Here Are The Zodiac Signs For 16 Historical Figures - And What They Reveal About Their Personalities

One of history's greatest artists and inventors, Leonardo da Vinci, was a Taurus. Leonardo was born on April 15, 1452 (nowadays April 15th would mean he was an Aries, but because of planetary rotation over the years the correlating calendar dates slowly change for each sign) during the Italian Renaissance, and he exemplified the idea of a Renaissance man. Leonardo was involved in anatomy, science, technology, and art, from his famous Mona Lisa to The Last Supper.

And maybe Leonardo's greatness and aesthetic prowess wasn't so surprising. Taurus are known for their love of beauty and sensuality; really, on the most basic level, they just want to surround themselves with nice things. Taurus are also known for their slow and steady approach to life that often develops into a progressive body of work, not unlike the one Leonardo left behind him - okay, not every Taurus is that groundbreaking, but you get the idea.

Abraham Lincoln probably didn't sing "Age of Aquarius," since it was written a century after his death, but like the song, Lincoln defined his era. Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, making him an Aquarius. He led the nation through the Civil War, the gravest threat to the union, and he emancipated the slaves before he was assassinated in 1865. And he's the only president in the Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Like his sign, Lincoln was definitely freedom loving, though it took him some time to realize that slavery had to be ended. And he was certainly loyal - he waged a war to enforce loyalty on the Confederate rebels. More so than anything, Aquarius is thought of a free thinker and often ahead of their time; although Lincoln was certainly not the first person to believe slavery should come to an end, he is perhaps the most memorable and, for lack of a better word, effective one - Lincoln and his sign are a perfect match in their natural attempts to leave the world a better place than they found it.

Napoleon Bonaparte was born on an island outpost of France on August 15, 1769, making him a Leo. He eventually rose through the ranks of the military to become the ruler of one of the largest empires in European history. Of course, it all came crashing down after Waterloo, but that's neither here nor there.

Was Napoleon's meteoric rise and fall due to his astrological sign? After all, Leos are considered the royal leaders of the zodiac - with the sun as their ruler it would make sense they expect others to orbit around them. It doesn't hurt that they are bold and courageous, as well as ambitious and confident. But Leos can also be possessive and dominating. No wonder Napoleon tried to conquer Europe.

Sorry, Taurus, Hitler is also one of you - Aries nearly got him but the sun moved into Taurus just hours before Hitler's birth. History's most famous genocidal maniac was born on April 20, 1889. Adolf Hitler led Nazi Germany during World War II, triggering the global war through his aggressive actions. He masterminded the mass murder of 6 million Jews and the deaths of millions more. 

Should we blame Hitler's zodiac sign? While Taurus might have given us someone as inspiring as da Vinci, Hitler paints the sign in a pretty bleak light. At their worst Taurus can be an extremely conservative sign, not willing to be open-minded or to look beyond their own point of views, which can all too easily sway into somewhat archaic thinking if their astrological charts aren't properly balanced. That stubborn persistence and unflinching idealism were important building blocks in the character of Adolf Hitler, characteristics without which he might never have come to power.

Henry VIII has a lot of claims to fame: He led England's break from the Catholic Church. He married six times. He sent two of his wives to the chopping block. There's a lot to unpack there. Henry was born on June 28, 1491, making him a Cancer. Perhaps most notably, after famously pursuing Anne Boleyn for years, finally convincing an entire country to let him divorce his first wife so that he could marry Anne, he eventually turned on her, accusing her of treason and incest. 

Was Henry's astrological sign to blame? Cancer is a sign known for love of home and family. Maybe Henry loved family a little too much, since he was relentless in his drive for a male heir. And he certainly didn't avoid conflict, like other Cancers. In Henry's case, his moon (which rules a person's emotional nature) was in Aries, giving him a quick temper that was prone to making rash decisions based on perceived emotional slights. Henry's erratic yet mopey nature makes a bit more sense when viewed through that lens.

America's most famous civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr., was born on January 15, 1929, making him a Capricorn. MLK played a central role in ending legal segregation in the United States and pressuring the government to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He also received a Nobel Peace Prize before he was assassinated in April of 1968. 

Like other Capricorns, Martin Luther King Jr. was disciplined, patient, and cautious. In contrast to Malcolm X, who advocated for more radical means to achieve racial justice, MLK counseled in favor of a more cautious road to equality. His stubborn commitment helped white Americans recognize the injustices of Jim Crow and helped the nation take a step toward equality.