Famous People Who Were Executed
Capital punishment has become a rarity in today’s world though it was quite common until a few decades ago. In fact, in the past centuries, not just criminals, but also political dissidents and rebels were routinely executed. One of the most famous figures to have ever been executed was the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, who was accused of “failing to acknowledge the gods that the city acknowledges” and “introducing new deities.” Sir Thomas More, an English social philosopher, faced execution for his “treason, religious dissent” while Sir William Wallace, one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence was brutally executed for high treason. Coming to the 20th century, Adolf Eichmann, Ernst Kaltenbrunner, and Arthur Seyss-Inquart were executed for their involvement in war crimes against humanity. Ion Victor Antonescu, who presided over two successive wartime dictatorships in Romania was another figure to be convicted of war crimes and executed. Talking of politically motivated executions, General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, a military head of state of Ghana, was deposed and later executed by firing squad. This section gives you more information about the life and works of famous people who were executed.
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Birthdate: December 8, 1542
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Linlithgow Palace, Linlithgow, Scotland
Died: February 8, 1587
Birthdate: June 14, 1928
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Rosario, Argentina
Died: October 9, 1967
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
3
Socrates(Greek Philosopher Who is Credited as the Founder of Western Philosophy)
Birthdate: 0470 AD
Birthplace: Alopece, Greek
Died: 0399 AD
Birthdate: November 2, 1755
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: The Hofburg, Vienna, Austria
Died: October 16, 1793
5
Joan of Arc(Best Remembered as 'The Heroine of France' for Her Role During the 'Hundred Years' War' Against England)
Birthdate: January 6, 1412
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Domrémy-la-Pucelle, France
Died: May 30, 1431
Birthdate: August 23, 1754
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Palace of Versailles, Versailles, France
Died: January 21, 1793
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
Birthdate: May 18, 1868
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: July 17, 1918
Birthdate: April 13, 1570
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: York
Died: January 31, 1606
9
Jose Rizal(Filipino Nationalist and Writer Who is Considered One of the Greatest Heroes of the Philippines)
Birthdate: June 19, 1861
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Calamba, Laguna
Died: December 30, 1896
10
Walter Raleigh(English Statesman, Soldier, Writer, Explorer and One of the Most Notable Figures of the Elizabethan Era)
Birthdate: 1552 AD
Birthplace: Hayes Barton,United Kingdom, United Kingdom
Died: October 29, 1618
11
Patrice Lumumba(1st Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Birthdate: July 2, 1925
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Sankuru, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Died: January 17, 1961
12
Jesus Christ(Founder of Christianity Who is Believed to be the Incarnation of God )
Birthdate: 0004 AD
Birthplace: Judea, Roman Empire
Died: 0033 AD
Birthdate: 1521 AD
Birthplace: London, England, United Kingdom
Died: February 13, 1542
Birthdate: 1149 AD
Birthplace: Ajmer
Died: 1192 AD
15
Saint George(One of the Most Venerated Saints and Megalomartyrs in Christianity)
Birthplace: Cappadocia, Turkey
Died: April 23, 0303
Birthdate: May 6, 1758
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Arras, France
Died: July 28, 1794
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
17
Lady Jane Grey(Queen of England and Ireland from 10 July 1553 to 19 July 1553)
Birthdate: 1537 AD
Birthplace: Leicestershire, United Kingdom
Died: February 12, 1554
Birthdate: June 6, 1872
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Darmstadt, Germany
Died: July 17, 1918
Birthdate: 1485 AD
Birthplace: Putney
Died: July 28, 1540
Birthdate: 1475 AD
Birthplace: Jerez de los Caballeros, Spain
Died: January 15, 1519
Birthdate: November 30, 1863
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Tondo
Died: May 10, 1897
Birthdate: May 9, 1921
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Forchtenberg, Germany
Died: February 22, 1943
Birthdate: February 4, 1906
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Wrocław, Poland
Died: April 9, 1945
Birthdate: November 15, 1907
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Jettingen, Germany
Died: July 1, 1944
Birthplace: Roman Syria
Died: 0108 AD
Birthdate: 1494 AD
Birthplace: North Nibley
Died: October 6, 1536
27
Michel Ney(French Military Commander and Marshal of the Empire)
Birthdate: January 10, 1769
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Saarlouis, Germany
Died: December 7, 1815
Birthdate: January 1, 1914
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Died: September 13, 1944
Birthdate: July 6, 1832
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
Died: June 19, 1867
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
30
Lu Bu
(Chinese Army General and Warlord of the 2nd Century)
Birthdate: 0161 AD
Birthplace: Wuyuan Commandery, China
Died: February 7, 0199
31
Guan Yu
(Military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China)
Birthdate: 0160 AD
Birthplace: Yuncheng, Shanxi, China
Died: 0220 AD
Birthdate: January 28, 1833
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: London
Died: January 26, 1885
Birthdate: September 24, 0015
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: December 20, 0069
Birthdate: November 10, 1565
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: England
Died: February 25, 1601
Birthdate: June 5, 1868
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Cowgate
Died: May 12, 1916
36
Charlotte Corday(French Revolutionary Who Was Executed for the Assassination of Jacobin Leader Jean-Paul Marat)
Birthdate: July 27, 1768
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Écorches, Normandy, France
Died: July 17, 1793
Birthdate: January 1, 1877
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Germany
Died: April 9, 1945
Birthdate: 1502 AD
Birthplace: Inca Empire
Died: July 26, 1533
39
Edith Cavell(British Nurse Who Saved the Lives of Soldiers from Both Sides During the First World War)
Birthdate: December 4, 1865
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Swardeston, Norfolk, England
Died: October 12, 1915
40
Olympe de Gouges(French Playwright, Political Activist, and Advocate for Women's Rights)
Birthdate: May 7, 1748
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Montauban, France
Died: November 3, 1793
Birthdate: November 10, 1879
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Died: May 3, 1916
Birthdate: May 14, 1657
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Purandar fort, India
Died: March 11, 1689
43
Sima Qian
(Chinese Historian and Astrologer)
Birthdate: 0145 AD
Birthplace: Hejin, Yuncheng, China
Died: 0086 AD
Birthdate: 0477 AD
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: October 23, 0524
Birthdate: September 27, 1783
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Morelia, Mexico
Died: July 19, 1824
46
Genrikh Grigoryevich Yagoda
(Official)
Birthdate: November 7, 1891
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Rybinsk, Russia
Died: March 15, 1938
47
Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York
(Noblemen)
Birthdate: August 17, 1473
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England
Died: 1483 AD
Birthdate: March 7, 0150
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Rome, Italy
Died: 0182 AD
Birthdate: 1497 AD
Birthplace: Tenochtitlan
Died: 1525 AD
50
Reginald of Châtillon
(Prince)
Birthdate: 1120 AD
Birthplace: France
Died: July 4, 1187