Biographies

Charles Oakley: Profile of an NBA Enforcer and Rebounder Charles Oakley Charles Oakley (born 1963) is a retired American NBA player known for his physical defense, rebounding and long tenure with the New York Knicks. This article summarizes his career,…

Charles of Valois: Founder of the Valois Dynasty and Count of Valois (1270–1325) Charles of Valois Charles of Valois (1270–1325), a French prince and Count of Valois, founded the House of Valois as a Capetian branch; his descendants, beginning with son Philip VI, later provided…

Charles Oser (1902–1994) — Swiss politician and federal chancellor Charles Oser Swiss politician Charles Oser (1902–1994) served as the 10th Chancellor of Switzerland (1951–1967). FDP member noted for long tenure overseeing postwar administrative modernization…

Charles Pasqua: French Gaullist leader and two-time Interior Minister Charles Pasqua Charles Pasqua (1927–2015) was a prominent French Gaullist politician and businessman, best known for serving twice as Interior Minister and for his firm law-and-order stance and i…

Charles Perkins: Aboriginal leader, activist and public servant Charles Perkins Charles Nelson Perkins (1936–2000) was an influential Australian Aboriginal activist, the first Indigenous university graduate, a former footballer and the first Aboriginal head of…

Charles Perrault — founder of the literary fairy-tale tradition Charles Perrault French 17th-century writer (1628–1703) who shaped the literary fairy tale with Contes de ma mère l'Oye and tales such as Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty and Pus…

Charles Portis American novelist known for the comic modern Western True Grit and novels like Norwood and The Dog of the South; noted for a dry, deadpan narrative voice (1933–2020).

Charles R. Larson: U.S. Navy Four-Star Admiral and Naval Academy Superintendent Charles R. Larson Charles R. Larson (1936–2014), U.S. Navy four‑star admiral who led U.S. Pacific Command and twice served as Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, recognized for senior naval le…

Charles Reis Felix — Luso‑American writer and memoirist (1923–2017) Charles Reis Felix American writer and teacher of Portuguese descent, known for the WWII memoir Crossing the Sauer and for contributions to Luso‑American literature in autobiography, historical narra…

Charles Rennie Mackintosh: Scottish architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh Scottish architect and designer (1868–1928) who helped define the Glasgow Style and early Art Nouveau. Renowned for integrated architecture, interiors and furniture such as the Gla…

Charles F. Richter Charles Richter American seismologist and physicist best known for creating the Richter magnitude scale, a logarithmic measure of earthquake size that changed how scientists and the public describ…

Charles Robert Jenkins U.S. Army sergeant who deserted to North Korea in 1965, lived there for nearly four decades, later returned to Japan and was court-martialed in the United States before living his…

Charles Robert Richet: French physiologist and Nobel laureate Charles Robert Richet Charles R. Richet (1850–1935) was a French physiologist awarded the 1913 Nobel Prize for pioneering work on anaphylaxis; he also engaged in psychical research and drew controversy…

Charles Robinson (professional wrestling referee) Charles Robinson Biography of Charles Shane Robinson (born 1964), an American professional wrestling referee known for his work in WCW and WWE; began as a photographer in the 1990s and has officiat…

Charles Roven: Producer of Major Superhero and Action Films Charles Roven Profile of Charles Roven (born 1949), the American producer behind major superhero and action blockbusters — including Batman Begins, The Dark Knight trilogy and Man of Steel — det…

Charles Russell (Black Douglas) — Australian bushranger Charles Russell Charles Russell (1817–1892), nicknamed "Black Douglas", was an Australian bushranger known for robbing miners on the road between Bendigo and Melbourne during the Victorian gold er…

Charles Scott Sherrington — English neurophysiologist and Nobel laureate Charles Scott Sherrington Charles S. Sherrington (1857–1952) was an English physician and neurophysiologist known for foundational work on reflexes, synapses and the integrative action of the nervous system…

Charles Shaughnessy, 5th Baron Shaughnessy Charles Shaughnessy British actor and peer Charles Shaughnessy (born 1955) is known for roles on American television including Days of Our Lives, The Nanny, and voice work such as Dennis the Goldfish…

Charles G. Sibley Charles Sibley American ornithologist and molecular biologist known for pioneering bird classification using molecular methods and for the Sibley–Ahlquist approach to avian phylogeny.

Charles Simic — Serbian American poet, translator, and essayist Charles Simic Charles Simic (born Dušan Simić, 1938–2023) was a Serbian American poet known for spare, surreal imagery, dark humor, translations, and roles as editor and U.S. Poet Laureate.

Charles Sobhraj: crimes, trials, and public notoriety Charles Sobhraj Overview of Charles Sobhraj (born 1944), a convicted thief, fraudster and serial killer associated with attacks on Western tourists in Asia during the 1970s; legal history, methods…

Charles Spence Bate (1819–1889): British zoologist and crustacean specialist Charles Spence Bate Concise account of Charles Spence Bate, a 19th-century British zoologist and dentist renowned for his work on crustaceans and barnacles, collaborator of J. O. Westwood and correspo…

Charles Haddon Spurgeon — 19th‑century English Baptist preacher and writer Charles Spurgeon Charles H. Spurgeon (1834–1892) was a prominent English Baptist preacher, prolific author, and founder of institutions for training ministers and caring for children; known as the…

Charles Stewart Parnell Irish nationalist leader (1846–1891) who led the Irish Parliamentary Party, advanced land reform and Home Rule, and whose career ended after a personal scandal that split the movem…

Charles Sturt: British Army officer and Australian inland explorer Charles Sturt Charles Sturt (1795–1869) was a British Army officer and explorer of inland Australia, noted for mapping the Murray, Murrumbidgee and Darling rivers and for expeditions that search…

Charles Sumner: Abolitionist Leader and U.S. Senator (1811–1874) Charles Sumner Charles Sumner (1811–1874) was a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, an influential abolitionist and Radical Republican whose advocacy for civil rights and a violent 1856 caning made…

Charles Templeton: Canadian cartoonist, evangelist, journalist and public figure Charles Templeton Overview of Charles Templeton (1915–2001), his multiple careers as cartoonist, evangelist-turned-agnostic, broadcaster, politician and writer, and his later life and legacy.

Charles the Bald: King of the West Franks and Emperor (823–877) Charles the Bald Carolingian ruler Charles the Bald (823–877) governed the West Frankish kingdom in the mid-9th century, faced Viking raids and aristocratic challenge, pursued reform efforts and wa…

Charles the Fat (Charles III) — Carolingian Emperor and King Charles the Fat Charles the Fat (839–888), a Carolingian monarch who briefly reunited much of his grandfather's empire. His reign saw Viking pressure, political concessions and eventual deposition…

Charles the Simple (Charles III) — King of the Franks and ruler of Lotharingia Charles the Simple Charles III (879–929), called the Simple, was a Carolingian king of the Franks and Lotharingia. His reign saw the granting of Normandy to Viking settlers and his eventual depositio…

Charles Thone Charles Thone (1924–2018) was an American Republican politician who represented Nebraska in the U.S. House and served as the state’s 34th governor from 1979 to 1983.

Charles Toubé Cameroonian footballer (1958–2016) who played for Tonnerre Yaoundé and represented the Cameroon national team; born in Yaoundé and died in Douala.

Charles Tupper: Nova Scotian statesman and short‑tenure Prime Minister of Canada Charles Tupper Sir Charles Tupper (1821–1915) was a Father of Confederation, premier of Nova Scotia who brought the province into Canada, a long‑serving federal politician and the shortest‑servin…

Charles Tyner American character actor Charles Tyner (born 1925) is known for stage and supporting film roles, including Boss Higgins in Cool Hand Luke; his career spanned Broadway, cinema and t…

Sir Charles Umpherston Aitchison (1832–1896) — British Indian administrator Charles Umpherston Aitchison Scottish-born British civil servant who governed parts of British India, served in Burma, and founded Aitchison College in Lahore; influential in higher education and administratio…

Charles V of France (the Wise) — King of France, 1364–1380 Charles V of France Charles V (1338–1380), called the Wise, restored royal authority during the Hundred Years' War, recovered territory lost to England, reformed administration, and promoted learning…

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Habsburg ruler who reigned over Spain, the Burgundian Netherlands and the Holy Roman Empire; confronted the Reformation, fought France and the Ottomans, enacted legal reforms, and…

Charles Van Doren American writer and editor who became central to the 1950s quiz show scandal, later a longtime editor and vice president at Encyclopaedia Britannica; his case reshaped public trust…

Charles VI of France (1368–1422): reign, mental illness, and political crisis Charles VI of France Charles VI (1368–1422), king from 1380, whose recurrent mental illness and the resulting factional struggles shaped late medieval France during the Hundred Years' War.

Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor (1685–1740) Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor Holy Roman Emperor from 1711 to 1740, Habsburg ruler who issued the Pragmatic Sanction securing female succession, contested the Spanish inheritance, fought the Ottomans, and patro…

Charles VII of France (1403–1461) Charles VII of France King of France from 1422 to 1461 whose reign saw recovery from English occupation, coronation at Reims with Joan of Arc's help, military and fiscal reforms, and the end of the Hund…

Charles VIII of France: youth, Italian campaign, and dynastic consequences Charles VIII of France Charles VIII (1470–1498) reigned as King of France from 1483 to 1498. His short reign included a powerful regency, the marriage that tied Brittany to France, the first French invas…

Charles Villiers Stanford Irish-born composer and influential teacher in Britain whose choral, orchestral and pedagogical work shaped late 19th–early 20th century English music.

Charles Vinci (1933–2018) — American Olympic Weightlifter Charles Vinci American weightlifter from Cleveland, Ohio; two-time Olympic champion (1956, 1960), Pan American champion and holder of a world-record three-lift total in 1956.

Charles B. Wang — Businessman, Software Executive, and Philanthropist Charles Wang American businessman Charles B. Wang co-founded Computer Associates, owned the New York Islanders, and supported healthcare and education before his death in 2018.

Charles Warrington (professional wrestler) Charles Warrington Charles Warrington is an American professional wrestler best known as Mosh/Chaz of the tag team The Headbangers, active in the WWF/WWE during the 1990s and known for his metalhead…

Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham British Whig leader and two-time prime minister (1730–1782), head of the Rockingham Whigs, noted for a conciliatory stance toward the American colonies and repeal of the Stamp Act.

Charles Whitman and the 1966 University of Texas Tower shooting Charles Whitman Overview of Charles Whitman, his background, the August 1, 1966 tower attack at UT Austin, investigation findings, and the event’s influence on law enforcement and campus safety.