  79. 79Friedrich Wilhelm ZachowFriedrich Wilhelm Zachow1663–1712 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians3 decades
  80. 80TTThomas Tomkins1572–1656 · Musicians8 decades
  81. 81JKJohann Krieger1651–1735 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians4 decades
  82. 82MWMatthias Weckmann1619–1674 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians7 decades
  83. 83Vincent LübeckVincent Lübeck1654–1740 · Musicians5 decades
  84. 84NDNikolay Diletsky1630–1690 · Musicians0 decades
  85. 85John Adolphus I of Saxe-WeissenfelsJohn Adolphus I of Saxe-Weissenfels1649–1697 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians0 decades
  86. 86André FélibienAndré Félibien1619–1695 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians16 decades
  87. 87Thomas d'UrfeyThomas d'Urfey1653–1723 · Musicians0 decades
  88. 88Francisco Correa de AraujoFrancisco Correa de Araujo1584–1654 · Musicians0 decades
  89. 89Juan Bautista CabanillesJuan Bautista Cabanilles1644–1712 · Musicians2 decades
  90. 90TRThomas Ravenscroft1592–1635 · Musicians1 decades
  91. 91AFAndrea Falconieri1580–1656 · Musicians0 decades
  92. 92Antonio BertaliAntonio Bertali1605–1669 · Musicians0 decades
  93. 93MUMarco Uccellini1603–1680 · Musicians0 decades
  94. 94Giacomo Antonio PertiGiacomo Antonio Perti1661–1756 · Musicians12 decades
  95. 95HBHeinrich Bach1615–1692 · Musicians11 decades
  96. 96Michel LambertMichel Lambert1610–1696 · 🇫🇷 France · Musicians19 decades
  97. 97CBChristoph Bach1613–1661 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians17 decades
  98. 98John PlayfordJohn Playford1623–1686 · Musicians19 decades
  99. 99SDSigismondo D'India1582–1629 · Musicians8 decades
  100. 100Andreas HammerschmidtAndreas Hammerschmidt1611–1675 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Musicians10 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.