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. 1MolièreMolière1622–1673 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers22 decades
  2. 2Jean de La FontaineJean de La Fontaine1621–1695 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers22 decades
  3. 3Pierre CorneillePierre Corneille1606–1684 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers22 decades
  4. 4Jean RacineJean Racine1639–1699 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers22 decades
  5. 5Charles PerraultCharles Perrault1628–1703 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers22 decades
  6. 6Pedro Calderón de la BarcaPedro Calderón de la Barca1600–1681 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers22 decades
  7. 7Francisco QuevedoFrancisco Quevedo1584–1645 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers22 decades
  8. 8Sor Juana Inés de la CruzSor Juana Inés de la Cruz1651–1695 · 🇲🇽 Mexico · Writers21 decades
  9. 9Daniel DefoeDaniel Defoe1660–1731 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  10. 10PocahontasPocahontas1596–1617 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers22 decades
  11. 11John MiltonJohn Milton1608–1674 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  12. 12François de La RochefoucauldFrançois de La Rochefoucauld1613–1680 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers18 decades
  13. 13Cyrano de BergeracCyrano de Bergerac1619–1655 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0 decades
  14. 14Madame de SévignéMadame de Sévigné1626–1696 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers13 decades
  15. 15Nicolas Boileau-DespréauxNicolas Boileau-Despréaux1636–1711 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers22 decades
  16. 16Baltasar GraciánBaltasar Gracián1604–1658 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers14 decades
  17. 17Jean de La BruyèreJean de La Bruyère1645–1696 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers17 decades
  18. 18Murad IVMurad IV1612–1640 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers4 decades
  19. 19Tirso de MolinaTirso de Molina1583–1648 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers22 decades
  20. 20Ahmed IAhmed I1590–1617 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers2 decades
  21. 21Matsuo BashōMatsuo Bashō1644–1694 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  22. 22Bernard Le Bovier de FontenelleBernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle1657–1757 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0 decades
  23. 23John DonneJohn Donne1572–1631 · Writers22 decades
  24. 24Mumtaz MahalMumtaz Mahal1593–1631 · 🇮🇳 India · Writers9 decades
  25. 25Ninon de LenclosNinon de Lenclos1620–1705 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers22 decades
  26. 26Charles de Batz de Castelmore d'ArtagnanCharles de Batz de Castelmore d'Artagnan1611–1673 · 🇫🇷 France · Writersnot measured—
  27. 27Madame de La FayetteMadame de La Fayette1634–1693 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers17 decades
  28. 28Madeleine de ScudéryMadeleine de Scudéry1607–1701 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers17 decades
  29. 29Elizabeth Charlotte, Madame PalatineElizabeth Charlotte, Madame Palatine1652–1722 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers11 decades
  30. 30Osman IIOsman II1604–1622 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers0 decades
  31. 31Hans Jakob Christoffel von GrimmelshausenHans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen1622–1676 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers8 decades
  32. 32Giambattista BasileGiambattista Basile1566–1632 · Writers15 decades
  33. 33Michiel de RuyterMichiel de Ruyter1607–1676 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Writers0 decades
  34. 34Ben JonsonBen Jonson1572–1637 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  35. 35Angelus SilesiusAngelus Silesius1624–1677 · Writers20 decades
  36. 36Giambattista MarinoGiambattista Marino1569–1625 · Writers12 decades
  37. 37Paul ScarronPaul Scarron1610–1660 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers22 decades
  38. 38John BunyanJohn Bunyan1628–1688 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  39. 39Andreas GryphiusAndreas Gryphius1616–1664 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers22 decades
  40. 40Madame d'AulnoyMadame d'Aulnoy1652–1705 · Writers1 decades
  41. 41Anne Marie Louise d'OrléansAnne Marie Louise d'Orléans1627–1693 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0 decades
  42. 42Aphra BehnAphra Behn1640–1689 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers18 decades
  43. 43Juan Ruiz de AlarcónJuan Ruiz de Alarcón1581–1639 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers15 decades
  44. 44Evliya ÇelebiEvliya Çelebi1611–1682 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers2 decades
  45. 45Martin OpitzMartin Opitz1597–1639 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers22 decades
  46. 46Honoré d'UrféHonoré d'Urfé1568–1625 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers22 decades
  47. 47John DrydenJohn Dryden1631–1700 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  48. 48Nur JahanNur Jahan1577–1645 · Writers11 decades
  49. 49Wang FuzhiWang Fuzhi1619–1692 · 🇨🇳 China · Writers9 decades
  50. 50Joost van den VondelJoost van den Vondel1587–1679 · Writers0 decades
  51. 51Roger de Rabutin, Comte de BussyRoger de Rabutin, Comte de Bussy1618–1693 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers0 decades
  52. 52Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle-upon-TyneMargaret Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne1623–1673 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writersnot measured—
  53. 53Théophile de ViauThéophile de Viau1590–1626 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers19 decades
  54. 54SambhajiSambhaji1657–1689 · 🇮🇳 India · Writers11 decades
  55. 55Friedrich SpeeFriedrich Spee1591–1635 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers21 decades
  56. 56Symeon of PolotskSymeon of Polotsk1629–1680 · Writers19 decades
  57. 57Gu YanwuGu Yanwu1613–1682 · Writers8 decades
  58. 58George HerbertGeorge Herbert1593–1633 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  59. 59Abraham a Sancta ClaraAbraham a Sancta Clara1644–1709 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers21 decades
  60. 60Thomas CorneilleThomas Corneille1625–1709 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers22 decades
  61. 61Jean MabillonJean Mabillon1632–1707 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers21 decades
  62. 62Jean-Baptiste TavernierJean-Baptiste Tavernier1605–1689 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers5 decades
  63. 63Guru Tegh BahadurGuru Tegh Bahadur1621–1675 · Writers6 decades
  64. 64Marie de GournayMarie de Gournay1565–1645 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers15 decades
  65. 65Scipione BorgheseScipione Borghese1576–1633 · Writers1 decades
  66. 66Thomas BrowneThomas Browne1605–1682 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  67. 67JWJohn Webster1578–1634 · Writers22 decades
  68. 68Cotton MatherCotton Mather1663–1728 · 🇺🇸 United States · Writers22 decades
  69. 69Dimitry of RostovDimitry of Rostov1651–1709 · Writers19 decades
  70. 70Jeanne-Marie Bouvier de La Motte GuyonJeanne-Marie Bouvier de La Motte Guyon1648–1717 · 🇫🇷 France · Writersnot measured—
  71. 71GOGwanghaegun of Joseon1575–1641 · 🇰🇷 South Korea · Writersnot measured—
  72. 72John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of RochesterJohn Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester1647–1680 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writersnot measured—
  73. 73Chikamatsu MonzaemonChikamatsu Monzaemon1653–1725 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  74. 74James HarringtonJames Harrington1611–1677 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  75. 75Dara ShukohDara Shukoh1615–1659 · 🇮🇳 India · Writers4 decades
  76. 76TukaramTukaram1608–1650 · 🇮🇳 India · Writers15 decades
  77. 77Jahanara BegumJahanara Begum1614–1681 · 🇮🇳 India · Writers0 decades
  78. 78Pu SonglingPu Songling1640–1715 · 🇨🇳 China · Writers6 decades
  79. 79Hortense ManciniHortense Mancini1646–1699 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers22 decades
  80. 80John FletcherJohn Fletcher1579–1625 · Writers22 decades
  81. 81Ihara SaikakuIhara Saikaku1642–1693 · 🇯🇵 Japan · Writers0 decades
  82. 82Anne BradstreetAnne Bradstreet1612–1672 · Writers17 decades
  83. 83John EvelynJohn Evelyn1620–1706 · Writers22 decades
  84. 84Jean ChardinJean Chardin1643–1713 · 🇫🇷 France · Writers5 decades
  85. 85Gülnuş SultanGülnuş Sultan1642–1715 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writersnot measured—
  86. 86Andrew MarvellAndrew Marvell1621–1678 · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Writers22 decades
  87. 87Nikola VII ZrinskiNikola VII Zrinski1620–1664 · Writersnot measured—
  88. 88Gioachino GrecoGioachino Greco1600–1634 · Writers2 decades
  89. 89Constantijn HuygensConstantijn Huygens1596–1687 · 🇳🇱 Netherlands · Writers18 decades
  90. 90Magdalena de PazziMagdalena de Pazzi1566–1607 · Writers22 decades
  91. 91María de ZayasMaría de Zayas1590–1653 · 🇪🇸 Spain · Writers22 decades
  92. 92Ahmad KhaniAhmad Khani1650–1707 · 🇹🇷 Turkey · Writers0 decades
  93. 93Mary of Jesus of ÁgredaMary of Jesus of Ágreda1602–1665 · Writers2 decades
  94. 94Thomas FullerThomas Fuller1608–1661 · Writers22 decades
  95. 95Heinrich Matthias von ThurnHeinrich Matthias von Thurn1567–1640 · 🇩🇪 Germany · Writers2 decades
  96. 96Ivan GundulićIvan Gundulić1589–1638 · Writers0 decades
  97. 97Jacob CatsJacob Cats1577–1660 · Writers2 decades
  98. 98John AubreyJohn Aubrey1626–1697 · Writers22 decades
  99. 99Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of ClarendonEdward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon1609–1674 · Writersnot measured—
  100. 100Nalan XingdeNalan Xingde1655–1685 · Writersnot 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.