Thanks to Hollywood and generations of misinformation, most people don’t know the truth behind these misunderstood historical figures
10 Historical Figures You’ve Been Picturing All Wrong
Buddha
You’ve likely seen fat, smiling Buddha statues in Chinese restaurants, antique stores and even neighborhood gardens, but did you know that little guy is not the “real” Buddha? It’s actually Budai, the “laughing Buddha,” who is a reincarnation of the real Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama.
The real Buddha was actually thin, because in the Buddhist tradition, once you’ve become enlightened, you no longer crave the pleasures of the world. Gautama spent half his life in wealth and half in poverty, to find the ideal balance. His philosophy became the modern Buddhist religion.
Pocahontas
Thanks to Disney, Pocahontas is perhaps one of the world’s most misunderstood historical figures. She was born in 1596 under the name Ammonite (she also had the more private name Matoaka), and the name Pocahontas was actually her nickname. When the Europeans came to colonize the Powhatan land, Pocahontas did not turn her back on her family to join the European crusade.
She occasionally brought food to the settlers to ease tensions between the two peoples, and she was instrumental in attempting to make peace between the Powhatan people and the Europeans. She was later imprisoned by the Europeans and converted to Christianity. Contrary to popular belief, Pocahontas did not marry John Smith–she actually married a tobacco farmer named John Rolfe. She died in 1617 from an illness.
Che Guevara
The charismatic Marxist revolutionary, who helped overthrow the Cuban government with the Castro brothers, is often seen as just that. Some think of him as inspirational, and others as insufferable. However, while most people are aware of his rebellion and his passion for the counterculture, they don’t know that he was also a ruthless executioner. He oversaw the executions of hundreds of men in Cuba during the early days of Fidel Castro’s government.
Oliver Cromwell
Cromwell was Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland in the mid-1600s. In 1653, he declared the Parliament corrupt and got rid of them by force; many saw him as a hero for this. Afterward, he became the Lord Protector. But what many don’t know is that Cromwell actually was involved in Irish massacres in a move to help the English gain control of the country. So, while many have seen him as a hero for destroying the corrupt Parliament, he was actually pretty corrupt himself.
Cleopatra
Cleopatra is widely known for her beauty and sex appeal. However, she was the last Pharaoh of ancient Egypt. She began ruling with her father, but later she was the sole ruler—of an entire empire! That’s not a simple feat. Despite her powerful reign, most people reduce her to her appearance, especially because of her relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Talk about misunderstood historical figures!
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell, who is recognized as the inventor of the telephone, is actually a phone-y (pun intended!). The real inventor was an Italian living in New York named Antonio Meucci. He invented a functioning telephone five years before Bell and filled out a “patent caveat,” which is a precursor to a real patent. As the story goes, Meucci couldn’t afford to file the official patent, and Bell stole it from right under his nose.
Pontius Pilate
This is a disturbing history fact that’s more likely to be taught in churches than in schools. Pilate is typically known as the ruler who joyfully ordered the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, but that may be a myth. While Pilate was certainly a harsh ruler, some historians suggest that he was reluctant to crucify Jesus and believed he was innocent.
Vincent Van Gogh
The “Starry Night” painter we know and love actually fits the tortured-artist persona, despite many of his bright paintings. Van Gogh suffered from depression and lived in poverty—he was an unknown and unloved artist in his time. Even though he created more than 2,000 paintings, which now sell for millions of dollars, he only sold one in his lifetime. Now we know, of course, that this misunderstood historical figure was insanely talented!
Confucius
Confucius is typically regarded as a religious figure. The founder of the Chinese philosophy of Confucianism, Confucius actually had nothing to do with religion. The traditions of Confucianism were based on typical Chinese beliefs and morals like family, respect for elders and the rights of others.
While many people associate these morals with religions, Confucianism is known as a philosophy, with no deity involved. Confucius was a teacher and politician who gained recognition from the Chinese government for his principles.
Christopher Columbus
In recent years, different activist groups have shed light on the fact that Christopher Columbus should not be celebrated for “discovering” America. Columbus was an accomplished explorer, traversing the seas multiple times in the 1400s. In 1496, he was actually looking for South Asia when he stumbled upon the large land mass we now know as North America.
He is falsely credited with discovering America; it’s believed that European explorers had explored Canada several hundred years earlier, and Columbus never set foot in what is now North America. It is also widely known that Columbus took part in the enslavement and mistreatment of the peaceful Native American tribes he came in contact with in the Caribbean and contributed greatly to destroying native populations.
Why trust us
At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Smithsonian: “The True Story of Pocahontas Is More Complicated Than You Might Think”
- History.com: “Pocahontas”
- PBS.org: “Che Guevara (1928-1967)”
- Independent: “The Big Question: Was Cromwell a revolutionary hero or a genocidal war criminal?”
- Guardian: “Bell did not invent telephone, US rules”
- BBC: “The case against Pontius Pilate”
- ArtNet: “Art Bites: The Only Known Painting Van Gogh Sold During His Lifetime”
- Britannica: “Confucius”
- Britannica: “Confucianism”
- CNN: “Not everything you learned about Christopher Columbus is true”
