This list contains the biographies of historical figures who appear in the plays of William Shakespeare. (Note that it does not contain articles for characters; see instead :Category:Shakespearean characters.) It should be possible to cross-reference historical characters to their dramatic counterpart at List of Shakespearean characters (A–K) and (L–Z).

In the following list, figures are listed by the name of the character, as it appears in Shakespeare's plays, and includes a narrative of the role of the character in the play: which may, or may not, reflect the role of the figure in history. The list contains duplicates: for example, Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland will be found listed under N and P. To avoid unnecessary duplication of entries, various names will all redirect to one source, usually the most common name used in the actual texts, with links that direct to the proper initial.

A

Lord Abergavenny is Buckingham's son-in-law in Henry VIII. For Aenobarbus (or AEnobarbus or Ænobarbus) see Enobarbus. Agrippa is a follower of Caesar in Antony and Cleopatra who proposes that the widowed Antony should marry Octavia. Alcibiades is a soldier who turns renegade when one of his junior officers is sentenced to death; he is a true friend to the title character in Timon of Athens. The Duke of Alençon is one of the French leaders in Henry VI, Part 1. For Alexander Iden see Iden. Anne: Anne Bullen is a maid of Honour to Katherine who later becomes King Henry's second wife in Henry VIII. Lady Anne is the widow of Prince Edward, wooed by Richard over the corpse of her late father-in-law (Henry VI) in Richard III. Mark Antony (often just Antony, and sometimes Marcus Antonius) turns the mob against Caesar's killers and becomes a Triumvir in Julius Caesar. His romance with Cleopatra drives the action of Antony and Cleopatra. For Sir Anthony Denny see Denny. Archbishop: Archbishop of Canterbury: The Archbishop of Canterbury is an important character in the first act of Henry V. He expounds Henry's claim to the French throne. Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury is a major character in the last act of Henry VIII, hauled before the privy council by his enemies and threatened with imprisonment, but protected by the king. See also Cardinal Bourchier, who was Archbishop of Canterbury at the time dramatised in Richard III. Archbishop of York: The Archbishop of York (1) is one of the rebel leaders in Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2. The Archbishop of York (2) assists Queen Elizabeth and the little Duke of York to obtain sanctuary in Richard III. Arthur is a child, the nephew of the king in King John. He persuades Hubert not to put out his eyes, but dies in an attempt to escape captivity. Aumerle is a companion and cousin of Richard in Richard II. For Duke of Austria see Limoges. The Countess of Auvergne (Jacquette du Peschin) receives Talbot after his capture in Henry VI, Part 1.

B

Bagot is a favourite of Richard in Richard II. Lord Bardolph is a nobleman, one of the Percy faction, in Henry IV, Part 2. The Bastard of Orleans is one of the French leaders in Henry VI, Part 1. For Beaufort see Bishop of Winchester. For Bedford see Prince John of Lancaster, who was the Duke of Bedford. Lord Berkeley acts as messenger from York to Bolingbroke in Richard II. The Duke of Berry is a French leader in Henry V. Bishop: The Bishop of Carlisle supports Richard in Richard II. Bishop of Ely: The Bishop of Ely (1) conspires with the Archbishop of Canterbury in the opening scene of Henry V. The Bishop of Ely (2) ultimately shows his opposition to Richard in Richard III. Bishop of Winchester: The Bishop of Winchester (later "the Cardinal") is the uncle and chief enemy of Humphrey Duke of Gloucester in Henry VI, Part 1 and Henry VI, Part 2. For The Bishop of Winchester in Henry VIII, see Gardiner. For The Bishop of Lincoln see Bishop of Lincoln. Blanche is King John's niece, married (by arrangement among the kings, to seal an alliance) to the Dauphin. Blunt: Sir James Blunt is a supporter of Richmond in Richard III. Sir John Blunt is a supporter of the king in Henry IV, Part 2. Sir Walter Blunt is a soldier and messenger to the king in Henry IV, Part 1. He is killed by Douglas while wearing the king's armour. Roger Bolingbroke is chaplain to the Duchess of Gloucester and orchestrates the demon-summoning in Henry VI, Part 2. For Bolingbroke see also King Henry IV. Lady Bona is King Lewis's sister-in-law, whose hopes to marry Edward are thwarted in Henry VI, Part 3. The Duke of Bourbon fights on the French side in Henry V. For Cardinal Bourchier see Cardinal. Boy in Richard III is the young son of the murdered Clarence (described in one speech as little Ned Plantagenet). Brackenbury is the Lieutenant of the Tower of London in Richard III. The Duke of Britain is a French leader in Henry V. Brutus: Marcus Brutus (usually just Brutus) is a central character of Julius Caesar, who conspires against Caesar's life and stabs him. See also Decius Brutus. Buckingham: The Duke of Buckingham (1) is a Lancastrian in Henry VI, Part 2. His death is reported in Henry VI, Part 3. The Duke of Buckingham (2) is a Yorkist in Henry VI, Part 3, and is a co-conspirator with Richard—although he is eventually rejected, then murdered on Richard's orders—in |Richard III. The Duke of Buckingham (3), an enemy of Wolsey, falls from grace and is executed by Henry in Henry VIII. For Anne Bullen see Anne. The Duke of Burgundy brokers the peace treaty between the kings of France and England in the last act of Henry V, and fights firstly in alliance with the English, and later in alliance with the French, in Henry VI, Part 1. Bushy is a favourite of Richard in Richard II. Doctor Butts is the king's physician in Henry VIII. He alerts the king to Cranmer's humiliation in refused admittance to the council chamber.

C

Caesar: Julius Caesar is the title character of Julius Caesar, an Emperor of Rome who is stabbed in the Capitol, on the Ides of March. Octavius Caesar is one of the Triumvirs, the three rulers of Rome after Caesar's death, in Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra. Caius: Doctor Caius is a French doctor in The Merry Wives of Windsor. He challenges Parson Hugh to a duel. See also (Caius) Cassius, Caius Martius Coriolanus and Caius Ligarius. Calphurnia is the wife of Caesar, whose dream predicts her husband's death, in Julius Caesar. The Earl of Cambridge is one of the three conspirators against the king's life (with Scroop and Grey) in Henry V. For Cardinal Campeius see Cardinal. Canidius is a follower of Antony in Antony and Cleopatra. For Canterbury see Archbishop of Canterbury. Lord Caputius is an ambassador from the Holy Roman Emperor in Henry VIII. Cardinal: Cardinal Bourchier delivers the little Duke of York from sanctuary, and into the hands of Richard and Buckingham, in Richard III. Cardinal Campeius is the papal legate at the trial of Katherine in Henry VIII. Cardinal Wolsey orchestrates the fall from grace of Buckingham and Katherine, but himself falls from grace and dies, in Henry VIII. See also the Bishop of Winchester, who becomes a Cardinal in the course of Henry VI, Part 1. For The Bishop of Carlisle see Bishop. Casca is one of the conspirators against Caesar in Julius Caesar. He has an important role in the early parts of the play, reporting offstage events. Caius Cassius, usually known just as Cassius, is a central character in Julius Caesar. He incites the conspiracy against Caesar, and recruits Brutus to the conspirators' ranks. Catesby is a double agent—seemingly loyal to Lord Hastings but actually reporting to Buckingham and Richard—in Richard III. For Lord Chamberlain and Lord Chancellor see Lord Chamberlain and Lord Chancellor. King Charles VI of France is Henry's hated enemy in Henry V. For King Charles VII of France see Dauphin. For The Lord Chief Justice see Lord Chief Justice. Christopher Urswick is a minor character: a priest acting as messenger for Lord Stanley in Richard III. Cinna: Cinna is one of the conspirators against Caesar in Julius Caesar. Cinna is a poet, mistaken for the conspirator Cinna in Julius Caesar. Realising they have the wrong man, the mob "kill him for his bad verses". Clarence: George, Duke of Clarence is the younger brother of Edward and the elder brother of Richard in Henry VI, part 3 and Richard III. He is often known as "perjured Clarence", having broken his oath to Warwick and fighting instead for his brother's faction. He is eventually drowned in a butt of malmsey wine. Thomas, Duke of Clarence is Hal's younger brother, who appears in Henry IV, Part 2 and Henry V. Cleopatra is the lover of Antony in Antony and Cleopatra. She commits suicide using a poisonous asp. Clifford: Clifford (sometimes called Young Clifford) is a staunch Lancastrian, and is the Yorkists' most hated enemies—as the killer of Rutland—in Henry VI, Part 2 and Henry VI, Part 3. Old Clifford, father of Clifford, is a Lancastrian leader in Henry VI, Part 2. The Constable of France leads the French forces in Henry V. Constance is Arthur's mother in King John and a fierce advocate for her son's right to the English throne. Caius Martius Coriolanus, usually known just as Coriolanus, is the central character of Coriolanus, who earns the title "Coriolanus" in recognition of his skill at smiting Volscians in Coriolai. For Thomas Cranmer see Archbishop of Canterbury. Thomas Cromwell is secretary to Wolsey, and later to the Privy Council, in Henry VIII. Cymbeline, the title character of Cymbeline, is king of the Britons, and father to Imogen, Guiderus and Arviragus.

D

Dauphin (sometimes Dolphin in older texts): The Dauphin is Henry's chief enemy in Henry V. The Dauphin, later King Charles VII of France leads the French forces, with Joan, in Henry VI, Part 1. See also Lewis. Decius Brutus is one of the conspirators against Caesar in Julius Caesar. Sir Anthony Denny is a minor character in Henry VIII, who brings Cranmer to the King. Lord Stanley, Earl of Derby is a military leader who ultimately reveals his loyalty to the Richmond faction, in spite of his son being a hostage to Richard, in Richard III. For Doctor (title) see William Butts or John Caius. Dorset and Grey are the two sons of Queen Elizabeth (wife of Edward IV) from her first marriage, who are arrested and executed on the orders of Buckingham and Richard in Richard III. Donablain is the brother of Malcolm and a minor character in Macbeth. Duchess: Duchess of Gloucester: The Duchess of Gloucester (1) is the widow of Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester. His murder (before the play opens) drives much of the action of Richard II. The Duchess of Gloucester (2) is the wife of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester in Henry VI, Part 2, in which she dabbles in witchcraft with disastrous results. Duchess of York: The Duchess of York (1) (unnamed) character in Richard II, a composite of Isabella of Castile, Duchess of York, died 1392, the mother of Aumerle, and Joan Holland, who bore no children The Duchess of York (2) is the wife of Richard, Duke of York (1) in Henry VI, Part 3. She outlives him to mourn the death of two of their sons in Richard III. For Duke see Duke of Austria (under Limoges), Duke of Bedford (under Prince John of Lancaster), Duke of Berry, Duke of Bourbon, Duke of Britain (or Brittany), Duke of Buckingham, Duke of Burgundy, Duke of Clarence, Duke of Exeter, Duke of Gloucester, Duke of Lancaster, Duke of Norfolk, Duke of Orleans, Duke of Somerset, Duke of Suffolk, Duke of Surrey or Duke of York. King Duncan is the former Scottish king, preceding Macbeth, before being killed in Macbeth by Macbeth.

E