Famous People Born In 135

Legendary Welsh hero Owain Glyndŵr was part of the last major Welsh attempt at overthrowing the English reign. With the help of local rebels, he declared himself the prince of Wales and even set up a parliament, ignoring Henry IV’s rule. He eventually disappeared and was presumed dead.

Bayezid I reigned as the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1389 to 1402. He is credited with building one of the largest armies of the world, with which he defeated the Crusaders at Nicopolis in 1396. His only defeat at the Battle of Ankara, which turned out to be fatal, became a subject for writers, painters, and composers.

Vytautas, also called Vytautas the Great, was the Grand Duke of Lithuania. Vytautas consolidated the possessions of his country and aided in building a national consciousness. Revered as a national hero, Vytautas was considered a significant figure during the 19th century Lithuanian National Revival. The Vytautas Magnus University founded in 1922 during the Polish–Lithuanian War was named after him.  

Initially a professor of theology, Vincent Ferrer later traveled across Europe to preach. He became known for his austere lifestyle. The Catholic saint is now revered as the patron saint of builders, fishermen, prisoners, and others. He had a major role in ending the Great Western Schism.

Italian Christian theologian Joachim of Fiore is best remembered as the man behind the San Giovanni monastic order. His brand of philosophy of history mentioned the ages of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Initially a notary, he began his spiritual quest after a visit to the Holy Land.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, a shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate, unlike his predecessors, was associated with the imperial bureaucracy. His reign witnessed major revolts, while he successfully crushed the pirates and feudal lords who threatened China, thus rekindling Sino-Japanese trade relations. The Chinese recognized him as the King of Japan.

Byzantine emperor of the 14th century, Manuel II Palaiologos was the son of Emperor John V Palaeologus. A thorough diplomat, he maintained a cordial relationship with the Ottomans, until his son, John VIII, clashed with them, leading Manuel to sign a peace treaty. He spent his final years as Matthew, a monk.

Posidonius was a Greek astronomer, astrologer, politician, historian, mathematician, geographer, and teacher. Widely regarded as the most learned man of his generation, Posidonius took genuine interest in natural history and natural science. He worked towards spreading Stoicism to the Roman world through his personal lectures and writings. Also a philosopher, Posidonius’ works have influenced the works of several subsequent writers.     

Hittite ruler Suppiluliuma I is believed to be the son of Tudhaliya II and is remembered for his campaigns against the Mitanni kingdom and expanding his kingdom in Syria. It is also believed that he and his supporters may have killed his brother, Tudhaliya III, who had succeeded their father.

Vidyapati was an Indian poet, writer, composer, royal priest, and courtier. Although he is best remembered for writing in Maithili and Sanskrit languages, he was also responsible for popularizing other languages, such as Bhojpuri. He also contributed immensely to Bengali literature and is often referred to as the Father of Bengali literature. His life inspired the 1937 biopic Vidyapati.

Maimonides was a Sephardic Jewish philosopher. He went on to become one of the most important Torah scholars of the Middle Ages. He was also a respected physician and served as the personal physician of the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, Saladin. His work The Mishneh Torah is considered one of the main authoritative codifications of Jewish ethics and law.

Mithridates VI of Pontus, also known as Mithridates the Great, came to power as a young boy after his father, Mithridates V, was assassinated by poisoning. However, since Mithridates VI’s mother acted as a regent and favored his brother, Mithridates got them both imprisoned and took over the throne.

Thomas Arundel was an English clergyman. He served as the Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor during the reign of Richard of Bordeaux. He also served as the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1397. Thomas Arundel played an important role in the usurpation of King Richard II by Henry IV of England.

Andrew of Wyntoun was a Scottish poet best remembered for his chronicler, The Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland. His work is considered an important historical source for the late-14th and early-15th centuries. Andrew, who also served as a canon of St. Andrews, is credited with being one of the earliest English language writers to use the word Catholic in his work.