1542 births

Akbar (Jalal-ud-Din Muhammad Akbar, – ), also known as Akbar the Great, was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Humayun, under a regent, Bairam Khan, who helped the young emperor expand and consolidate Mughal domains in the Indian subcontinent. He is generally considered one of the greatest emperors in Indian history and led a successful campaign to unify the various kingdoms of Hindūstān or India proper.

Mary, Queen of Scots, also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication on 24 July 1567.

Spanish mystic and Roman Catholic saint (1542–1591)

Catholic cardinal, saint, and Doctor of the Church

Spanish explorer

Polish magnate, statesman and military commander (1542–1605)

daughter of Cosimo I. de’ Medici and Eleonora of Toledo (1542-1576)

Duchess of Nevers, Countess of Rethel

Italian luthier

Flemish painter, printmaker, miniaturist and draftsman

Italian singer and composer

Rabbi and kabbalist.

Swedish prince; son of Gustav I of Sweden and Margareta Leijonhufvud

Chief State Councilior of Joseon

Protestant Bishop of Cammin and ruling Duke of Pomerania

English politician (1542-1623)

English politician, soldier and explorer (1542-1591)

Naval commander

Dutch classical scholar (1542–1575)

Flemish painter (1542–1616)

Dutch pirate

Count of Nassau-Weilburg (1559-1602) and Saarbrücken and Saarwerden (1574-1602)

Danish historian (1542-1616)

Italian painter (1542-1605)

Duke of Münsterberg, Duke of Oels and Duke of Bernstadt and Count of Glatz (1542-1587)

mistress to Henry III of France

Italian cardinal

Sister of William the Silent (1542-1603)

English Earl

Daimyo and first leader of the Matsue clan

daimyo

Danish physician

daimyo of the Takeda clan

Joseon politician and scholar (1532-1590)

princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg

English mathematician (c. 1540 – 1632)

bishop of Regensburg (1542-1600)

Dutch Catholic priest and martyr

Italian architect

(1542-1598)

Dutch theologian

French poet (1542-1587)

Dutch engineer, cartographer and military leader (1542-1611)

Italian painter and architect (1526-1596)

French architect

Sardinian poet/priest

Samurai in the service of Tokugawa Ieyasu

Italian cardinal

Roman Catholic archbishop

French archbishop

Playwright and writer

theologian from the Northern Netherlands

Italian theologian

German composer

French politician

cartographer

Roman Catholic bishop

German writer

Scottish noble