Origins & Early Life

Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian (English pronunciation /kæˈluːst ɡʊlˈbɛŋkiən/; Western Armenian: Գալուստ Սարգիս Կիւլպէնկեան, romanized: Kalousd Sarkis Giulbêngean, pronounced [kʰɑlust ɡʏlbɛŋɡjɑn]; 23 March 1869 – 20 July 1955) was an Armenian-British businessman. He played a major role in making the petroleum reserves of the Middle East available to Western development and is credited with being the first person to exploit Iraqi oil. Following the "Red Line Agreement" (said by some accounts to have been drafted by himself), a fixed 5% of the shares of the Turkish Petroleum Company (later renamed the Iraqi Petroleum Company) were to be consistently owned by him, for which he earned the nickname "Mr. Five Per Cent".

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Gulbenkian travelled extensively and lived in a number of cities including his birth city of Constantinople and later London, Paris, and finally Lisbon. Throughout his life, Gulbenkian was involved with many philanthropic activities including the establishment of schools, hospitals, and churches. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, a private foundation based in Portugal, was created in 1956 by his bequest and continues to promote arts, charity, education, and science throughout...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• André Gide — Contemporary (Born in 1869) (1869): Pioneering French author, Nobel laureate known for exploring selfhood and transgression.
• C. T. R. Wilson — Contemporary (Born in 1869) (1869): Pioneering meteorologist and physicist known for the invention of the cloud chamber.
• Emma Goldman — Contemporary (Born in 1869) (1869): Pivotal anarchist revolutionary, writer, and activist for social and women's rights.
• Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud — Contemporary (Born in 1955) (1955): Saudi billionaire, investor, and influential member of the House of Saud.
• Albert Einstein — Contemporary (Died in 1955) (1955): Pioneering theoretical physicist known for the theory of relativity and E=mc2.
• Alexander Fleming — Contemporary (Died in 1955) (1955): Pioneering microbiologist known for the discovery of penicillin, revolutionizing medicine.
• Akira Kurosawa — Shared historical date (03-23 · Born) (1910): Master of Japanese cinema, known for dynamic style and epic storytelling.
• Ama Ata Aidoo — Shared historical date (03-23 · Born) (1942): Pioneering Ghanaian writer, poet, and academician celebrated for feminist themes.
• Bernhard Riemann — Shared historical date (07-20 · Died) (1866): Pioneering mathematician whose work shaped modern analysis, geometry, and number theory.
• Bruce Lee — Shared historical date (07-20 · Died) (1973): Pioneering martial artist and actor who founded Jeet Kune Do.
• 1869 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1869
• March 23 (03-23) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on March 23
• 1955 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1955
• July 20 (07-20) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on July 20