What are the names of important leaders of Buddhism?

Important leaders of Buddhism include Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha, who founded the religion in the 5th century BCE. Other notable figures are Ashoka the Great, an Indian emperor who played a crucial role in spreading Buddhism, and D.T. Suzuki, a prominent 20th-century scholar who popularized Zen Buddhism in the West. Contemporary leaders include the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, and Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Zen master known for his teachings on mindfulness and peace.