Cultural Production in
Present Day
Belgium
Belgium
Belgium ranks 20th in number of biographies on Pantheon, behind Ukraine, Türkiye, and Czechia. Memorable people born in present day Belgium include Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Pepin the Short, and Audrey Hepburn. Memorable people who died in Belgium include Peter Paul Rubens, Giacomo Puccini, and Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Belgium has been the birth place of many soccer players, and cyclists and the death place of many politicians, and painters.
People
Between 100 BC and 2008, present day Belgium was the birth place of 1,430 globally memorable people, including Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Pepin the Short, and Audrey Hepburn. Additionaly, 548 globally memorable people have passed away in present day Belgium including Peter Paul Rubens, Giacomo Puccini, and Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
People Born in Present Day Belgium
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Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
POLITICIAN
1500 - 1558
HPI: 87.50
Rank: 1
Pepin the Short
POLITICIAN
715 - 768
HPI: 83.38
Rank: 2
Audrey Hepburn
ACTOR
1929 - 1993
HPI: 83.14
Rank: 3
Jan van Eyck
PAINTER
1395 - 1441
HPI: 82.52
Rank: 4
Clovis I
POLITICIAN
466 - 511
HPI: 82.38
Rank: 5
Charles Martel
MILITARY PERSONNEL
688 - 741
HPI: 82.26
Rank: 6
Maurice Maeterlinck
WRITER
1862 - 1949
HPI: 82.17
Rank: 7
Ursula von der Leyen
POLITICIAN
1958 - Present
HPI: 81.50
Rank: 8
Philip I of Castile
POLITICIAN
1478 - 1506
HPI: 81.29
Rank: 9
John of Gaunt
NOBLEMAN
1340 - 1399
HPI: 81.03
Rank: 10
Andreas Vesalius
PHYSICIAN
1514 - 1564
HPI: 80.41
Rank: 11
Anthony van Dyck
PAINTER
1599 - 1641
HPI: 80.23
Rank: 12
Newly Added People Born in Present Day Belgium
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Dominique Mathieu
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1963 - Present
HPI: 57.88
Rank: 547
Lisa del Bo
SINGER
1961 - Present
HPI: 54.56
Rank: 717
Ludo Dierckxsens
CYCLIST
1964 - 2025
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 746
Bruno Thiry
RACING DRIVER
1962 - Present
HPI: 50.70
Rank: 829
Wim Delvoye
SCULPTOR
1965 - Present
HPI: 50.36
Rank: 840
Filip Dewinter
POLITICIAN
1962 - Present
HPI: 48.85
Rank: 875
Eric Van Lancker
CYCLIST
1961 - Present
HPI: 48.76
Rank: 879
Eddy Voordeckers
SOCCER PLAYER
1960 - Present
HPI: 48.57
Rank: 888
Gilbert Bodart
SOCCER PLAYER
1962 - Present
HPI: 48.29
Rank: 895
Wilfried Peeters
CYCLIST
1964 - Present
HPI: 47.87
Rank: 908
Ann Haesebrouck
ATHLETE
1963 - Present
HPI: 47.55
Rank: 914
Hein Vanhaezebrouck
COACH
1964 - Present
HPI: 47.37
Rank: 919
People Deceased in Present Day Belgium
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Peter Paul Rubens
PAINTER
1577 - 1640
HPI: 88.29
Rank: 1
Giacomo Puccini
COMPOSER
1858 - 1924
HPI: 85.72
Rank: 2
Pieter Bruegel the Elder
PAINTER
1525 - 1569
HPI: 83.58
Rank: 3
Jan van Eyck
PAINTER
1395 - 1441
HPI: 82.52
Rank: 4
Jacques-Louis David
PAINTER
1748 - 1825
HPI: 82.11
Rank: 5
Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor
POLITICIAN
1050 - 1106
HPI: 80.67
Rank: 6
René Magritte
PAINTER
1898 - 1967
HPI: 80.07
Rank: 7
Leopold II of Belgium
POLITICIAN
1835 - 1909
HPI: 79.93
Rank: 8
Carlota of Mexico
COMPANION
1840 - 1927
HPI: 79.22
Rank: 9
Leopold I of Belgium
POLITICIAN
1790 - 1865
HPI: 78.85
Rank: 10
Mary of Burgundy
POLITICIAN
1457 - 1482
HPI: 78.56
Rank: 11
Rogier van der Weyden
PAINTER
1390 - 1464
HPI: 78.33
Rank: 12
Newly Added People Deceased in Present Day Belgium
Go to all RankingsLudo Dierckxsens
CYCLIST
1964 - 2025
HPI: 53.75
Rank: 506
Menno Oosting
TENNIS PLAYER
1964 - 1999
HPI: 44.31
Rank: 544
Bohdan Shershun
SOCCER PLAYER
1981 - 2024
HPI: 38.37
Rank: 547
Dilano van 't Hoff
RACING DRIVER
2004 - 2023
HPI: 32.39
Rank: 548
Occupations
Most individuals born in present day Belgium were soccer players (311), cyclists (184), athletes (163), politicians (156), and painters (109), while most who died were politicians (123), painters (82), soccer players (46), cyclists (35), and writers (31).
Occupational Trends
Over the past 100 years, soccer players have been the top profession of globally memorable people born in present day Belgium, including Jean-Marie Pfaff, Kevin De Bruyne, and Michel Preud'homme. Whereas, throughout history, soccer players have been the profession with the most memorable people born in present day Belgium, including Jean-Marie Pfaff, Kevin De Bruyne, and Michel Preud'homme.
Places
Overlapping Lives
Below is a visual represetation of the lifespans of the top 25 globally memorable people born in present day Belgium since 1700.
