We learned many things in history, and we could tell that the historical figures were something to admire. We knew the story about Moses, Mulan, Shakespeare, and many more. Unfortunately, some historians and researchers doubted their existence since there was not enough evidence to make them real. In this article, we would know the historical figures who might not have existed in the past. We could learn if they were only fiction or a fact.
Did These Historical People Really Exist Long Ago? Truth Or False? Find Out Here
Mulan
Disney had created an animated movie of Mulan, and it was one of the biggest hits around the world. Mulan was a warrior who became a legend in China. Most of us knew that the Mulan was fighting in her father’s place, but it might not be a fact. In the book of Chinese Shadow Theatre, Mulan was based on the female warrior, Wei Huahu. The two warriors had the same story, which made Mulan might not only be fiction.
Mulan
King Arthur
We knew King Arthur because of Holy Grail, Monty Python, and many more. Most of us knew King Arthur’s story, but many researchers and historians doubt his existence since they thought most of their evidence was unreliable. King Arthur’s report was based on Lucius Artorius Castus, a Roman military commander. Some said that King Arthur was created in Riothamus, the fifth-century King of Britons.
King Arthur
William Shakespeare
Many individuals doubt the history that William Shakespeare made. Historians and researchers thought Shakespeare was created under a pen name, and many people did not believe that he existed since they did not have enough evidence. A schoolteacher named J. Thomas Looney had a theory that Shakespeare was Edward de Vere. There were theories that the work of Edward was released after his death and used the name, William Shakespeare.
William Shakespeare
Robin Hood
Confucius was one historical figure who was wise in Chinese history. Unfortunately, there was not enough evidence to make some people believe that Confucius was authentic. Some historians and scholars thought that Confucius was only a fiction. The director of Chinese studies at the University of Colorado at Denver, Lionel M. Jensen, thought Jesuit missionaries formed the philosophy in the 16th century. It results in doubt in the existence of the historical figures.
Robin Hood
Confucius
Confucius was one historical figure who was wise in Chinese history. Unfortunately, there was not enough evidence to make some people believe that Confucius was authentic. Some historians and scholars thought that Confucius was only a fiction. The director of Chinese studies at the University of Colorado at Denver, Lionel M. Jensen, thought Jesuit missionaries formed the philosophy in the 16th century. It results in doubt in the existence of the historical figures.
Confucius
William Tell
In the 14th century, William Tell was famous for being a troublemaker. William’s story started when an Austrian official put a hat on the pole in Altdorf, and other people needed to follow. However, William did not follow what the official did, and he was assigned to shoot the apple from his son’s head which William succeeded. Unfortunately, many people thought that the story had similarities with the Viking folktale, which doubted William’s existence.
William Tell
Sun Tzu
Many Chinese military leaders became famous when they made a guidebook to war. Unfortunately, there was not enough evidence where Sun Tzu’s book, Art of War, came to make people believe Sun Tzu was real. Some people thought it was only a bundle of military lessons passed down to many generations using Sun Tzu’s name.
Sun Tzu
Homer
Most of us knew that Homer was an outstanding scholar, great at creating poetry, and an author. Unfortunately, some people thought that Homer did not make the Iliad and The Odyssey. Some believed that Homer only wrote his name in the work of others to give credit to himself. Others thought that Homer was a woman who could not see, and some individuals believed that Homer was a group of scholars.
Homer
Jesus
Many researchers and historians thought that Jesus was real, but not all people were the same. Some of them also doubt the existence of Jesus. Other individuals tried to use the writings in the New Testament to tell other people that Jesus was only a fiction. There was also a lack of evidence that telling Jesus lived in the past. However, most of us were thought to live by faith.
Jesus
Moses
There were only a few pieces of evidence outside the Bible telling Moses lived in the past. Many researchers and historians doubt his existence because of the timeframe in his actions. According to some scientists, every effort or miracle made by Moses was only a natural occurrence in nature. One of those examples was the event in the Red Sea.
Moses
Donald Kaufman
We could watch the story of Donald Kaufman in a film in which Nicholas Cage acted. People knew that Donald was Charlie Kaufman, and the movie made people believe that Charlie had a brother named Donald Kaufman. But, unfortunately, Donald was only a fictional character that Charlie had created in his imagination. So it made some people doubt the historical figure.
Donald Kaufman
Jim Crow
Jim Crow was created in theatre, which became well-known to the people. The man had dark skin and would play the role to provoke the problem of discrimination. However, the person who was behind the person was Thomas D. Rice. Thomas was known as a Caucasian and was the person who made Jim Crow.
Jim Crow
John Doe and Jane Doe
We might hear John Doe when we talk about a criminal investigation. John Doe was a code name given to those who cannot be identified in an investigation. John Doe was for the unidentified body of a male, while Jane Doe was for the unidentified body of a female. It would be the name that was used by the victims when they were buried in the cemetery.
John Doe and Jane Doe
Betty Crocker
People knew the Betty Crocker brand because of the fantastic recipes that became well-known in the American household. People believed Betty was the queen of the kitchen. However, Betty did not exist in the past, making the title of “First Lady of the Kitchen” not real. Nevertheless, there were still many people who were motivated by Betty and wanted to become a magnificent cook.
Betty Crocker
Alfred Bulltop Stormalong
Alfred Bull top Stormalong was another created character in the American legend. Alfred was known as the hero from Massachusetts, and he was known as the tallest man, which measured nineteen feet. People believed that Alfred was a sailor and was connected in different folklore. It made people doubt Alfred was only a fictional character.
Alfred Bulltop Stormalong
James S.A. Corey
We knew it was hard for the authors to collaborate when they wrote a novel. It was also important that their names were credited for their work equally. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t look good when the authors wrote all of their names in their masterpiece, similar to Daniel Abraham and Ty Frank. So the two created the pseudonym James S.A Corey, which involved Star Wars’ story: Honor Among Thieves, Leviathan Wakes, and many more.
James S.A. Corey
Jack Dawson
Some of us knew the work of James Cameron’s Titanic. We could tell that it was one of the biggest hits which people all around the world watched. The film was based on the actual events of a ship that sank because of the iceberg. Unfortunately, Jack Dawson, a character in the movie, was not real.
Jack Dawson
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes was well-known to people who liked the mystery and solving. People believed that Sherlock was a real-life detective in the past. The person who created the story was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Arthur made the story of Sherlock based on the British surgeon, Joseph Bell. We might be surprised after hearing it since we could never compare the two occupations to one another.
Sherlock Holmes
Zorro
People knew Zorro as a hero who saved some individuals from corrupt people or bandits. Unfortunately, Zorro was only a fictional character. He was a swordsman who was always wearing a black mask and used to ride a black horse. Zorro’s story was passed down the generations while Johnston McCulley made the character. Some people said that Zorro was based on a real thief in the 19th century named Joaquin Murrieta.
Zorro
Ichabod Crane
People liked the story of Legend of Sleepy Hollow because of the character Washington Irving. However, it was only a short story trying to tell the story of the man Ichabod Crane. People thought that Ichabod was a hero in the past, which worked together with Irving. But, unfortunately, Ichabod was only a character made similar to Irving.
Ichabod Crane
Sybil Ludington
Sybil Ludington was included in the American Revolution stories. Sybil was a brave 16-years old girl who played a notable role in the American Revolution and fought the British empire. Unfortunately, the Daughters of the American, a women’s organization, did not have any story of Sybil’s heroism which made people doubt her existence. There was no evidence or heroic deeds that could tell Sybil made an impact during the revolution.
Sybil Ludington
Ann Taylor
Most of us might be surprised after hearing the truth that Ann Taylor, a clothing brand, was based on a man named Richard Liebeskind. Ann Taylor was only a name for a clothing brand, and it was a way to symbolize the classic clothing in New England style. It meant that Ann Taylor was not a real person.
Ann Taylor
Uncle Ben
Uncle Ben was a well-known American food company since it was the face in the company’s logo, but the actual name of the man in the image was Frank Brown. Frank was a rice grower and a restaurant manager. If we were thinking about how Frank became the food company’s image, Frank was a friend ofItpany president named Gordon L. Harwell. It was the reason why Unfood company president Brown.
Uncle Ben
Juan Valdez
Juan Valdez was a well-known brand of coffee, but most of us thought that he was also the owner of the brand. Unfortunately, Juan was only made by Doyle Dane Bernbach, but the Juan Valdez was based on the nation of origin, which was Colombia. It would mean Juan Valdez was not a person but a brand only.
Juan Valdez
Piotr Zak
In 1961, BBC Third Programme became a well-known broadcast of classical music since we could listen to different compositions. In that era, People liked to listen to music made by Piotr Zak. The man was known as a Polish composer and created various funny pieces. But, unfortunately, it was all created by the BBC producers Susan Bradshaw and Hans Keller. Piotr Zak only named the music.
Piotr Zak
JT Leroy
JT Leroy was only a fake author who credited the JT Leroy of The Heart is Deceitful Above all Things. It was a 1990s semi-autobiography that Laura Albert co-authored. The biography was a story of her life. Unfortunately, it was revealed that Leroy was only a fictional character that Laura made. The one who acted as Leroy was Laura’s sister-in-Law named Savannah Knoop.
JT Leroy
Mavis Beacon
Mavis Beacon was a well-known name in the 1980s. Mavis Beacon was an educational material that taught people in typing. Some people believed that Mavis was an outstanding teacher who taught different people. However, Mavis Beacon was only an Artificial Lecturer that was made by the computer. Therefore, we could say that Mavis was only artificial intelligence.
Mavis Beacon
Nat Tate
William Boyd was known as a Scottish writer. People thought that he was the person who wrote the 1998 biography about Nat Tate. The story was about his experience in life and the problem he had to face as an artist, which ended in taking his own life. When the book was celebrated during its release, there were many well-known artists such as David Bowie. However, after that day, it was revealed that the book was to deceive everyone.
Nat Tate
King Solomon
There was only a little evidence that could tell the life of King Solomon. There were also researchers, historians, and other people who thought King Solomon did not exist. The man was known as the wealthiest of all individuals in the past. However, there were no fortune or artifacts that could tell King Solomon’s property that had been located.
King Solomon
Lycurgus
Lycurgus was known as an outstanding man who helped many things in the Greek city-state of Sparta. For example, Lycurgus made Sparta one of the strongest military in the world. However, in the 7th and 9th century B.C. Lycurgus was known who created some reforms about marriage, wealth, and bearing a child. However, some researchers thought Lycurgus was only a name involved in Sparta’s legal system.
Lycurgus
Uncle Sam
The icon was known everywhere in the world, and people might recognize the image in an instant. Uncle Sam had a hair colored grey and had a phrase telling “I want you.” His image was used as a recruiting poster, but the image was based on the businessman giving soldiers during the war. But, unfortunately, the Uncle Sam we knew did not exist in reality.
Uncle Sam
Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene, or Mary of Magdala, was known as the woman who traveled together with Jesus and his followers. Mary was also witnessed when Jesus was crucified at the cross and the result after the crucifixion. Unfortunately, there was no helpful evidence that Mary was a natural person, making people doubt her existence. However, some people also believed that she was not a sinner but was a great woman.
Mary Magdalene
Pope Joan
In 855 AD, Pope Joan should become the pope, but women could not become one. Pope Joan might be known as the Catholic Church leader, but many researchers and many people doubt her existence. It was interesting to say that Pope Joan became pregnant after two years when she became a pope. There were also stories that Pope Joan had been exiled, and some believed that she was murdered.
Pope Joan
St. Christopher
People believed that St. Christopher was one of the outstanding saints that had many talents. St. Christopher was also known as a protector of the travelers and fruit dealers. Many people worship him, and the talisman he made became famous to the tourists and followers. Unfortunately, individuals thought Christopher was not a saint, and there were debates for several decades if his existence is real.
St. Christopher
Aunt Jemima
Unfortunately, for people who believed that Aunt Jemima was a real person, we could say we were wrong. Aunt Jemima had a similar story to Betty Crocker. R.T Davis also made her in the past. The name was used for advertising a pancake mix, syrup, and other foods. However, Aunt Jemima had a bad reputation after the exportation of Africans. Various actresses also modeled for Aunt Jemima during the advertising.
Aunt Jemima
Paul Bunyan
Paul Bunyan was also well-known for being a giant lumberjack. Unfortunately, like the other historical figures, Paul Bunyan was also not real. Paul Bunyan compilation of various men. Bon Bunyan was Bon Jean and Fabian Fournier, a French Canadian lumberjack. People knew that Paul was a folk hero in American and Canadian folklore since his adventure was being superhuman who could do heavy labors. Paul was also known for being together with a babe, the Blue Ox, which also was not real.
Paul Bunyan
Socrates
Socrates was one of the influential and well-known philosophers in history. Socrates was also known as the wisest individual who lived. However, Socrates did not say a word that was about philosophies. Instead, the historical figure was known for telling about the writing of his disciples. There was also a chance that a man named Socrates was wise enough to motivate people, but we were not sure if he was the man his followers described.
Socrates
The Buddha
Many of us did not know that Buddhism was one of the oldest religions. It was founded by Siddhartha Gautama or was known as the Buddha. There were many questions about the founder of the religion. Some said that Buddha did not appear for several centuries. There was also no hard evidence that could help his existence. Some people thought that those pieces of evidence were also lost, which made them doubt if Buddha was real.
The Buddha
Laozi
Some of us might know about Laozi, but the historical figure was known as a Chinese philosopher and writer. Laozi also created Taoism and the author of Tao Te Ching. Unfortunately, many people doubt the existence of Laozi since his life was full of complications. Other people thought that Taoist writing was created by different sources and not only by him. However, the followers of Laozi thought he was one of the symbolic historical figures.
Laozi
Rosie The Riveter
Rosie the Riveter was a well-known woman who became an iconic figure in World War II. The woman was doing a notable role in manufacturing ammunition and supply to help the war. The image where it had the phrase “We Can Do It” was only made by J. Howard Miller. It was an illustration of a woman which might be based on the factory workers. Veronica Foster or Ronnie became an icon, which might not have existed.
Rosie The Riveter
Tokyo Rose
Tokyo Rose was made during World War II and had done its role to help during the conflict. It was a group of associated troops who were involved in the war. However, what would the Tokyo Rose do at that time? It was a female English-speaking radio station that broadcasts Japanese propaganda. When Tokyo Rose became well-known, the truth was Tokyo Rose was not only a single lady but a group of women.
Tokyo Rose
The Marlboro Man
The Marlboro Man was made in the 1950s. It was a cowboy figure and was promoting tobacco for Marlboro cigarettes. The Marlboro Man was made to make people smoke their brand of cigarettes, and they had succeeded. There were different actors and models to become “The Marlboro Man.” Unfortunately, there were four of those models who passed away because of the smoke-related disease. They had passed away after the campaign.
The Marlboro Man
John Henry
John Henry was well-known because of his song named “Ballad of John Henry.” It was a song about an ex-slave who faced a steam drill and saw a better worker. John had defeated the steam drill, but because of the exhaustion, John had passed away. Some people believed that Henry’s story was not true, which made Henry a fictional character. Workers also did not like the invention of the steam drill, which made the story well-known.
John Henry
Helen of Troy
People believed that Helen of Troy was the most beautiful lady in the world. According to Homer’s The Iliad, the woman was also known as the wife of the Greek King named Menelaus. Unfortunately, many historians doubt the existence of Helen since there was no hard evidence to prove that Helen was real. Some people also thought that Helen was only a mythological character that was additionally put in the story.
Helen of Troy
Midas
Most of us knew about “the Midas touch,” and it had a well-known history. In the past, King Midas, a king, made gold only using his touch. Unfortunately, there was no hard evidence that made Midas a real person. Some of the researchers and Historians located an ornate burial. It was connected to Midas, but there was no evidence that Midas was buried in that era. It made people think Midas was only a fictional character.
Midas
Jack the Ripper
In the past, Jack the Ripper was a well-known terrorist. Jack was the London serial killer who was killing prostitutes In the East End of London. Jack would rip their throats and stomach. Unfortunately, there was no identity if Jack was real. Many journalists that the culprit had confessed were no evidence of whether the story was real or fake. The authorities also could not find Jack the Ripper, which made the person a mystery.
Jack the Ripper
Odysseus
Odysseus was one of the famous characters in The Odyssey. Homer created the story. Odysseus or Ulysses had returned after ten years before the fall of Troy. Many people doubt his existence, and an archaeologist has determined that his journey might be true. An archeologist discovered remains in a three-story building, and in the 8th century B.C., they had found something similar to Odysseus’ tale. So some people thought his adventure was real.
Odysseus
Kunta Kinte
The tale of Kunta Kinte became famous in Alex Haley’s Pulitzer book. The name of his work was Roots, and it became his Prize-winning book. Kinte’s tale became well-known to people who made an island in The Gambia using his name. However, Kinte might become a famous story, but some details appeared to be false. Some sources did not match in the history, which made people doubt Kunta’s existence.
Kunta Kinte
Pythagoras
Pythagoras was the one who created the Pythagorean Theorem, which immensely helped understanding math. However, some people did not believe he existed. According to historians and researchers, there was no evidence that Pythagoras had written anything that could contribute to the world of mathematics. Historians also doubt if Pythagoras was real since there were complications about the time when he worked.
Pythagoras