Unknown facts from the life of famous people. Interesting facts from the life of famous people. If a person is talented, then he is talented in everything

The Russian Federation is a great state that ranks first on the planet in terms of territory and national wealth. However, its main pride is made up of outstanding citizens who have left a noticeable mark on history. Our country has nurtured a huge number of famous scientists, politicians, generals, athletes and artists of world renown. Their achievements allowed Russia to take one of the leading positions in the list of superpowers of the planet.

Rating

Who are they, outstanding citizens of Russia? The list of them can be continued endlessly, because each period in the history of our Fatherland has its own great people who have become famous in different fields of activity. Among the most prominent personalities who, to one degree or another, influenced the course of both Russian and world history, it is worth mentioning the following:

1. Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky.
2. Peter the Great.
3. Alexander Suvorov.
4. Mikhail Lomonosov.
5. Dmitry Mendeleev.
6. Yuri Gagarin.
7. Andrei Sakharov.

Minin and Pozharsky

An outstanding Russian citizen Kuzma Minin and his no less famous contemporary Prince Dmitry Pozharsky went down in history as the liberators of Russian lands from the Polish invaders. At the beginning of the 17th century, the Time of Troubles began in the Russian state. The crisis, which engulfed many areas of life, was aggravated by the presence of impostors on the throne of the capital. In Moscow, Smolensk and a number of other cities, the Polish gentry was in full swing, and the western borders of the country were occupied by Swedish troops.

In order to expel foreign invaders from Russian lands and liberate the country, the clergy called on the population to create a people's militia and liberate the capital from the Poles. The call was answered by the Novgorod Zemstvo headman Kuzma Minin (Sukhoruk), who, although not of noble origin, was a true patriot of his homeland. In a short time, he managed to gather an army from the inhabitants of Nizhny Novgorod. Prince Dmitry Pozharsky from the Rurik family agreed to head it.

Gradually, residents of the surrounding cities, dissatisfied with the dominance of the Polish gentry in Moscow, began to join the people's militia of Nizhny Novgorod. By the autumn of 1612, the army of Minin and Pozharsky numbered about 10 thousand people. In early November 1612, the Nizhny Novgorod militia managed to expel the Poles from the capital and force them to sign an act of surrender. The success of the operation became possible thanks to the skillful actions of Minin and Pozharsky. In 1818, the memory of the heroic liberators of Moscow was immortalized by the sculptor I. Martos in a monument erected on Red Square.

Peter the First

The significance of the reign of Peter I, nicknamed the Great for his services to the state, is difficult to overestimate. An outstanding citizen of Russia, Peter the Great, was on the throne for 43 years, coming to power at the age of 17. He turned the country into the greatest empire, founded the city of Petersburg on the Neva and transferred the capital from Moscow to it, conducted a number of successful military campaigns, thanks to which he significantly expanded the borders of the state. Peter the Great began to trade with Europe, founded the Academy of Sciences, opened many educational institutions, introduced the compulsory study of foreign languages, forced representatives of the noble classes to wear secular outfits.

Significance of the reign of Peter I for Russia

The sovereign's reforms strengthened the economy and science, contributed to the development of the army and navy. His successful domestic and foreign policy became the basis for the further growth and development of the state. Voltaire highly appreciated the internal transformations of Russia in the time of Peter the Great. He wrote that the Russian people in half a century managed to achieve what other peoples could not achieve in 500 years of their existence.

A. V. Suvorov

The most outstanding citizen of Russia in the second half of the 18th century is, of course, the great commander, Generalissimo of the Russian land and sea forces Alexander Suvorov. This talented commander fought over 60 major battles and was not defeated in any of them. The army under the command of Suvorov managed to win even in those cases when the enemy forces significantly outnumbered it. The commander took part in the Russian-Turkish wars of 1768-1774 and 1787-1791, brilliantly commanded the Russian troops during the storming of Prague in 1794, and in the last years of his life led the Italian and Swiss campaigns.

In the battles, Suvorov used the tactics of warfare developed by him personally, which was significantly ahead of its time. He did not recognize military drill and instilled in the soldiers love for the Fatherland, considering it a guarantee of victory in any battle. The legendary commander made sure that during military campaigns his army was provided with everything necessary. He heroically shared all the hardships with the soldiers, thanks to which he enjoyed great authority and respect among them. For his victories, Suvorov was awarded all the high military awards that existed in his time in the Russian Empire. In addition, he was a holder of seven foreign orders.

M. V. Lomonosov

Outstanding citizens of Russia glorified their country not only in the art of statecraft or military tactics. Mikhail Lomonosov belongs to the cohort of the greatest domestic scientists who have made a huge contribution to the development of world science. Born into a poor family and unable to get a decent education, from early childhood he had a high intellect and was drawn to knowledge. Lomonosov's desire for science was so strong that at the age of 19 he left his village, went on foot to Moscow and entered the Slavic-Greco-Roman Academy. This was followed by studies at St. Petersburg University at the Academy of Sciences. To improve knowledge in the natural sciences, Michael was sent to Europe. At the age of 34, the young scientist became an academician.

Lomonosov, without exaggeration, can be considered a universal person. He possessed brilliant knowledge of chemistry, physics, geography, astronomy, geology, metallurgy, history, and genealogy. In addition, the scientist was an excellent poet, writer and artist. Lomonosov made many discoveries in physics, chemistry and astronomy, and became the founder of the science of glass. He owns the project of creating Moscow University, which was later named after him.

D. I. Mendeleev

The world famous chemist Dmitry Mendeleev is the pride of Russia. Having been born in Tobolsk in the family of the director of the gymnasium, he had no barriers to education. At the age of 21, young Mendeleev graduated from the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of the St. Petersburg Pedagogical Institute with a gold medal. A few months later, he defended his dissertation for the right to lecture and began teaching practice. At 23, Mendeleev was awarded a master's degree in chemistry. From this age, he began teaching at the Imperial University of St. Petersburg. At the age of 31, he becomes a professor of chemical technology, and after 2 years - a professor of general chemistry.

World fame of the great chemist

In 1869, at the age of 35, Dmitri Mendeleev made a discovery that made him famous all over the world. We are talking about the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements. It became the basis for all modern chemistry. Attempts to systematize the elements according to their properties and atomic weight were made even before Mendeleev, but he was the first to clearly formulate the pattern existing between them.

The periodic table is not the only achievement of the scientist. He wrote many fundamental works on chemistry and initiated the creation of the Chamber of Weights and Measures in St. Petersburg. D. I. Mendeleev was a holder of eight honorary orders of the Russian Empire and foreign countries. He was awarded a doctorate degree from the Turin Academy of Sciences, Oxford, Cambridge, Princeton, Edinburgh and Göttingen Universities. The scientific authority of Mendeleev was so high that he was nominated for the Nobel Prize three times. Unfortunately, other scientists have become laureates of this prestigious international award every time. However, this fact in no way diminishes the merits of the famous chemist before the Fatherland.

Yu. A. Gagarin

Yuri Gagarin is a prominent Russian citizen of the Soviet era. On April 12, 1961, on the Vostok-1 spacecraft, for the first time in the history of mankind, he flew into space. Having spent 108 minutes in Earth's orbit, the astronaut returned to the planet as a hero of international proportions. Gagarin's popularity could be envied even by world movie stars. He made official visits to more than 30 foreign countries and traveled all over the USSR.

An outstanding citizen of Russia, Yuri Gagarin, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the highest distinctions of many countries. He was preparing for a new space flight, but a plane crash that occurred in March 1968 in the Vladimir region tragically cut short his life. Having lived only 34 years, Gagarin became one of the greatest people of the 20th century. Streets and squares in all major cities of Russia and the CIS countries are named after him, monuments to him are erected in many foreign countries. In honor of Yuri Gagarin's flight, April 12 is celebrated as International Cosmonautics Day all over the world.

A. D. Sakharov

In addition to Gagarin, there were many other prominent citizens of Russia in the Soviet Union. The USSR became famous throughout the world thanks to Academician Andrei Sakharov, who made an invaluable contribution to the development of physics. In 1949, together with Yu. Khariton, he developed a project for a hydrogen bomb - the first Soviet thermonuclear weapon. In addition, Sakharov conducted a lot of research on magnetohydrodynamics, gravity, astrophysics, and plasma physics. In the mid-70s, he predicted the advent of the Internet. In 1975, the academician was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

In addition to science, Sakharov was active in human rights activities, for which he fell out of favor with the Soviet leadership. In 1980, he was stripped of all titles and top awards, after which he was deported from Moscow to Gorky. After the start of Perestroika, Sakharov was allowed to return to the capital. In the last years of his life, he continued to engage in scientific activities, and was also elected a deputy of the Supreme Council. In 1989, the scientist worked on a draft of a new Soviet constitution that proclaimed the right of peoples to statehood, but a sudden death did not allow him to complete the work he had begun.

Prominent citizens of Russia in the 21st century

Today, a huge number of people live in our country, glorifying it in politics, science, art and other fields of activity. The most famous scientists of our time are physicists Mikhail Allenov and Valery Rachkov, urbanist Denis Vizgalov, historian Vyacheslav Vorobyov, economist Nadezhda Kosareva, etc. The outstanding artists of the 21st century include artists Ilya Glazunov and Alyona Azernaya, conductors Valery Gergiev and Yuri Bashmet, opera singers Dmitry Hvorostovsky and Anna Netrebko, actors Sergei Bezrukov and Konstantin Khabensky, directors Nikita Mikhalkov and Timur Bekmambetov and others. Well, the most prominent politician in Russia today is its President - Vladimir Putin.

Interesting stories from life famous of people .

the site believes that each of us can become a famous person, the main thing is to always believe in yourself and move forward. We have collected stories and facts from the life of famous people from all over the world.

Roman emperor Julius Caesar always wore a laurel wreath on his head to hide his progressive baldness.

In the Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, Genghis Khan died while having sex.

And the author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Arthur Conan Doyle, was an ophthalmologist by profession.

The creator of Mickey Mouse, the famous Walt Disney?, was afraid of mice all his life.

The eminent Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh sold only one of his works during his lifetime, Red Vineyard at Arles.

And the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart began composing music at the age of 3. For 35 years, Mozart created over 600 works. But after his death, his widow did not even have money for a separate place in the cemetery.

The theoretical physicist Albert Einstein did not speak a word until the age of 3, but at the age of 12 he understood Euclidean geometry.

The German poet, statesman, thinker and naturalist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once tasted Franconian wine from Bavaria and was so impressed that from then on he demanded to send him 900 Franconian liters a year.

Many of Remarque's characters, like himself, prefer Normandy apple brandy - Calvados - from alcoholic drinks.

M the Macedonian king from the Argead dynasty, commander Alexander the Great? knew by sight 30,000 soldiers of his army.

On May 24, 2000, the Clay Institute of Mathematics (Cambridge, USA) offers a million dollars for solving each of the seven mathematical "millennium problems", including the Poincare conjecture formulated in 1904. On November 1, 2002, the Russian mathematician Grigory Perelman posted on the website of the mathematical archive the first of three articles, according to the results of which he will be recognized as a scientist who defeated one of the most difficult problems in topology. In March 2010, the Clay Institute awards Perelman a million dollar prize. On July 1, 2010, Perelman refuses the prize, as he had previously rejected the "mathematical Nobel Prize" - the Fields medal. The refusal is explained by ethical reasons: Perelman believes that he owes success to the mathematician Hamilton, on whose work he relied.

Literary success came to I. Goncharov only at the age of 40.

And the English physicist, mathematician, mechanic and astronomer Isaac Newton wrote a preface to his works when he was 72 years old.

The Sero-Russian Empress from 1762 to 1796 Catherine the Great (Catherine II) loved beer. It was for her that the British brewed especially strong beer - so that it would not spoil on the road. This type of beer is called "Russian stout". It is not pasteurized, but matures in barrels for 2 months, after which it is aged in bottles for a year.

The German historian Theodor Mommsen once rummaged through all his pockets to find glasses. A little girl sitting next to him handed them to him. "Thank you, little one," said Mommsen, "what's your name?" "Anna Mommsen, papa," the girl replied.

Tupak Shakur is an American rapper, film actor and social activist.
He entered the Guinness Book of Records as the most successful hip-hop artist, selling a total of more than 75 million copies of his albums.

The late Tupac Shakur is the first representative of the hip-hop world to be honored with a monument. A seven-foot bronze statue of a black American hero was unveiled on September 13, 2005 at the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center in Stone Mountain, Georgia.

One day, young Thomas Edison returned home from school and gave his mother a letter from his teacher.
Mom read the letter aloud to her son, with tears in her eyes: “Your son is a genius. This and the school is too small, and there are no teachers here to teach him anything. Please teach it yourself.”
Many years after his mother's death (Edison was by then one of the greatest inventors of the century), he was going through old family archives one day and came across this letter.
He opened it and read:
“Your son is mentally retarded. We can no longer teach it at school with everyone else. Therefore, we recommend that you learn it yourself at home.”
Edison sobbed for several hours. Then he wrote in his diary: “Thomas Alva Edison was a mentally retarded child.
Thanks to his heroic mother, he became one of the greatest geniuses of his age.”

Since the sculptor Lina Po, completely devoid of sight, she created more than a hundred wonderful works by touch.

In the 16th century, an influential statesman and philosopher, Francis Bacon, died because he stuffed a gutted chicken with snow (it occurred to him that snow could be used instead of salt to preserve meat, and he tried to test his theory). As a result of the experiment, the chicken did not freeze, but Bacon himself froze.

King Solomon had about 700 wives in Israel, as well as hundreds of mistresses.

Justin Timberlake is afraid of spiders.

In 1972, a young Indian wrote to John Lennon that he had a dream to travel around the world, but no money, and asked him to send the necessary amount. Lennon replied: "Meditate and you will be able to see the whole world in your imagination." In 1995, an Indian, having sold Lennon's letter at auction, went on a trip around the world.

Einstein adored the films of Charlie Chaplin and had great sympathy for both him and his touching characters. One day he sent a telegram to Chaplin:
“Your film “Gold Rush” is understood by everyone in the world, and I am sure that you will become a great person. Einstein".
Chaplin replied:
“I admire you even more. Nobody in the world understands your theory of relativity, but you still became a great person.
Chaplin".

Charles Dickens always slept with his head to the north. He thought it would improve his writing ability.

The house where Jefferson wrote the US Declaration of Independence now sells hamburgers.

Marilyn Monroe's bra sold for $14,000 at auction.

During the reign of Elizabeth I, there was a tax on the beard of men.

The national flag of Italy was designed by Napoleon Bonaparte.

Tesla did not have his own house or apartment - only laboratories and land. The great inventor usually spent the night right in the laboratory or in hotels in New York. Tesla never married. According to him, a solitary lifestyle helped develop his scientific abilities.

The myth that Marilyn Monroe has six toes on her left foot arose from one shot. Photographer Joseph Jagura photographed a young Norma Jean in 1946 on Zuma Beach. In one photo, due to the accumulation of sand that stuck to her foot, it seems that the actress has six fingers.

One day, the father of Russian aviation, Zhukovsky, after talking all evening with friends in his own living room, suddenly got up, looking for his hat, and began to hurriedly say goodbye, muttering: However, I stayed too long with you, it's time to go home!

Briefly about famous people (part 1) updated: February 26, 2017 by: website

Once, Henry Ford, traveling in a small car of his company, saw on the road exactly the same car with a damaged engine.

He immediately provided the unfamiliar motorist with the necessary assistance: he supplied spare parts, adjusted the engine. When the grateful owner of the stuck car handed over five dollars, Ford smiled, “No, no, no money. Things are going well for me." “I don’t really believe it, venerable one! he replied. - If you succeed in business, you wouldn’t be shaking in a miserable “fordik” ...”.

Galileo Galilei spent his wedding night reading a book. Noticing that it was already dawn, he went to the bedroom, but immediately went out and asked the servant: “Who is lying in my bed?” "Your wife, sir," replied the servant. Galileo completely forgot that he was married.

The German mathematician Peter Gustav Dirichlet was very taciturn. When his son was born, he sent his father-in-law a telegram, perhaps the shortest in the history of the telegraph: "2 + 1 = 3."

The outstanding American scientist Thomas Edison, the author of many inventions in the field of electrical engineering and communications, film technology and telephony, chemistry and mining, military equipment, never worked without an assistant. For a long time, one of the assistants, a simple sailor in the past, helped Edison in conducting laboratory experiments and demonstrating new technology. When he was asked a question about how Edison makes his inventions, he was sincerely surprised every time: “I can’t figure it out myself. After all, I do everything for him, and Edison only frowns his forehead, but lets go of remarks addressed to me. And in general: I work, and he rests!

Once Voltaire was invited to a dinner party. When everyone was seated, it turned out that the maestro found himself between two grumpy gentlemen. Having drunk well, Voltaire's neighbors began to argue how to properly address the servants: "Bring me some water!" or "Give me water!". Voltaire unwittingly found himself right at the epicenter of this dispute. Finally, tired of this disgrace, the maestro could not stand it and said: - Gentlemen, both of these expressions are inapplicable to you! Both of you should say: "Take me to the watering hole!".

Traveling in France, Mark Twain traveled by train to the city of Dijon. The train was passing, and he asked to wake him up in time. At the same time, the writer said to the conductor: - I sleep very soundly. When you wake me up, maybe I will scream. So ignore it and be sure to drop me off at Dijon. When Mark Twain woke up, it was already morning, and the train was approaching Paris. The writer realized that Dijon had passed and became very angry. He ran to the conductor and began to reprimand him. - I've never been so angry as now! he shouted. "You're not as angry as the American I dropped off at Dijon last night," replied the guide.

After the first telegram was successfully transmitted from Europe to America, Alexander Stepanovich Popov made another report in one of the capital's clubs about his invention of a wireless telegraph system. Representatives of the royal court were present in the hall among the public, some of them were very skeptical about Popov's message. So, one of the high-society ladies, not understanding a word from the report, turned to Popov with what she thought was a tricky question: “However, how do you explain that this is a telegram during its passage through the ocean, from mainland to mainland , didn’t drown and didn’t even get wet? Alexander Stepanovich just shrugged his shoulders, and the lady, looking around, smiled smugly.

At the closing ceremony of the 1896 automobile exhibition in Paris, French physicist and electrical engineer Marcel Despres proposed a toast to a future car that would reach speeds of 60 kilometers per hour. In response, one well-known then designer of cars responded with displeasure: - Well, why is there always someone who, with his stupid predictions, will spoil the whole celebration!

One day, an acquaintance of Alexander Pushkin, officer Kondyb, asked the poet if he could come up with a rhyme for the words "cancer" and "fish". Pushkin replied: "Fool Kondyba!" The officer was embarrassed and offered to make a rhyme for the combination "fish and cancer." Pushkin was not at a loss here either: "Kondyba is a fool."

"There is no great man for a servant." A curious confirmation of this old rule was the opinion of an old gardener who served Charles Darwin for several decades. He was fond of the famous naturalist, but had a “minimum opinion” about his abilities: “Good old gentleman, but it’s a pity he can’t find a worthwhile occupation. Judge for yourself: for several minutes he stands, staring at some flower. Well, would a person who has some serious occupation do it?

Once, speaking at a polytechnic institute at a debate about proletarian internationalism, Vladimir Mayakovsky said: - Among Russians, I feel like a Russian, among Georgians - a Georgian ... - And among fools? - suddenly someone shouted from the hall. “And for the first time among fools,” Mayakovsky replied instantly.

English theoretical physicist Paul Dirac married Wigner's sister. Soon a friend came to visit him, who still did not know anything about the event. In the midst of their conversation, a young woman entered the room, calling Dirac by name, pouring tea, and generally behaving like a mistress of the house. After some time, Dirac noticed the guest's embarrassment and, slapping his forehead, exclaimed: - Sorry, please, I forgot to introduce you - this is ... Wigner's sister!

Bernard Shaw, already a famous writer, once collided with a cyclist on the road. Fortunately, both escaped with only fright. The cyclist began to apologize, but Shaw objected: - You're out of luck, sir! A little more energy and you would have earned immortality as my killer.

One day, a very obese man said to a skinny Bernard Shaw, “You look like you might think your family is starving. - And look at you, you might think that you are the cause of this disaster.

The Prussian king Frederick II, considering himself an erudite man, liked to talk with members of his academy of sciences, sometimes asking the most ridiculous questions during these conversations. He once asked academicians: "Why does a glass filled with champagne give a cleaner ring than a glass filled with burgundy?" Professor Sulzer, on behalf of all the academicians present, replied: “Unfortunately, the members of the Academy of Sciences, with the low content that Your Majesty appointed them, are deprived of the opportunity to set up such experiments.”

Once Ilf and Petrov were asked if they had to write under a pseudonym. To which they replied: - Of course, Ilf sometimes signed Petrov, and Petrov Ilf.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, for fun, chose the addresses of 12 of the largest London bankers, who have a reputation for exceptionally honest and respectable people, and sent each of them a telegram that read: “Everything came out. Hide." The next day, all 12 bankers disappeared from London. All of them acknowledged the criminal and anti-social nature of their activities as a fact of their flight.

Alexandre Dumas once dined with the famous doctor Gistal, who asked the writer to write something in his guest book. Dumas wrote: "Since Dr. Guistal treats entire families, the hospital must be closed." The doctor exclaimed: - You flatter me! Then Dumas added: "And build two cemeteries ..."

Guy de Maupassant worked for some time as an official in the ministry. A few years later, a description of Maupassant was found in the archives of the ministry: "A diligent official, but writes poorly."

In 1972, a young Indian wrote to John Lennon that he had a dream to travel around the world, but no money, and asked him to send the necessary amount. Lennon replied: "Meditate and you can see the whole world in your imagination." In 1995, the Hindu nevertheless went on a trip around the world. He received the required amount by selling Lennon's letter at auction.

One day, a customs officer, inspecting the luggage of the British playwright, poet and writer Oscar Wilde, who was widely known for his wit, who arrived in New York, asked the distinguished guest if he had jewelry and art objects with him that needed to be included in the declaration. “Nothing but my genius,” answered Oscar Wilde.

When the current heir to the British crown, Prince Charles, studied at Cambridge, a bodyguard went with him to all classes. The Cambridge system of education allowed the bodyguard to participate in discussion and debate. And at the end of the training, the teachers offered him to pass the exams. As a result, the bodyguard scored more points than the prince himself, and also received a diploma.

Once, at a reception, Charlie Chaplin performed a very complex opera aria for the assembled guests. When he finished, one of the guests exclaimed: - Amazing! I had no idea that you sing so wonderfully. - Not at all, - Chaplin smiled, - I never knew how to sing. I was just imitating the famous tenor I heard at the opera.

During the rest of Vladimir Vysotsky in Sochi, thieves looked into his hotel room. Together with things and clothes, they took all the documents, and even the key to the Moscow apartment. Having discovered the loss, Vysotsky went to the nearest police station, wrote a statement, and they promised to help him. But no help was needed. When he returned to the room, there were already stolen things and a note: “Sorry, Vladimir Semenovich, we didn’t know whose things these were. Jeans, unfortunately, we have already sold, but the jacket and documents are returned safe and sound.”

photo found on the internet

Facts fill our lives, they are everywhere! The more facts are revealed to us, the more educated and erudite we become. And this is also a fact! This article contains some interesting and amazing moments in the life of famous people that not many people know about.

Actor Woody Harrelson's father was a contract killer

Famous people often have famous parents, but not all of them became famous thanks to good deeds. The father of Hollywood actor Woody Harrelson was the famous criminal Charles V. Harrelson, who was sentenced to 2 life terms on charges of murdering federal judge Jonathan Wood.

Subsequently, the son often visited Charles in prison, and, according to his confession, he was a well-read and educated person. Woody even tried to challenge the court's decision, but he failed.
An interesting fact: Charles Harrelson for some reason claimed that he was involved in the Kennedy assassination, but later retracted his words. Conspiracy theorists still consider Charles Harrelson one of the suspicious vagrants found near the murder site, but this is nothing more than speculation.

Duchess Margherita Maultash was not at all "the ugliest woman in the world"

According to popular belief, the 14th-century Countess of Tyrol and Duchess of Bavaria Margaret Maultasch (Margarete Maultasch) is considered "the ugliest woman in history." As a “proof” of this statement, the portrait that you now see in front of you, and the very nickname of Margarita, often acts. It is only one letter different from the German word Maultasche - "dumpling", or literally "purse mouth".
However, some researchers believe that the word "maultash" did not mean the duchess's ugly appearance, but came from the name of her castle in South Tyrol. As for the portrait, it was painted by the Flemish painter Quentin Masseys in the 16th century and is a caricature.
If we look at other images of Margarita, including the lifetime one on her personal seal, then we will see, if not a written beauty, but quite an attractive woman with a good figure.

So where did the myth of "the ugliest woman in history" come from? The fact is that Margarita dared to impudence, unheard of at that time: she kicked out her disgusted husband, whom she was married to at the age of 11, and became the wife of her beloved.

Margarita Maultash simply did not let her first husband Johann Heinrich (he is on the left) go home to the castle when he returned from hunting. Apparently, the husband did not enjoy great love not only from his wife, but also from the citizens of Tyrol, since they all refused him shelter.
Annoyed, Johann found support from the Patriarch of Aquileia, as a result of which Margarita and her new husband Ludwig of Bavaria (he is on the right in the picture) were excommunicated for a long time, and ridiculous rumors spread about the duchess.

Marie Antoinette ordered to build a village for herself in which she could lead the life of a "commoner"

The brilliant atmosphere of Versailles and the need to observe court etiquette had a depressing effect on the queen, so as an outlet, she ordered to build for herself a tiny village near the Petit Trianon Palace with a mill, a farm, a dovecote, a pond and a cottage, which was much more comfortable than the palace chambers. All this reminded Marie Antoinette of her childhood, which was spent in the gardens of the Vienna Palace, where she played with relatives, governesses and dogs.

In her private village, the Queen dressed up as a regular shepherd or milkmaid and walked with her children and closest friends, and it seems that it was there that she was truly happy. After the French Revolution, the village of Marie Antoinette was abandoned, but it has now been restored and is open to the public.

Abraham Lincoln gave a speech so impressive that none of the journalists could record it

On May 29, 1856, in Bloomington, Illinois, Abraham Lincoln gave a speech that is traditionally considered lost, since all the reporters present at this event were literally mesmerized by the words of the future president (Lincoln became one in 1861) and simply forgot to write down from it at least one word. We have no doubt about the oratorical talent of "Uncle Abe", but, you see, it still sounds implausible.

There is another version, according to which the text was deliberately lost, since Lincoln's speech was filled with a passionate condemnation of slavery, for the abolition of which, alas, not everyone advocated at that time. Nevertheless, the “lost speech” made a huge impression on the listeners, and a memorial plaque was subsequently erected in honor of this event, which still exists today.

Queen Victoria's best friend was groom John Brown

The British Queen Victoria is a rare exception among monarchs (at least in the old days) for the reason that she married for love and continued to adore her husband Prince Albert all her life. Is it necessary to explain that his early death was the hardest blow for her?
And who knows how she would have survived this event, if not for the support of the Queen's best friend. It was the Scottish groom John Brown (John Brown), who, like his relatives, faithfully served the Queen in Balmoral Castle. Walking and talking with John helped Victoria recover from the loss, although she never removed the mourning for Albert until the end of her life.
Of course, evil tongues immediately ridiculed the relationship, which, according to Queen Victoria herself, was a warm and loving friendship (so warm and loving friendship). There were scathing cartoons like the one you see now, and the Queen began to be called "Mrs Brown" behind her back.

Be that as it may, Victoria was strongly attached to John Brown and highly appreciated him, because after his death she ordered a statue to be erected in his honor, which was done. It is believed that before her death, the queen bequeathed to bury her along with a portrait of her beloved husband Albert in one hand and a portrait of John's best friend in the other.
The story of Victoria and John Brown was filmed in 1997, and 10 years later another film called Victoria and Abdul was released. It tells about the relationship of the queen with another "favorite", whose name was Abdul Karim.
As expected, this friendship was also condemned, although it is known for certain that the queen signed her letters to the young handsome man only as “your loving mother”.

Composer Arnold Schoenberg was so afraid of the number 13 that he called it "12a". He died on July 13, 13 minutes before midnight.

The founder of the new Viennese school, composer Arnold Schoenberg (pictured with his wife Gertrude and daughter Nuria) had a rare phobia - fear of the number 13, or triskaidekaphobia. Schoenberg was born on the 13th and throughout his life considered this figure a bad omen.
As we have already mentioned, the composer renamed 13 to 12a, and the same fate affected his last opera, which Schoenberg called "Moses and Aron" ("Moses und Aron") instead of "Moses and Aaron" ("Moses und Aaron") only for so that the number of letters in the name is not 13.
And yet the last day of the life of Arnold Schoenberg was precisely the fateful number. On July 13, 1951, he lay in bed all day, feeling that death was approaching. The wife tried to persuade the composer to "stop these stupid things" and get up, but he refused, and at 11:47 pm he actually died, having uttered the word "harmony" before that.

Winston Churchill loved animals, and one of his pets was a lion

The British Prime Minister was a big animal lover. At various times, the cats Nelson and Jock, the poodle Rufus, the bulldog Dodo, as well as cows, pigs, fish, butterflies, swans and other pets lived with Churchill.
But, perhaps, the most unusual of the pets was a lion named Rota, who was presented to the prime minister as a gift as a kitten, and after a while, he prudently assigned the growing king of beasts to the London Zoo. Rota grew up and became the father of 4 cubs, and Churchill visited him at the zoo and fed him meat with his own hands.

Pablo Escobar was photographed in front of the White House in the USA

Drug lord Escobar wasn't always on the run. In 1981, he quite legally visited the United States and even took pictures with his son Juan Pablo in front of the White House in Washington. This photo was taken by Pablo's wife Maria Victoria and was first shown in the movie Sins of My Father, based on the book by Juan Pablo Escobar, who legally changed his name to Sebastian Marroquin and now lives in Argentina.

Steve Jobs rarely showered because he believed his diet suppressed bodily odors. He was wrong

Every person has their own oddities, and great people are no exception. According to colleagues who worked with Steve Jobs at Atari, he believed that his plant-based diet prevented the smell of sweat, and therefore it was no longer necessary to take a shower every day. But Jobs was wrong. And so much so that in the company he was quickly transferred to the night shift, where there was especially no one to complain about the unpleasant smell.

Princess Diana stopped wearing Chanel after her divorce from Prince Charles for a very personal reason

According to designer Jayson Brunsdon, after her divorce from Charles, Lady Dee refused to wear shoes and, possibly, other things from Chanel, due to the fact that the logo of this brand reminded Diana of her unfaithful husband and rival Camilla Parker-Bowles (you see her in the photo next to Diana).

The letters on the CC logo - the initials of Coco Chanel (Coco Chanel) - turned for Diana into "Charles and Camilla" (Camilla & Charles). It is not known whether she subsequently changed her mind, but Bransdon assures that Lady Di had nothing against the brand itself, she simply could not see these ill-fated letters CC.

Who do you consider the most worthy example and inspiration for yourself personally? Martin Luther King Jr., Yuri Gagarin, or maybe your grandfather? Our world has been forming for several millennia, and a lot of historical figures took part in this difficult process, who made their invaluable contribution to science, culture and many other spheres of life, both in their countries and all of humanity. It is very difficult and almost impossible to choose those whose influence was the most significant. However, the authors of this list still decided to try and collect in one publication the most inspiring personalities in the history of world civilizations. Some of them are known to everyone, others are not known to everyone, but they all have one thing in common - these people have changed our world for the better. From the Dalai Lama to Charles Darwin, here are 25 of the most outstanding personalities in history!

25. Charles Darwin

The famous British traveler, naturalist, geologist and biologist, Charles Darwin is best known for his theory, which changed the idea of ​​human nature and the development of the world in all its diversity. Darwin's theory of evolution and natural selection suggests that all kinds of living organisms, including humans, descended from common ancestors, and this concept shocked the entire scientific community at one time. Darwin published The Theory of Evolution, with some examples and evidence, in his revolutionary On the Origin of Species in 1859, and our world and the way we know it has changed a lot since then.

24. Tim Berners-Lee


Photo: Paul Clarke

Tim Berners-Lee is a British engineer, inventor and computer scientist, best known as the creator of the World Wide Web. He is sometimes called the "Father of the Internet" and it was Berners-Lee who developed the first hypertext web browser, web server, and web editor. The technologies of this outstanding scientist have spread worldwide and have forever changed the way information is generated and processed.

23. Nicholas Winton


Photo: cs:User:Li-sung

Nicholas Winton was a British philanthropist, and since the late 80s, he became known primarily for taking 669 Jewish children from the territory of Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia right on the eve of World War II. Winton moved all these children to British orphanages, and some of them even managed to be placed in families, which definitely saved them all from certain death in concentration camps or during the bombing. The philanthropist organized as many as 8 trains from Prague and also took the children out of Vienna, but with the help of other modes of transport. The Englishman never sought fame, and for 49 years he kept his heroic deed a secret. In 1988, Winton's wife found a notebook with records from 1939 and the addresses of the families who received the young rescuers. Since then, recognition, orders and awards have fallen upon him. Nicholas Winton died at the age of 106 in 2015.

22. Buddha Shakyamuni (Gautama Buddha)


Photo: Max Pixel

Also known as Siddhartha Gautama (from birth), Tathagata (who has come), or Bhagavan (blissful), Buddha Shakyamuni (the awakened sage of the Shakya family) was the spiritual leader and founder of Buddhism, one of the world's three leading religions. The Buddha was born in the 6th century BC into a royal family and lived in absolute isolation and luxury. When the prince matured, he left his family and all his possessions to plunge into self-discovery and seek to save humanity from suffering. After several years of meditation and contemplation, Gautama attained enlightenment and became a Buddha. Through his teachings, Shakyamuni Buddha influenced the lives of millions of people around the world.

21. Rosa Parks

Photo: wikimedia commons

Also known as the “First Lady of Civil Rights” and “the mother of the freedom movement,” Rosa Parks was a true pioneer and founder of the black rights movement in Alabama in the 1950s, where there was still a strong racial segregation of citizens in those days. In 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, a courageous African-American woman and passionate civil rights activist, Rosa Parks, refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger, disobeying the driver's orders. Her rebellious act provoked other blacks into what was later nicknamed the legendary "Montgomery Bus Boycott." This boycott lasted 381 days and became one of the key events in the history of the black civil rights movement in the United States.

20. Henry Dunant

Photo: ICRC

A successful Swiss businessman and active public figure, Henri Dunant became the first person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1901. During a business trip in 1859, Dunant faced the terrible aftermath of the Battle of Solferino (Solferino, Italy), where the troops of Napoleon, the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Austrian Empire clashed under the leadership of Franz Joseph I, and the battlefield was left to die almost 9 thousand wounded. In 1863, in response to the horrors of war and the brutality of the fight, the entrepreneur founded the well-known International Committee of the Red Cross. Adopted in 1864, the Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded was also based on the ideas expressed by Henri Dunant.

19. Simon Bolivar

Photo: wikimedia commons

Also known as the Liberator (El Libertador), Simón Bolivar was an outstanding Venezuelan military and political leader who played a key role in the liberation from Spanish domination of as many as 6 countries of South and Central America - Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Panama. Bolivar was born into a wealthy aristocratic family, but he devoted most of his life to military campaigns and the struggle for the independence of the Spanish colonies in America. The country of Bolivia, by the way, was named after this hero and liberator.

18. Albert Einstein

Photo: wikimedia commons

Albert Einstein is one of the most respected and influential scientists of all time. This outstanding theoretical physicist, Nobel laureate and humanist public figure gave the world over 300 scientific papers on physics and about 150 books and articles on history, philosophy and other humanitarian areas. His whole life was full of interesting research, revolutionary ideas and theories, which later became fundamental for modern science. Einstein was best known for his theory of relativity, and thanks to this work he became one of the greatest personalities in the history of mankind. Even after almost a century, this Theory continues to influence the thinking of the modern scientific community, working on the creation of the Theory of Everything (or the Unified Field Theory).

17. Leonardo da Vinci


Photo: wikimedia commons

It is difficult to describe and list all the directions in which Leonardo da Vinci succeeded, a man who changed the whole world with his mere existence. Throughout his life, this Italian Renaissance genius managed to achieve unprecedented heights in painting, and in architecture, and in music, and in mathematics, and in anatomy, and in engineering, and in many other areas. Da Vinci is recognized as one of the most versatile and talented people who ever lived on our planet, and he is the author of such revolutionary inventions as the parachute, helicopter, tank and scissors.

16. Christopher Columbus

Photo: wikimedia commons

The famous Italian explorer, traveler and colonizer, Christopher Columbus was not the first European to sail to America (after all, the Vikings had been here before him). However, his voyages launched a whole era of the most outstanding discoveries, conquests and colonizations, which lasted for several more centuries after his death. Columbus' travels to the New World greatly influenced the development of the geography of those times, because at the beginning of the 15th century people still believed that the Earth was flat, and that there were no more lands beyond the Atlantic.

15 Martin Luther King Jr.


Photo: wikimedia commons

This is one of the most influential personalities of the 20th century. Martin Luther King Jr. is best known for his peaceful movement against discrimination, racial segregation and for the civil rights of black Americans, for which he even received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist preacher and vibrant speaker who inspired millions around the world to fight for democratic freedoms and their rights. He played a key role in promoting civil rights through peaceful protests based on the Christian faith and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi.

14. Bill Gates

Photo: DFID – UK Department for International Development

The founder of the legendary multinational company Microsoft, Bill Gates was considered the richest man in the world for almost 20 years. More recently, however, Gates has become known primarily as a generous philanthropist, rather than for his success in business and the information technology market. At one time, Bill Gates stimulated the development of the personal computer market, making computers accessible to the most ordinary users, which is exactly what he was trying to achieve. Now he is passionate about the idea of ​​​​providing Internet access to the whole world. Gates also works on projects dedicated to combating global warming and combating gender discrimination.

William Shakespeare is considered one of the greatest writers and playwrights in the English language, and he has had a profound influence on a whole galaxy of writers, as well as on millions of readers around the world. In addition, Shakespeare introduced about 2,000 new words, most of which are still in use in modern English. With his work, the national poet of England has inspired a great many composers, artists and filmmakers from around the world.

12. Sigmund Freud

Photo: wikimedia commons

The Austrian neurologist and founder of the science of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud is famous precisely for his unique studies of the mysterious world of the human subconscious. With them, he forever changed the way we evaluate ourselves and the people around us. Freud's work influenced the psychology, sociology, medicine, art, and anthropology of the 20th century, and his therapeutic techniques and theories in the field of psychoanalysis are still being studied and applied in practice.

11. Oskar Schindler

Photo: wikimedia commons

Oskar Schindler was a German entrepreneur, Nazi Party member, spy, womanizer and drinker. All this does not sound very attractive and certainly does not sound like a characterization of a real hero. However, contrary to all of the above, Schindler was on this list absolutely deservedly, because during the Holocaust and World War II, this man saved about 1,200 Jews, rescuing them from death camps to work in his plants and factories. The heroic story of Oskar Schindler has been described in many books and films, but the most famous adaptation was Steven Spielberg's 1993 film Schindler's List (Steven Spielberg, Schindler's List).

10. Mother Teresa

Photo: wikimedia commons

A Catholic nun and missionary, Mother Teresa devoted almost her entire life to serving the poor, the sick, the disabled, and orphans. She founded the charitable movement and the women's monastic congregation "Missionary Sisters of Love" (Congregatio Sororum Missionarium Caritatis), which exists in almost all countries of the world (in 133 countries as of 2012). In 1979, Mother Teresa won the Nobel Peace Prize, and 19 years after her death (in 2016), she was canonized by Pope Francis himself.

9 Abraham Lincoln

Photo: wikimedia commons

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States and one of the most influential personalities in American history. Coming from a poor farming family, Lincoln fought for the reunification of the country during the Civil War between North and South, strengthened the federal government, modernized the American economy, but he earned a reputation as an outstanding historical figure primarily for his contribution to the development of a democratic society and the fight against slavery and oppression. the black population of the USA. The legacy of Abraham Lincoln still has a defining influence on the American people.

8 Stephen Hawking


Photo: Lwp Kommunikacio / flickr

Stephen Hawking is one of the most famous and respected scientists in the world, and he has made an invaluable contribution to the development of science (especially cosmology and theoretical physics). The work of this British researcher and ardent popularizer of science is also impressive because Hawking made almost all of his discoveries despite a rare and slowly progressing degenerative disease. The first signs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis appeared in his student years, and now the great scientist is completely paralyzed. However, a severe illness and paralysis did not prevent Hawking from marrying twice, becoming the father of two sons, flying in zero gravity, writing many books, becoming one of the founders of quantum cosmology and the winner of a whole collection of prestigious awards, medals and orders.

7. Unknown rebel


Photo: HiMY SYeD / flickr

This conditional name refers to an unknown man who independently held back a column of tanks for half an hour during the protests on Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen, China) in 1989. In those days, hundreds of protesters, most of whom were ordinary students, were killed in clashes with the military. The identity and fate of the unknown rebel remain unknown, but this photograph has become an international symbol of courage and peaceful resistance.

6. Muhammad

Photo: wikimedia commons

Muhammad was born in 570 AD in the city of Mecca (Mecca, modern Saudi Arabia). He is considered a Muslim prophet and the founder of the Islamic religion. Being not only a preacher, but also a politician, Muhammad united all the Arab peoples of those times into a single Muslim empire that conquered most of the Arabian Peninsula. The author of the Qur'an began with a few followers, but eventually his teachings and practices formed the basis of the Islamic religion, which has become the second most popular religion in the world today, with about 1.8 billion believers.

5. Dalai Lama XIV (The 14th Dalai Lama)


Photo: wikimedia commons

Dalai Lama XIV or at birth Lhamo Dhondup (Lhamo Thondup) is a 1989 Nobel Peace Prize winner and a well-known preacher of the Buddhist philosophy of peace, professing respect for all life on Earth, and calling for the harmonious coexistence of man and nature. The former spiritual and political leader of Tibet in exile, the 14th Dalai Lama always tried to find a compromise and sought reconciliation with the Chinese authorities who invaded Tibet with territorial claims. In addition, Lhamo Dhondrub is a zealous supporter of the women's rights movement, interfaith dialogues and advocates for solving global environmental problems.

4. Princess Diana (Princess Diana)


Photo: Auguel

Also known as "Lady Di" and "The People's Princess," Princess Diana has won millions of hearts around the world with her philanthropic work, hard work, and sincerity. She devoted most of her short life to helping those in need from third world countries. The Queen of Human Hearts, as she was also called, founded the movement to stop the production and use of anti-personnel mines, and was actively involved in the activities of several dozen humanitarian campaigns and non-profit organizations, including the Red Cross, Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital (London's Great Ormond Street Hospital) and AIDS research. Lady Dee died at the age of 36 from injuries sustained in a car accident.

3. Nelson Mandela


Photo: Library of the London School of Economics and Political Science

Nelson Mandela was a South African politician, philanthropist, revolutionary, reformer, passionate human rights activist during apartheid (racial segregation policy) and President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He had a profound influence on the history of South Africa and the world. For his beliefs, Mandela spent almost 27 years in prison, but he did not lose faith in the liberation of his people from the oppression of the authorities, and after leaving prison he achieved democratic elections, as a result of which he became the first black president of South Africa. His tireless work for the peaceful overthrow of the apartheid regime and for the establishment of democracy has inspired millions of people around the world. In 1993, Nelson Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize.

2. Jeanne d'Arc (Jeanne d "Arc)

Photo: wikimedia commons

Also known as the Maid of Orleans, Joan of Arc is the greatest heroine in French history and one of the most famous women in world history. Born into a poor farming family in 1412, she believed she had been chosen by God to lead France to victory in the Hundred Years' War with England. The girl died before the end of the war, but her courage, passion and devotion to her goal (especially during the siege of Orleans) caused a long-awaited moral upsurge and inspired the entire French army for the final victory in the protracted and seemingly hopeless confrontation with the British. Unfortunately, in the battle, the Maid of Orleans was captured by the enemies, was condemned by the Inquisition and burned at the stake at the age of 19.

1. Jesus Christ

Photo: wikimedia commons

Jesus Christ is the central figure of the Christian religion, and He has had such a strong influence on our world that He is often called the most influential and inspiring person in the history of mankind. Compassion, love for neighbors, sacrifice, humility, repentance and forgiveness, to which Jesus called in his sermons and personal example, were concepts that were absolutely opposite to the values ​​of ancient civilizations during His life on Earth. Nevertheless, today there are about 2.4 billion followers of His teachings and Christian faith in the world.