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.
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