Aged 52
Famous people who died at 52
122 of the 11,867 best-known people in our data died aged 52, including William Shakespeare, Peter the Great and Abu Nuwas. Here are the 100 best known.
- William ShakespeareEnglish playwright and poet · 1564–1616
- Peter the GreatTsar/Emperor of Russia from 1682 to 1725 · 1672–1725
- Abu Nuwas8th-century classical Arabic poet · c. AD 762–814
- Gamal Abdel NasserPresident of Egypt from 1956 to 1970 · 1918–1970
- Grace KellyAmerican actress and Princess consort of Monaco · 1929–1982
- Erwin RommelGerman field marshal · 1891–1944
- Frank ZappaAmerican musician · 1940–1993
- Gotthold Ephraim LessingGerman writer, philosopher, publicist, and art critic · 1729–1781
- Pliny the YoungerRoman lawyer, author and magistrate · c. AD 61–113
- William Makepeace ThackerayBritish novelist · 1811–1863
- François TruffautFrench film director · 1932–1984
- Harry HoudiniHungarian-born American illusionist, escapologist, and stunt performer · 1874–1926
- Francis I of FranceKing of France from 1515 to 1547 · 1494–1547
- Elizabeth I of RussiaSixth Empress of Russia from 1741 to 1762 · 1709–1762
- Henry VII of EnglandKing of England from 1485 to 1509 · 1457–1509
- Al-Shafi'iArab Muslim theologian, writer and scholar · AD 767–820
- Louis XII of FranceKing of France from 1498 to 1515 · 1462–1515
- Dzhokhar DudayevSoviet general, Chechen leader · 1944–1996
- Christian DiorFrench fashion designer · 1905–1957
- Christopher ReeveAmerican actor · 1952–2004
- Boniface IPope · c. AD 370–422
- Scipio AfricanusRoman general and politician · c. 235–183 BC
- Sejong the GreatFourth king of Joseon (Korea), creator of Hangul · 1397–1450
- Stephen IIIPope · c. AD 720–772
- Felix IIIPope · c. AD 440–492
- Michael GlinkaRussian composer · 1804–1857
- Alfred WernerSwiss chemist Nobel laureate · 1866–1919
- Boris GodunovRussian Tsar · 1552–1605
- Grigory ZinovievRussian revolutionary · 1883–1936
- William John Macquorn Rankine ↗Civil engineer · 1820–1872
- Roy Orbison ↗American musician · 1936–1988
- Henry I of France ↗King of the Franks from 1031 to 1060 · 1008–1060
- Kurt von Schleicher ↗German chancellor · 1882–1934
- Marcus Garvey ↗Jamaica-born British political activist, Pan-Africanist, orator, and entrepreneur · 1887–1940
- Manuel I of Portugal ↗King of Portugal from 1495 to 1521 · 1469–1521
- Hilary of Poitiers ↗Bishop of Poitiers · c. AD 315–367
- Chris Cornell ↗American musician · 1964–2017
- John IV of Portugal ↗King of Portugal from 1640 to 1656 · 1604–1656
- Béla Kun ↗Hungarian Communist revolutionary and politician, the de facto leader of the Hungarian Soviet Republic in 1919, People's Commissar of Foreign Affairs · 1886–1938
- Johann Pachelbel ↗German composer, organist and teacher · 1653–1706
- Otto of Greece ↗King of Greece from 1832 to 1862 · 1815–1867
- Akhmad Kadyrov ↗Chechen politician and Islamic religious leader · 1951–2004
- Gregory Potyomkin ↗Russian military leader and politician · 1739–1791
- Ivan I of Moscow ↗Prince of Moscow and Grand Prince of Vladimir · 1288–1341
- Laura Branigan ↗American singer and actress · 1952–2004
- Luke Perry ↗American actor · 1966–2019
- Andrei Zhdanov ↗Soviet politician · 1896–1948
- David IV of Georgia ↗King of Georgia · c. 1073–1125
- Macbeth ↗King of Scotland from 1040 to 1057 · c. 1005–1057
- Pelagius ↗First king of Asturias · c. AD 685–737
- William Hazlitt ↗English essayist and writer · 1778–1830
- Władysław IV Vasa ↗King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania · 1595–1648
- Adolphe Adam ↗French composer · 1803–1856
- Anthemius ↗Western Roman Emperor from 467 to 472 · c. AD 420–472
- Ferdinand III of Castille ↗13th-century saint and king of Castile, Leon and Galicia · 1199–1252
- Karl Bryullov ↗Russian painter · 1799–1852
- Alexis Clairaut ↗French mathematician, astronomer, and geophysicist · 1713–1765
- Margaret of Anjou ↗15th-century English royal consort · 1430–1482
- Hrant Dink ↗Turkish-Armenian newspaper editor, journalist, and columnist · 1954–2007
- Matilda of Flanders ↗Wife of William the Conqueror and Queen consort of the Kingdom of England · c. 1031–1083
- Richard Wright ↗American novelist and poet · 1908–1960
- Shang Yang ↗Qin State statesman, chancellor and reformer · c. 390–338 BC
- Helen McCrory ↗British actress · 1968–2021
- Maximilian II of Bavaria ↗King of Bavaria between 1848 and 1864 · 1811–1864
- Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar ↗The sixth Shah of Iran Qajar · 1872–1925
- Bob Ross ↗American painter, art instructor, television host, and Air Force master sergeant · 1942–1995
- Valerie Solanas ↗American radical feminist and author · 1936–1988
- Alexander Lebed ↗Russian general · 1950–2002
- Francis Hutcheson ↗Scottish philosopher · 1694–1746
- Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham ↗British Prime Minister · 1730–1782
- Heinrich Louis d'Arrest ↗German astronomer · 1822–1875
- Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik ↗Tenth Umayyad caliph · c. AD 691–743
- John Wayne Gacy ↗American serial killer · 1942–1994
- Alfonso VII of Castile ↗Castilian monarch · 1105–1157
- Edmond Debeaumarché ↗French Resistance member · 1906–1959
- Omar Torrijos ↗Panamanian military leader and de facto ruler · 1929–1981
- Ptolemy X Alexander I ↗King of Egypt · c. 139–87 BC
- Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain ↗Bengali feminist writer and social reformer · 1880–1932
- Bolesław III Wrymouth ↗Duke of Poland between 1107 and 1138 · 1086–1138
- Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich of Russia ↗Russian grand duke · 1779–1831
- Joan Gamper ↗Swiss football pioneer, player and club president · 1877–1930
- Joseph Pitton de Tournefort ↗French botanist · 1656–1708
- Shane Warne ↗Australian cricketer · 1969–2022
- Mariama Bâ ↗Senegalese writer · 1929–1981
- Theobald I of Navarre ↗King of Navarre from 1234 to 1253 · 1201–1253
- Theodora ↗9th-century Byzantine empress, wife of Theophilos · c. AD 815–867
- Vikram Sarabhai ↗Father of Indian space programme · 1919–1971
- Clement VII ↗Antipope from 1378 to 1394 · c. 1342–1394
- Gregory of Narek ↗Armenian monk · c. 951–1003
- József Bozsik ↗Hungarian footballer · 1925–1978
- Polycrates ↗6th century BC tyrant of Samos · c. 574–522 BC
- Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn ↗British prince (1767-1820); fourth son of George III · 1767–1820
- Richard Avenarius ↗German philosopher · 1843–1896
- Vlad II Dracul ↗Historical ruler of Wallachia · 1395–1447
- Zubeen Garg ↗Indian recording artist, singer, actor · 1972–2025
- Henri II of Navarre ↗King of Navarre · 1503–1555
- Paolo Borsellino ↗Italian magistrate killed by the Mafia · 1940–1992
- Pierre Drieu La Rochelle ↗French writer · 1893–1945
- Cornelius Jansen ↗Bishop and theologian · 1585–1638
- Emanuele Filiberto I, Duke of Savoy ↗Duke of Savoy from 1553 to 1580 · 1528–1580
"c." means only the years are known, so the age could be a year out. Dates are from Wikidata (CC0), last updated 22 October 2026.
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