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18th Century historical figures

Explore historical figures who lived in the 18th Century. Read concise biographies, learn key facts, and play a quiz focused on this collection.

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50 figures

Portrait of Simón Bolívar

Simón Bolívar

Venezuela · 1783–1830

Military & political leader

Painting of Napoleon Bonaparte in his study

Napoleon Bonaparte

France · 1769–1821

General & Emperor

Painted portrait of Catherine the Great

Catherine the Great

Russia · 1729–1796

Empress of Russia

Painted portrait of George Washington

George Washington

United States · 1732–1799

First President of the United States

Portrait of Emperor Pedro I of Brazil

Pedro I of Brazil

Brazil · 1798–1834

Founder & first Emperor of Brazil

Historical illustration of King Shaka

Shaka

South Africa · c. 1787–1828

King of the Zulu Kingdom

Painted portrait of Toussaint Louverture

Toussaint Louverture

Haiti · 1744–1803

General & revolutionary leader

Painted portrait of Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin

United States · 1706–1790

Founding Father & polymath

Painted presidential portrait of Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson

United States · 1743–1826

3rd U.S. President & Founding Father

Painted portrait of Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette

France · 1755–1793

Queen of France

Painted portrait of Frederick the Great

Frederick the Great

Germany · 1712–1786

King of Prussia

Historical illustration depicting the capture of Nat Turner

Nat Turner

United States · 1800–1831

Enslaved rebellion leader

Painted portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Austria · 1756–1791

Composer

Painted portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven

Germany · 1770–1827

Composer

Painted portrait of James Madison

James Madison

United States · 1751–1836

4th U.S. President & Founding Father

Portrait of Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson

United States · 1767–1845

7th U.S. President

Painted portrait of Carl Friedrich Gauss

Carl Friedrich Gauss

Germany · 1777–1855

Mathematician & physicist

Photograph of Michael Faraday

Michael Faraday

United Kingdom · 1791–1867

Chemist & physicist

Painted portrait of Immanuel Kant

Immanuel Kant

Germany · 1724–1804

Philosopher

Painted portrait of James Watt

James Watt

United Kingdom · 1736–1819

Inventor & engineer

Historical portrait of Túpac Amaru II

Túpac Amaru II

Peru · died 1781

Indigenous rebellion leader

Portrait of King Ang Duong

Ang Duong

Cambodia · 1796–1860

King of Cambodia

Painted portrait of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla

Mexico · 1753–1811

Priest & independence leader

Portrait of José de San Martín

José de San Martín

Argentina · 1778–1850

General & independence leader

Portrait of Bernardo O'Higgins

Bernardo O'Higgins

Chile · 1778–1842

Military officer & statesman

Historical illustration of Tecumseh

Tecumseh

United States · 1768–1813

Shawnee military leader

Depiction of Sacagawea with the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Sacagawea

United States · c. 1788–1812

Guide and interpreter

Portrait of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Switzerland · 1712–1778

Philosopher

Portrait of Mary Wollstonecraft

Mary Wollstonecraft

United Kingdom · 1759–1797

Writer and philosopher

Portrait of Leonhard Euler

Leonhard Euler

Switzerland · 1707–1783

Mathematician

Historical portrait of Queen Ranavalona I of Madagascar

Ranavalona I

Madagascar · 1778–1861

Queen of Madagascar

Portrait of Bernardo de Gálvez

Bernardo de Gálvez

Spain · 1746–1786

Colonial military leader and administrator

Painting of José Gervasio Artigas

José Gervasio Artigas

Uruguay · 1764–1850

Military leader and founding father

Portrait of Francisco Morazán

Francisco Morazán

Honduras · 1792–1842

President of the Federal Republic of Central America

Portrait of Andrés Bello

Andrés Bello

Venezuela · 1781–1865

Humanist and educator

Portrait of Diego Portales

Diego Portales

Chile · 1793–1837

Statesman

Portrait of Jane Austen

Jane Austen

United Kingdom · 1775–1817

Novelist

Portrait of King Rama I of Siam

Rama I

Thailand · 1737–1809

Founder of the Chakri dynasty

Monument depicting King Taksin

Taksin

Thailand · 1734–1782

King of Thonburi

Portrait of Jean-Jacques Dessalines in military uniform

Jean-Jacques Dessalines

Haiti · 1758–1806

Revolutionary leader & first ruler of independent Haiti

Portrait of King Henri I of Haiti in royal dress

Henri Christophe

Haiti · 1767–1820

King of Haiti

Portrait of Alexandre Petion

Alexandre Petion

Haiti · 1770–1818

President of the Republic of Haiti

Self-portrait of Francisco Goya

Francisco Goya

Spain · 1746–1828

Painter & printmaker

Portrait of Kamehameha I by Louis Choris

Kamehameha I

United States · c. 1758–1819

King of Hawaii

Portrait of Captain James Cook

James Cook

United Kingdom · 1728–1779

Explorer & naval officer

Historical portrait of King Moshoeshoe I

Moshoeshoe I

Lesotho · c. 1786–1870

First King of Lesotho

Photograph of Charles Babbage

Charles Babbage

United Kingdom · 1791–1871

Mathematician & inventor

Portrait of Samuel Morse

Samuel Morse

United States · 1791–1872

Inventor & painter

Portrait of King Prithvi Narayan Shah

Prithvi Narayan Shah

Nepal · 1723–1775

Founding King of unified Nepal

Portrait of Jose Gaspar Rodriguez de Francia

Jose Gaspar Rodriguez de Francia

Paraguay · 1766–1840

Dictator of Paraguay