Famous Political Leaders a to z

Thomas Paine was an English American writer and pamphleteer whose "Common Sense" and other writings influenced the American Revolution, and helped pave the way for the Declaration of Independence.

A lifelong governmental and political figure, David Paterson was the first African American governor of New York state.

Thomas Pendergast was a political boss of Kansas City in the early 20th century.

Ancient Greek statesman Pericles, leader of Athens from 460–429 B.C., organized construction of the Parthenon and developed a democracy based on majority rule.

Eva Perón used her position as the first lady of Argentina to fight for women's suffrage and improving the lives of the poor.

Peter the Great was a Russian czar in the late 17th century, who is best known for his extensive reforms in an attempt to establish Russia as a great nation.

Terence Powderly served as union leader of the Knights of Labor from 1879 to 1893. Under his leadership, the union saw both unprecedented growth and sudden decline.

Prince William is the eldest son of Princess Diana and Prince Charles of Wales and is next in line for the British throne after his father.

Queen Elizabeth was the Queen consort of King George VI until his death in 1952. She is best known for her moral support to the British people during WWII and her longevity.

Queen Victoria was queen of Great Britain from 1837 to 1901—the longest reign of any other British monarch in history.

Manuel Quezon was leader of the Filipino independence movement and first president of the Philippine Commonwealth in 1935.

Stamford Raffles was an English administrator and traveler who oversaw the establishment of Singapore.

Ramses III was the second Pharaoh of the Twentieth dynasty in Egypt. He is best known for defending his country against invaders in three great wars.

Queen Rania of Jordan is best known for her advocacy work in public health, education and as an outspoken opponent of the practice of "honor killings."

James T. Rapier served in Congress as a U.S. Representative from Alabama. He was one of only three black congressmen during Reconstruction and helped to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1875.

Richard III was king of England for two turbulent years. He is best known for being accused of murdering his nephews to protect his throne.

Louis Riel was the leader of the Métis in western Canada who led his people in revolt against Canadian sovereignty.

Robert II was king of Scotland from 1371 to 1390, and is best known for his largely ineffectual reign.

Patricia Roberts Harris was the first African-American woman to hold a cabinet position, serve as U.S. ambassador and head a law school.

Pat Robertson is a television evangelist best known for founding the Christian Coalition, an influential conservative political organization.

Virginia planter and colonial official John Rolfe was the husband of Pocahontas, daughter of the Indian chief Powhatan. He sold Virginia tobacco to England.

Alfred Rosenberg served as leader of the Nazi party during Hitler's imprisonment, wrote on German racial purity and was executed as a war criminal.

Politician Karl Rove was linked to scandals while with the George W. Bush administration, including the email incident relating to U.S. attorneys’ dismissals.

Ségolène Royal is a French politician who has run for president and worked as a prominent leader of the Socialist Party.

Donald Rumsfeld is a political figure known for being the secretary of defense under both President Gerald Ford and President George W. Bush.

Aung San Suu Kyi is an opposition leader in her home country of Myanmar and the winner of the  1991 Nobel Prize for Peace.

Mobutu Sésé Seko was president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which was also known as Zaire for much of his reign, from 1965 to 1997.

Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel's 11th prime minister.

Al Sharpton is an outspoken and sometimes controversial political activist in the fight against racial prejudice and injustice.

Chandra Shekhar Singh was a politician and legislator who served as Prime Minister of India from 1990-1991.

Greek statesman and poet Solon is considered one of the Seven Wise Men of Greece. He created a code of laws that became the basis of Athenian democracy.

Julius Streicher was a Nazi demagogue and politician who gained infamy as one of the most virulent advocates of the persecution of Jews during the 1930s.

Sukarno is best known as the first president of the Republic of Indonesia.

Maria Theresa was an Austrian archduchess, and Holy Roman Empress of the Habsburg Dynasty from 1740 to 1780. She was also Marie Antoinette’s mother.

Titus was Roman Emperor from 79-81 AD who--during his short reign--completed the Colosseum and dealt with the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Irish republican and rebel Wolfe Tone led a French military force to Ireland during the insurrection of 1798.

Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend of Raynham, was an 18th century British secretary of state who became known as "Turnip Townshend" for his agricultural innovations.

Communist Leon Trotsky helped ignite the Russian Revolution of 1917, and built the Red Army afterward. He was exiled and later assassinated by Soviet agents.

Pierre Trudeau was the 15th prime minister of Canada, famous for his youthful energy, his stance against a separate Quebec and suppressing violent revolt.

Mao Tse-tung was the principal Chinese Marxist theorist, soldier and statesman who led his nation's Cultural Revolution.

Alexander Lucius Twilight is thought to be the first African American to graduate from an American university (Middlebury College, 1823).

Rudolf Virchow was a German pathologist and statesman, widely credited for his advancements in public health, particularly with his cell theory.

Swedish businessman and diplomat Raoul Wallenberg is best known for saving thousands of Hungarian Jews during World War II.

Cardinal Thomas Wolsey was lord chancellor during the reign of Henry VIII, becoming a major figure in the king’s administration.

Deng Xiaoping was a Chinese communist leader, the most powerful figure in the People's Republic of China from the late 1970s until his death in 1997.

Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was the 13th president of Nigeria for 3 years before his death in 2010.

Jiang Zemin was president of China from 1993-2003 and worked to improve relations with the United States.

Liang Zhuge was an adviser to Liu Bei and subsequent ruler of the Shu-Han dynasty in China.