1. Bishop Jacques-Benigne Bossuet (1627-1704) - He was a French bishop and theologian. He was a strong advocate of royal absolutism and the divine right of kings. He anticipated that the government was sacred and that kings expected their power from God. He is recognized for writing and preaching one of the most explicit and influential justifications for monarchical rights.
2. Louis XIV (1638-1715) - King Louis, who was known as the Sun King; he had more power than any other seventeenth century European Monarch. He took on reforming France to suit his own vision when he reigned over France from 1643-1715.
3. Isaac Newton (1642-1727) - Attended Cambridge University where he excelled in math and later taught at the University after he graduated. He hoped to harmonize his Christian beliefs with science.
4. Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564) - He was a Fleming who lived in Italy. He wrote a textbook on the human anatomy and later was a personal physician to Emperor Charles V.
5. Catherine the Great (1762-1796) - Her family married at a young age to Peter III. She did not care for her husband and only wanted the crown. She conspired with a group of aristocratic army officers, who assassinated him and declare Catherine tsarina of Russia.
6. William Hogarth (1697-1764) - He was a British artist who produced many prints attacking British political and social life. In a controversial painting, he depicts a drunken voter who has been bribed and told how to vote, which at the time was done publicly.
7. Jethro Tull (1674-1741) - He was known for advocating the use of a seed drill and manure which made planting more efficient and productive. He was a compatriot to Charles “Turnip” Townshend who tested with crop rotation and growing turnips.
8. Jacques –Louis David (1748-1825) - He was a talented and contemporary painter. He was an active supporter of the Revolution.
9. Olympe de Gouges (1748-1793) – She was a writer and strong supporter of the Revolution. Olympe wrote one of the best known pamphlets, the Declaration of the Rights of Women. She disputed that women should have the same political and social rights as men.
10. Admiral Nelson (1758-1805) - He was one of Britain’s most admired naval commanders. He destroyed the French fleet at the Battle of the Nile on August 1, 1798.
11. Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) - Under his leadership, England would take advantage of the growing resistance by sending supplies and troops to Spain. He was the British commander who plagued Napoleon’s forces to the end.