Famous People Born In 137

Jadwiga of Poland reigned over the Kingdom of Poland as its first female monarch from 1384 until her death in 1399. Regarded as one of Poland's greatest rulers, Jadwiga is often compared to Casimir the Great and Bolesław the Brave. Also remembered for her charitable activities, Jadwiga of Poland established new schools, hospitals, and churches.

Filippo Brunelleschi was an Italian architect, sculptor, and designer. Regarded as Renaissance architecture's founding father, Brunelleschi is hailed as the first modern engineer. Among his famous accomplishments is the design of the dome of the Florence Cathedral. He is also credited with inventing hydraulic machinery and designing machinery that was used in churches to re-enact Biblical stories through theatrical performances.

Pope Callixtus III was initially a professor of law. He later helped King Alfonso V with Pope Martin V reconcile. He was infamous for his nepotism, as he was highly biased toward his nephew, Rodrigo Borgia, whom he made a cardinal and who later took over as the pope.

Margery Kempe was an English Christian mystic. She is credited with dictating The Book of Margery Kempe, a literary work regarded by some as the first autobiography in the English language. She made extensive pilgrimages to holy cities and had mystical conversations with God. Even though she was never named a Catholic saint, she is honored in the Anglican Communion.  

John Huss was a Czech philosopher and theologian. He is credited with inspiring a Proto-Protestant Christian movement called Hussitism, which started in the Kingdom of Bohemia before spreading across the Lands of the Bohemian Crown. He also inspired the Bohemian Reformation, which is regarded as one of the most important social, political, and religious movements of the early modern period.

Legend has it that Joanna II, the Queen of Naples, often got her lovers killed by throwing them inside a cellar or feeding them to a crocodile after satiating her pleasure, only to protest her good name. She came to power at age 41, after her brother Ladislaus’s death.

Lorenzo Ghiberti was a Florentine Italian artist considered a major figure of the Early Renaissance. He is best known as the creator of the bronze doors of the Florence Baptistery, also called the Gates of Paradise. He was a trained goldsmith and ran a famous workshop for metal sculpture. His son Vittorio followed in his footsteps as a goldsmith. 

Known as the "one-eyed singer" because of his dropping right eye caused due to an injury, Oswald von Wolkenstein was one of the last troubadours. Known for his autobiographical lyrics, he was named Knight of the Holy Sepulchre. He had also been a diplomat and military commander to Emperor Sigismund.

Jacopo della Quercia was an Italian sculptor who was regarded as the most important sculptor in Siena at that time. Not surprisingly, he was commissioned to work on several prominent sculptures including the Trenta Chapel in Lucca's Basilica of San Frediano. Jacopo della Quercia is also credited with decorating the chapel of Saint Sebastian in Siena Cathedral.

Though not much is known about his life, Laurens Janszoon Coster is believed to have invented the process of printing. While many sources state Johannes Gutenberg had invented printing, Coster’s signature printing with sand from wooden molds seems more dated than Gutenberg’s method. No printed texts of Coster survive.

Baldassarre Cossa, also known as Antipope John XXIII, was an antipope during the Western Schism. He is remembered for opposing Pope Gregory XII, who is regarded as the rightful heir of Saint Peter. A popular figure in the history of the Catholic Church, Antipope John XXIII has been depicted in various TV series, including Medici: Masters of Florence.

Ravidas was an Indian mystic, social reformer, poet-saint, and spiritual figure. An influential personality, Ravidas taught his followers to disregard social divisions of gender and caste that were prevalent in India at that time. The Ravidassia sect, a religious sect of Vaishnavism, is based on Ravidas' teachings. Ravidas is revered even today as a saint by his followers.

A queen of the 18th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, Nefertiti was the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten. She and her husband reigned during a period marked by great prosperity in Ancient Egyptian history. Some scholars even claim that she reigned independently for some time following her husband’s death though this claim is a matter of debate.