10 Absurdly Famous People You Probably Don’t Know Enough About

*The following article was written by Claude-2-100k, a special AI particularly good at creative writing and capable of handling massive prompts, with revisions by Superbattleshipyamato.*

10 Absurdly Famous People You Probably Don’t Know Enough About is a blog post by Tim Urban on the blog post Wait But Why.

The blog post provides in-depth overviews of 10 significant historical figures that many people may have gaps in knowledge about.

On Alexander the Great, it covers how he conquered the Persian Empire and much of the known world in the 4th century BC at a young age, spreading Greek culture far and wide in the process. Details are provided about his tutelage under Aristotle, his strained relationship with his mother, and the vast extent of his empire stretching across Greece, Egypt and into India.

For Marco Polo, his famous 24-year journey to China and back starting in 1271 is described, including how he met Kublai Khan and bridged East and West by recording his travels. The hardships of his sea voyage and initial awe upon seeing unfamiliar animals like rhinos are noted.

Regarding Che Guevara, his role as a charismatic Marxist revolutionary who helped Castro take power in Cuba is summarized, along with his brutal killings of political enemies. His enduring iconic status as a symbol of rebellion and counterculture worldwide is also covered.

With Mother Teresa, her Nobel Peace Prize-winning work serving the impoverished of India through her Missionaries of Charity is outlined. Controversies over her vocal opposition to contraception and questionable medical facilities are touched upon.

For Julius Caesar, his ascension from modest means to dictator of Rome is traced. His military campaigns that laid the foundation for the Roman Empire, his assassination in 44 BC, and relationship with Cleopatra are highlighted.

Details are provided about gunslinger Billy the Kid's disadvantaged upbringing, petty crimes, and inflated legend. The article aims to separate fact from myth about the outlaw killed at 21.

On Galileo, his revolutionary scientific advancements and conflicts with the Catholic church for supporting heliocentrism are covered extensively. His inventions like the telescope and advancing modern science despite persecution are emphasized.

For Confucius, his teachings about compassion, respect and playing positive societal roles are summarized. His clashes with Chinese leaders over his radical ideas and his far-reaching influence on Chinese philosophy and values are outlined.

With Cleopatra, her alliances and children with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony are described in detail, culminating in her suicide by snake bite after Antony's defeat. Her lineage and dysfunctional family are also touched upon.

And for Gandhi, extensive background is provided about his humble upbringing, legal career, and civil rights campaigns in South Africa before his leadership of India's independence movement is covered. His philosophy of nonviolent civil disobedience and vision for a more just world are underscored despite his assassination.

The blog post aims to fill in readers' gaps regarding these major historical figures in a compelling, narrative fashion with key biographical details. The depth of coverage provides strong overviews of each person's importance.

## Full post

https://waitbutwhy.com/2014/05/absurdly-famous-people-probably-dont-know-enough.html