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Mata Hari -

The Dutch exotic dancer, who was convicted of being a spy for the Germans during WWI, drew huge audiences from across Europe. She certainly had that je ne sais quoi.

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Lord Byron -

The famous English poet was apparently 5'8" (1.72 m) tall, and at one point weighted 194 lbs (88 kg), which was quite a lot for his frame. Byron is also said to have had a club foot and walk with a limp, but all his portraits show his best side. Byron was a master of manipulating his public image way before Photoshop! Still, he was pretty handsome.

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Empress Elisabeth of Austria -

Elisabeth (also known as Sisi) is said to have spent a lot of time working out. Elisabeth was really into fitness and, by the looks of it, Emperor Franz Joseph couldn't resist her athletic frame. Though her said 19.5-inch (49 cm) waist hints that she might have suffered from anorexia.

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Thomas Edison -

The famous American inventor and businessman is usually depicted at an older age, but how handsome was Edison as a young man, right?

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Marie Antoinette -

The last Queen of France before the French Revolution was a woman of incredible beauty. But her beautiful head rolled under the guillotine when she was just 38.

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Harry Houdini -

The famous illusionist and stunt performer could escape chains, ropes, and straitjackets. But he surely couldn't escape his good looks!

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Charlotte Brontë -

The English novelist and poet, who was also the eldest of the famed Brontë sisters, was definitely a stunner.

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Jack Johnson -

The American boxer, also known as the Galveston Giant, goes down in history for becoming the first African-American world heavyweight boxing champion. But don't forget his good looks!

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Eva Perón -

Also known as Evita, María Eva Duarte de Perón was an actress, politician, and overall celebrity, who also served as First Lady of Argentina. Considered a style icon to this day, Eva Perón was much loved by the people of her country, and was certainly a looker!

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Emiliano Zapata -

The famous Mexican revolutionary rocked a stylish moustache and dressed in a pretty dandyish way for the time. Indeed, Zapata was a rugged, handsome man.

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Helen of Troy -

Like other ancient historical figures, it's hard to describe how Helen of Troy actually looked. Though she's described as very, very attractive. To the point of being labeled "the most beautiful woman in the world" in Greek mythology.

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Johannes Brahms -

The German composer, pianist, and conductor was a very good-looking man. He surely must have broken some hearts when he moved to Vienna, Austria.

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Gayatri Devi -

The Indian princess was gorgeous. So much so that  Vogue once named her "one of the most beautiful women in the world." But Devi was not just a pretty face—she was also quite avant-garde for the time, championing things such as equal rights.

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Giacomo Casanova -

Giacomo Casanova was such a famous seducer that his name is still used to this day to describe a womanizer. Surely he had to look good, otherwise how would he sweep so many women off their feet? Oh, and did we mention that he was incredibly intelligent, too?

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Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau -

Also known as Madame X, for posing for a portrait by John Singer Sargent of the same name (pictured), Virginie was a beautiful Parisian socialite.

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Mark Twain -

Most of us know the author behind the 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' to have sported wild hair and a thick mustache. Though as a young man, Samuel Langhorne Clemens did look quite different.

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Princess Fawzia Fuad of Egypt -

Sure, we could well list celebrity princesses such as Diana, Princess of Wales or even actress-turned-Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly on this list. But instead, we chose Princess Fawzia Fuad of Egypt, whose looks could pretty much rival any Hollywood star.

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Sessue Hayakawa -

The Japanese actor was a movie star during the silent film era in Hollywood. The Asian heartthrob was sadly replaced by other actors when the 1930 Production Code banned any depictions of miscegenation, or interracial relationships.

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Lillie Langtry -

The actress, also known as "The Jersey Lily," was famously pursued by the then-Prince of Wales (future King Edward VII). But despite her fame and alleged relationships with royals, the closest she got to a royal title was through her marriage to Sir Hugo Gerald de Bathe, 5th Bt.

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Rupert Brooke -

The English poet was described by Irish poet W. B. Yeats as "the handsomest young man in England." While the title might be a bit grand, we do agree that he was very attractive.

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Barbara Palmer -

Described by the Bishop of Salisbury as a "woman of great beauty," Palmer was romantically involved with a few high-profile men, including King Charles II.

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John F. Kennedy -

Of the many handsome presidents the US has had over the years, JFK is perhaps the hottest one in the history books. It has been suggested that his looks did help him get elected against Nixon.

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Alma Mahler -

The Austrian composer, author, editor, and socialite was also a very attractive woman.

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Nefertiti -

Neferneferuaten Nefertiti was a queen and wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten (aka Amenhotep IV) in the 14th century BCE. Nefertiti, whose name translates to "a beautiful woman has come," is mostly famous for this bust, which has survived to this day.

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John Wilkes Booth -

Booth infamously assassinated President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865. Booth was not just a murderer though. He was an actor too, and a handsome one, it seems.

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Lewis Powell -

The Confederate soldier is infamously known to have tried to assassinate Secretary of State William Seward as part of the President Abraham Lincoln assassination plot. Though he could well also been known for his striking good looks.

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Cleopatra -

There are numerous depictions of the iconic ruler of Egypt in art, though none exactly gives a clear picture of what she looked like. Either way, Cleopatra was hot enough to impress Roman leaders Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.

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Frederick Douglass -

Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in Maryland in 1818 but managed to teach himself to read and write. After escaping slavery he wrote the famed autobiography 'Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.' He spent his life fighting for the abolition of slavery and women's suffrage. And he was handsome to boot! 

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Joseph Stalin -

A young Joseph Stalin really had it going on. Who'd have thought? By the time he grew his iconic mustache things started to go downhill in more ways than one. 

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Nikola Tesla -

The famous inventor Nikola Tesla made leaps and bounds in the field of technology during the 19th and 20th century, coming up with everything from the famous Tesla Coil to hydroelectric power. Despite his good looks and incredible success, Tesla remained a bachelor all his life so as to dedicate himself more fully to his work. 

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Margaret E. Knight -

Margaret E. Knight was a pioneering female inventor born in 1838. She has more than 80 patents to her name and invented many devices that are still used today. Her first patented invention was a machine that makes paper bags and the essence of its design is still in use. 

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Davis Tutt -

Davis Tutt was an Old West gambler who was famously killed in a shootout against Wild Bill Hickok. His dangerous ways and wolf-like eyes probably made him appealing to some, but sadly, he didn't even make it to 30. 

Sources: (Grunge) (History Collection) (Ranker) (AskMen)

See also: Unexpected things that are weirdly attractive

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