- Pacal the Great (603-683 AD): One of the most famous Mayan rulers, Pacal was the king of the city-state of Palenque. He is known for his elaborate tomb and the beautiful stucco reliefs that adorn his sarcophagus.
- K'inich Janaab' Pakal I (603-683 AD): Also known as Pacal the Great, he ruled the Mayan city-state of Palenque during its peak. He is best known for his elaborately carved tomb and the jade death mask found inside.
- Lady Six Sky (c. 670-740 AD): Lady Six Sky was a powerful Mayan ruler who governed the city-state of Naranjo. She is one of the few known female Mayan rulers.
- Chan Bahlum II (c. 700-750 AD): Chan Bahlum II was a king of the Mayan city-state of Tikal. He is known for his military campaigns and his extensive building projects, including the construction of the Temple of the Jaguars.
- Shield Jaguar II (c. 869-909 AD): Shield Jaguar II was the last great king of the Mayan city-state of Tikal. He ruled during a time of political and military turmoil and is known for his efforts to maintain Tikal's power and prestige.
Scholars, Priests, and Artists:
- Ah Cacao (fl. 7th century AD): Ah Cacao was a Mayan priest and scholar who wrote several important codices, or books, on Mayan history, religion, and astronomy.
- Hun Batz (fl. 8th century AD): Hun Batz was a Mayan sculptor who created many of the beautiful reliefs and sculptures found at the Mayan city-state of Copán.
- K'uk'ulkan (fl. 10th-11th centuries AD): K'uk'ulkan was a Mayan astronomer who made important observations of the stars and planets.
- Yum Kax (fl. 11th century AD): Yum Kax was a Mayan priest and the last known author of a Mayan codex.
Others:
- La Malinche (c. 1496-1529 AD): La Malinche was a Nahua woman who served as an interpreter and advisor to Hernán Cortés during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. She played a crucial role in the Spanish victory and is often remembered as a traitor to her people.
- Bartolomé de las Casas (1484-1566 AD): Bartolomé de las Casas was a Spanish historian, missionary, and social reformer who wrote extensively about the Spanish conquest of the Americas and the treatment of the indigenous peoples. His writings were instrumental in the Spanish crown's decision to pass the New Laws of 1542, which sought to protect the indigenous peoples from exploitation.
- Bernardino de Sahagún (1499-1590 AD): Bernardino de Sahagún was a Spanish Franciscan missionary who spent over 50 years in Mexico learning about the indigenous culture and history. He is best known for his work, the Florentine Codex, which is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Nahua culture and history.