History is filled with fascinating individuals whose lives and achievements often seem too incredible to be true. These historical figures have left their mark on the world in remarkable ways, and their backstories are just as captivating as their accomplishments. Here are 16 historical figures with unbelievable backstories.
1. Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan, born Temujin, rose from humble beginnings to become the founder of the Mongol Empire, the largest contiguous empire in history. His early life was marked by betrayal and hardship, including the murder of his father and his family’s subsequent abandonment by their tribe.
2. Hedy Lamarr
Hedy Lamarr was a famous Hollywood actress in the 1930s and 1940s, but she was also an inventor. During World War II, she co-invented a frequency-hopping communication system to prevent Allied torpedoes from being jammed by enemy forces. This technology later became the foundation for modern Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
3. Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla, a Serbian-American inventor and engineer, had a tumultuous life filled with incredible achievements and eccentricities. He developed numerous groundbreaking technologies, including alternating current (AC) electricity, but died penniless and alone in a New York City hotel room.
4. Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman was born into slavery but escaped and became a leading abolitionist. She made 13 missions to rescue approximately 70 enslaved people using the Underground Railroad. Tubman also served as a spy and scout for the Union Army during the Civil War.
5. Rasputin
Grigori Rasputin was a Russian mystic and confidant of the Romanov family. Despite having no formal religious training, he gained significant influence over Tsar Nicholas II and his wife, Alexandra, due to his alleged healing powers. Rasputin’s controversial presence at the Russian court contributed to the fall of the Romanov dynasty.
6. Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc, a peasant girl from France, claimed to have received visions from saints instructing her to support Charles VII and help drive the English out of France. At the age of 17, she led French troops to several important victories during the Hundred Years’ War, before being captured and executed for heresy.
7. Miyamoto Musashi
Miyamoto Musashi was a legendary Japanese swordsman and ronin who became famous for his unrivaled swordsmanship and unique double-bladed swordsmanship technique. He wrote “The Book of Five Rings,” a treatise on strategy, tactics, and philosophy that remains influential today.
8. Ada Lovelace
Ada Lovelace, the daughter of poet Lord Byron, is considered the world’s first computer programmer. She worked with Charles Babbage on his proposed mechanical general-purpose computer, the Analytical Engine, and wrote what is now recognized as the first algorithm intended for implementation on a computer.
9. Vlad the Impaler
Vlad the Impaler, also known as Vlad Dracula, was a 15th-century prince of Wallachia, now part of modern-day Romania. He is known for his brutal methods of punishing his enemies, particularly his use of impalement. His reputation for cruelty inspired the legend of Dracula.
10. Catherine the Great
Catherine the Great, born a minor German princess, became Empress of Russia after overthrowing her husband, Peter III. She is remembered for her efforts to modernize Russia and expand its territory, as well as her numerous lovers and progressive views on education and the arts.
11. Che Guevara
Ernesto “Che” Guevara was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary who played a key role in the Cuban Revolution. After the revolution, he held various positions in the Cuban government before leaving to promote revolutionary movements in other countries. He was captured and executed in Bolivia in 1967.
12. Cleopatra
Cleopatra VII, the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt, was known for her intelligence, political acumen, and romantic liaisons with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Her efforts to maintain Egypt’s independence ultimately failed, leading to its annexation by Rome.
13. Spartacus
Spartacus was a Thracian gladiator who led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic known as the Third Servile War. His army of escaped slaves won several battles against Roman forces before being defeated. Spartacus became a symbol of resistance against oppression.
14. Josephine Baker
Josephine Baker was an African-American entertainer who became a sensation in France during the 1920s. During World War II, she worked as a spy for the French Resistance, smuggling secret messages in her sheet music and using her celebrity status to gather intelligence.
15. Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter known for her striking self-portraits and works inspired by nature and Mexican culture. Despite suffering from lifelong health problems due to a bus accident, she became one of the most influential artists of the 20th century and a feminist icon.
16. Casanova
Giacomo Casanova was an Italian adventurer, writer, and notorious lover. His memoirs provide a vivid account of 18th-century European society and his numerous romantic escapades. Despite his reputation as a womanizer, Casanova was also a prolific writer and keen observer of his times.