Top 10 Most Important Figures in Human History

This list is not a measure of a persons notoriety or fame but a measure of the their impact on the world, during and after their lifetime. Here is the top 10 most important historical figures of all time.


1. Jesus

While the spiritual works of Jesus Christ are often topics of great dissent his historical significance is something that is widely agreed upon. The works and teachings of Jesus Christ were quite insignificant in the grand scheme of the world during his ministry in the 1st century. He was seen by many as a wizard operating in the rural areas of Israel and his followers as adherents to a short lived cult. By the time of his death, his followers were few and those who did remain were disillusioned and scattered. Although his teachings would develop into a cohesive and powerful religion thanks to the works of his dedicated apostles. By the 4th century, Catholicism was the official religion of the Roman Empire and was spreading at an astounding rate. The foundation of the Catholic Church can be regarded as the single most important event in history as it dictated the politics and governments of medieval Europe up until the early modern period. Because of this, Jesus of Nazareth takes the number one spot on my list.

2. Mohammed

Mohammed, a 7th and 8th century prophet, instituted Islam and unified Arabia into a single theocratic state. Born in the city of Mecca around 570 AD, Mohammed worked as a merchant until age 40 where he experienced visions of St. Gabriel delivering the word of Allah to him. He recorded these visions and preached them to the people of Arabia. He gained followers quickly and unlike Jesus, he adopted a more militaristic approach to his growing religion. The followers of Islam would quickly conquer all of Arabia and after Mohammed's death they would continue to spread. Islam became the religion of many middle eastern caliphates which would rule throughout the middle ages and they became the beacon of knowledge during Europe's dark ages. Islam is a religion that like Catholicism dictated politics for over twelve hundred years and continues to be a resounding force in todays word.

3. Karl Marx

The next person on this list is the opposite of a religious preacher like Mohammed and Jesus. A dedicated atheist, Marx was a social scientist and philosopher that collaborated  with Frederick Engles to compose the Communist Manifesto in 1848. This pamphlet would serve as the basis of almost every major revolution of the 20th century and he can be seen as directly responsible for the rise of the Soviet Union, Red China, and all other communist states of the 1900s.

4. Martin Luther

Martin Luther was a German priest who in 1517 posted the 95 thesis, a list of legitimate complaints with the Catholic Church. These thesis were met with overwhelming response and his followers became known as Protestants or more specifically Lutherans. Often seen as the father of Germany, Martin Luther's reformation effectively gave Germany an identity through the Thirty Years War and other involvements leading to the modern world known today.

5. Gavrilo Princip

An often forgotten name in history, Gavrilo Princip was a Bosnian Serb who assassinated the Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914. His obscurity is made up for by the ramifications of his actions which essentially began World War I and more indirectly World War II. While he only aimed to kill one man, his actions can be seen as responsible for the death of over 90 million people.

6. Mehmed II

Mehmed II otherwise known as Mehmed the Conqueror was a Sultan of the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. His name is rightfully given as he conquered much of Anatolia, Middle East, and Southeast Europe. He marched his armies to the gates of Vienna, something Mohammed could have never dreamed of and he successfully defeated the Byzantine Empire after conquering Constantinople in 1453. Of course he is not on this list purely because of his conquest, he is on the list because he is seen as responsible for the Italian Renaissance. When Constantinople fell to his armies, the Byzantine scholars who had preserved knowledge during the dark ages fled to towns in norther Italy, bringing with them ideas. These ideas would spark the Renaissance and bring an end to over a thousand years of intellectual darkness.

7. Napoleon

Napoleon, first Emperor of the French Empire, led France through years of bloody wars known as the Napoleonic Wars in the 19th century. These wars would lead to the Congress of Vienna which would create the balance of power the world knows today. The Napoleonic Wars are a watershed transition moment into the modern world seen now.

8. George Washington

Washington, the leader of the continental army and first president of the United States led the United States through the revolutionary war and is attributed with being the most influential figure to the formation of the United States. He then became the first president under the current constitution and helped lead america through its difficult and early years. Because of this, the United States was able to become the superpower it is today and the leading shot caller of the 20th and 21st century.

9. St. Paul

St. Paul comes in ninth on the list due to his role in the spread of Catholicism in its early years. While Jesus instituted his teachings, St. Paul is credited with the evangelization of them and because of this, he is responsible for the survival of Catholic Church and all of its further influence on the world. In addition to this, his writings were used by early christian groups to thrive and unify.

10. Vasili Arkhipov

Vasili Arkhipov is a name that is easily the most unknown on this list. Arkhipov was a Soviet Navy Officer who served on the submarine B-59 during the Cuban Missile Crisis. During the thirteen day crisis, four of the officers including the captain of the submarine had agreed to fire a nuclear torpedo in response to american depth charges being dropped. Arkhipov successfully talked the captain into surfacing and to await further orders directly from Moscow. His actions directly prevented World War 3 and a nuclear war that would have annihilated both the Soviet Union and the United States.

Gavrilo Princip. Hero or Villain?

           One hundred years ago to the day Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sofia were murdered by Serbian Nationalist Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo, Bosnia. They were there touring the recently annexed territory of Bosnia with the Governor of Bosnia Oskar Potiorek. Earlier in the day another assassin had attempted to kill the Archduke with a bomb but that failed. When he was shot the motorcade was on its way to the hospital to visit the victims of the blast from earlier. The motorcade stopped and begin to turn around when they realized they were on a dangerous route. Princip, who was standing on the street corner, took this opportunity to try and kill the Archduke and Governor. He fired two shots that were aimed at the Archduke and the Governor. One made its mark while the other hit Sofia instead. Both died within minutes from their wounds and Princip was apprehended immediately.

           To understand the assassination we must understand the background to the assassination. Franz Ferdinand was born in 1863 as the nephew of the Emperor Franz Joseph. He assumed the throne of Archduke after his cousin Duke Francis V of Modina died. In 1894 he met his future wife at a ball in Prague. Her name was Sofia Chotek but she wasn't considered royalty. After much quarreling with the Emperor and other members of the Austrian Royalty he was allowed to marry under the condition that it was morganatic meaning she would have no rights usual royalty would and their successors would not be airs to the throne. Sofia was not allowed to appear at state dinners or even the opera house with her husband archduke. They were rarely seen together and were frowned upon by other members of the Austrian royalty. For the couple this trip to Sarajevo was a chance to appear as a couple without the royal restrictions they would have in Vienna. This was one of the few times they were seen together as a royal couple.

            Gavrilo Princip on the other hand was not born into royal blood. He was born in 1894 in the small town of Obljaj. He was part of a Serbian family and at a young age joined the Serbian Nationalist group Black Hand that fought for a Greater Serbia and to rid themselves of their Austrian Oppressors. They wanted to make Bosnia a part of Serbia so it could expand further. Bosnia had been annexed by Austria- Hungary 40 years earlier and these Serbian Nationalist were trying to free themselves from the Austrians. But to be honest Bosnia had expanded and flourished more than it ever had under other rule. They built railway systems, hospitals, and schools. The Nationalist saw them as oppressors and there main goal was to unite all Yugoslavs under one ruler. The only problem with killing the Archduke was he was the one person who could actually help the Bosnian and Serbs. He wanted to give the Slavic people more power in their two pronged empire. He was looking to expand it to a three way empire with the Austrians, Hungarians, and Slavs. Archduke Franz Ferdinand was one of the main people that wanted to help the Serbian people. By killing the Archduke he not only ruined the chances of the Slavic people gaining more power he started a war. The Balkans was a fire waiting to start and all thats needed was a spark. Princip provided that spark which subsequently started a war that would kill millions of people.

           In the end, Gavrilo Princip was a man who wanted to expand his country and unite all the Yugoslavs but in the process started a war. So what do you think. Hero or Villain?