People and Peoples (N-P)
People and Peoples (N-P)
Douglas macArthur was an American general. He was born in 1880, dying in 1964. He defended the philippines against the japanese during the second world war. In 1951 he was relieved of command during the korean war.
Thomas Babington Macaulay was a British historian and politician. He was born in 1800 at Leicestershire and died in 1859. He entered parliament in 1830. He became Secretary for War in 1839.
Macbeth was King of Scotland from 1040 to 1057.
Flora Macdonald was a Scottish heroine. She was born in 1722 and died in 1790. She helped Prince Charles Edward Stuart to escape after the battle of Culloden.
James Ramsay Macdonald was a Britsh politician. He was born in 1866 atLossiemouth and died in 1937. In 1911 he became leader of the Labour party.
Niccolo Machiavelli was an Italian statesman and writer. He was born in 1469 at Florence and died in 1527. He has the reputation of being manipulative, hence the psychological term "Machiavellism" which refers to manipulation of people.
Harold Macmillan was a British Conservative statesman. He was born in 1894. He became an MP in 1924. He became Prime Minister in 1957 following Eden's resignation over the Suez canal crisis.
Count Maurice Maeterlinck was a Belgian writer and dramatist. He was born in 1862 at Ghent and died in 1949.
Ferdinand Magellan was a Portugese sailor. He was born in 1480 at Sabrosa and died in 1521. He discovered the straight of Magellan.
A Magistrate is a "junior judge", they serve in lower courts of law and hear minor offences.
Gustav Mahler was a Czech-Austrian composer. He was born in 1860 at Kalischt and died in 1911.
The Makua are a people living to the north of the Zambezi River in Mozambique. With the Lomwe people, they make up the country's largest ethnic group. The Makua are mainly farmers,
living in villages ruled by chiefs. The Makua language belongs to the Niger-Congo family, and has about 5 million speakers.
A Malagasy is an inhabitant of or native to Madagascar. The Malagasy language has about 9 million speakers; it belongs to the Austronesian family.
Despite Madagascar's proximity to Africa, Malagasy contains only a small number of Bantu and Arabic loan words. It seems likely that the earliest settlers came by sea, some 1,500 years ago, from Indonesia. Primarily rice farmers, the Malagasy make use both of irrigated fields and swidden (temporary plot) methods.
Malcolm was King of Scotland from 943 to 954.
Malcolm II was King of Scotland from 1005 to 1034.
Malcolm III was King of Scotland from 1057 to 1093.
Malcolm IV was King of Scotland from 1153 to 1165.
Stephane Mallarme was a French poet. He was born in 1842 at Paris and died in 1898. He founded the Symbolists school of poetry.
Sir Thomas Malory was an English writer. He lived around 1450. He wrote Le Morte d'Arthur about King Arthur.
Thomas Robert Malthus was an English economist. He was born in 1766 near Guildford and died in 1834. He wrote The Essay on Population.
The Mameluke were Turkoman warriors taken to Egypt as slaves to act as bodyguards for the caliphs and sultans. When the Ottoman Turks conquered Egypt in 1250 the Mamelukes became sultans. They were defeated by Napoleon in 1798 and the survivors were massacred by Muhammad Ali in 1811
Edouard Manet was a French painter. He was born in 1832 at Paris and died in 1883.
Thomas Mann was a German novelist. He was born in 1875 at Lubeck and died in 1955. He won the Nobel prize for literature in 1929.
Andrea Mantegna was an Italian painter and engraver. He was born in 1431 and died in 1506.
Mao Tse-Tung was a Chinese revolutionary leader. He was born in 1893 at Kunan Province. He was a founder member of the Chinese Communist party.
The Maori are a Polynesian people of pre-European New Zealand.
Their language, Maori, belongs to the eastern branch of the Austronesian family.
The Maori colonized New Zealand from about 850, establishing a flourishing civilization
throughout the country.
Jean Paul Marat was a French revolutionary and scientist. He was born in 1743 at Boudry and died in 1793 when he was murdered in his bath by Charlotte Corday.
Franz Marc was a German painter. He was born in 1880 and died in 1916 at Verdun during the Great War.
Marco Polo was a Venetian explorer. He was born in 1254 and died in 1324.
Guglielmo Marconi was an Italian scientist. He was born in 1874 at Bologna and died in 1937. He invented the wireless set. In 1901 he sent a wireless signal between Cornwall and Newfoundland.
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was a Roman Emperor. He was born in 121 and died in 180.
Margaret was queen of Scotland from 1286 to 1290.
Marie Antoinette was Queen of Louis XVI of France. She was born in 1755 and died in 1793 when she was executed for treason during the French revolution.
John Churchill (Duke of Marlborough) was an English soldier. He was born in 1650 at Musbury and died in 1722. He commanded the British and Dutch forces against France in 1702.
Christopher Marlowe was an English dramatist. He was born in 1564 at Canterbury and died in 1593.
The Maroon were escaped slaves in Jamaica who were armed by the Spanish to attack the British forces on the island during the late 17th and 18th centuries. They lived mainly in the mountainous region now known as cockpit country and developed a method of cooking known as "jerking" peculiar to Jamaica.
General George Marshall was an American General and statesman. He was born in 1880 and died in 1959. He was chief of staff during the second World War.
Simone Martini was an Italian painter. He was born in 1283 and died in 1344.
Andrew Marvell was a poet. He was born in 1621, dying in 1678.
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher and economist. He was born in 1818 at the Rhineland and died in 1883. Together with Engels he wrote the manifesto of the communist party in 1847.
Mary was queen of Scotland from 1542 to 1567. Mary was queen of England from 1553 to 1558.
Mary II was queen of England from 1689 to 1694.
Masaccio was an Italian painter. He was born in 1401 and died in 1428.
The Masai are an east African people whose territory is divided between Tanzania and Kenya, and who number about 250,000. They were originally warriors and nomads, breeding humped zebu cattle, but some have adopted a more settled life. They speak a Nilotic language belonging to the Nilo-Saharan family.
Thomas Garrigue Masaryk was the founder and first President of Czechoslovakia. He was born in 1850 at Moravia and died in 1937.
John Masefield was an English writer. He was born in 1878 at Ledbury and died in 1967.
Henri Matisse was a French painter. He was born in 1869 at Le Cateau and died in 1954.
William Somerset Maugham was an English novelist. He was born in 1874 at Paris and died in 1965.
Guy de Maupassant was a French writer. He was born in 1850 at Fecamp and died in 1893. He primarily wrote short stories.
Francois Mauriac was a French novelist. He was born in 1885 and died in 1970.
Maurice Sarrail was a French General. He Was born in 1856 at Carcassonne. He commanded the French 3rd army in 1914 during the Great War and was responsible for the defence of the Verdun region. In 1925 he became High Commissioner of Syria.
Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim was an American inventor. He was born in 1840 at Sangerville and died in 1916. He invented the automatic quick-firing gun (machine gun).
James Clerk Maxwell was a Scottish mathematician. He was born in 1831 at Edinburgh and died in 1879. He created an elctro-magnetic theory of light.
Jules mazarin was a cardinal and French minister. He was born in italy in 1602, dying in 1661.
Ivan Stepanovich Mazeppa was a Cossack nobelman. He was born in 1644, dying in 1709. He fought for independance for the Ukraine from Russia.
Giuseppe Mazzini was an Italian republican patriot and revolutionary. He was born in 1805 at Genoa and died in 1872.
John McGeoch is guitar player with the rock group Public Image Ltd
Meleager was an ancient Greek poet who wrote epigrams.
Herman Melville was an American writer. He was born in 1819 at New York and died in 1891. He wrote Moby Dick.
Hans Memling was a Flemish religious painter. He was born in 1430 and died in 1494.
The Mende are a west African people living in the rainforests of central east Sierra Leone and west
Liberia. They number approximately 1 million. The Mende are farmers as well as hunter-
gatherers, and each of their villages is led by a chief and a group of elders. The Mende
language belongs to the Niger-Congo family.
Gregor Johann Mendel was an Austrian priest and natural historian. He was born in 1822 at Mahren and died in 1884.
Dmitri Ivanovitch Mendeleyev was a Russian scientist. He was born in 1834 at Tobolsk and died in 1907. He discovered that characteristic properties of chemical elements recur in regular cycles in a table starting with the element of lowest atomic weight and progressing consecutively in order of weight.
Felix Mendelssohn was a German composer. He was born in 1809 at Hamburg and died in 1847.
Geradus Mercator was a Flemish geographer and cartographer. He was born in 1512 and died in 1594. He devised a new method of projecting the surface of the earth on a map which made navigation much simpler.
George Meredith was an English novelist. He was born in 1828 at Portsmouth and died in 1909.
Merlin was a magician who aided Arthur.
The Meskhetian are a community of Turkish descent that formerly inhabited Meskhetia, on the then
Turkish-Soviet border.
Buonarroti Michelangelo was an Italian painter. He was born in 1475 at Caprese and died in 1564. He painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
Albert Abraham Michelson was an American scientist. He was born in 1852 and died in 1931. He proved the existence of an all pervading ether and experimented to find out the speed of light.
Thomas Middleton was an English dramatist. He was born in 1570 and died in 1627. He is know for his realistic comedies and romantic plays.
Mikhail Fokine was a Russian dancer. He was born at St Petersburg in 1880. He died in 1942. He is famous for his work with ballet.
John Stuart Mill was an English economist. He was born in 1806 at London and died in 1873. He defended the rights of the working class and supported the right of women to vote.
Sir John Everett Millais was an English painter. He was born in 1829 at Southampton and died in 1896.
Arthur Miller is an American playwright. He was born in 1915. He wrote Death of a Salesman.
Jean Francois Millet was a French painter. He was born in 1814 near Greville and died in 1875.
Robert Andrews Millikan was an American scientist. He was born in 1868 at Morrison and died in 1954. He won the Nobel prize for physics in 1923.
John Milton was an English writer. He was born in 1608 at London and died in 1674. He wrote Paradise Lost.
Minangkabau are an Indonesian people of west Sumatra. In addition to approximately 3 million Minangkabau in west Sumatra, there are sizeable communities in the major Indonesian cities. The Minangkabau language belongs to the Austronesian family.
Mirabeau was a French orator. He was born in 1749 and died in 1791.
The Miskito are an American Indian people of Central America, living mainly in the area that is
now Nicaragua.
Amedeo Modigliani was an Italian painter. He was born in 1884 at Leghorn and died in 1920.
The Modocs are an American Indian tribe. They lived on the south shore of Klamath Lake in California.
The Moeso-Goths were a tribe of Goths who settled in Moesia on the Lower Danube and devoted themselves to architecture under the protection of the Roman emperors.
Mohammed (Mahomet, Mehmet, Muhammad) was the founder of the religion of Islam. He was born in 570 at Mecca and died in 632.
The Mohawk are a North American Indian people, part of the Iroquois confederation, who lived in
the Mohawk Valley, New York, and now live on reservations in Ontario, Quebec, and New
York State, as well as among the general population. Their language belongs to the Macro-
Siouan group.
The Mohican are a North American Indian people, speaking an Algonquian language, who
formerly occupied the Hudson Valley.
Jean Baptiste Poquelin (Moliere) was a French dramatist. He was born in 1622 and died in 1673.
Helmuth Johannes Ludwig Von Moltke was a Prussian general. He was born in 1848 and died in 1916. He invented the German plan of campaign for the Great War.
The Mon are a minority ethnic group living in the Irrawaddy delta region of lower Myanmar
(Burma) and Thailand. The Mon language belongs to the Mon-Khmer branch of the Austro-Asiatic family. They are
Buddhists, but also retain older animist beliefs.
George Monck was an English soldier. He was born in 1608 and died in 1670. During the English civil war he fought with the Royalists until captured by Fairfax and imprisoned. He then served under Cromwell and was instrumental in bringing about the restoration of Charles II.
Ludwig Mond was a German chemist who partnered John Brunner to invent a process for creating soda. He was born in 1838, dying in 1909.
Claude Monet was a French impressionist painter. He was born in 1840 and died in 1926.
Mongols are any of the various Mongol (or Mongolian) ethnic groups of Central Asia. Mongols
live in Mongolia, Russia, Inner Mongolia (China), Tibet, and Nepal. The Mongol language
belongs to the Altaic family; some groups of Mongol descent speak languages in the Sino-
Tibetan family, however.
The Mongols are primarily pastoral nomads, herding sheep, horses, cattle, and camels.
Traditionally the Mongols moved with their animals in summer to the higher pastures,
returning in winter to the lower steppes.
Mongoloid refers to one of the three major races of humans,
including the indigenous peoples of Asia, the Indians of the Americas, Polynesians, and the
Eskimos and Aleuts. General physical traits include dark eyes with epicanthic folds; straight
to wavy dark hair; little beard or body hair; fair to tawny skin; low to medium-bridged noses;
thin to medium lips.
A Monk is a man who retires from the world to live in a monastery as a member of some religious order. Originally all monks were laymen, but after the 8th century the seniors and by degrees the other member were admitted to holy orders.
James Monroe was the 5th president of the USA. He was born in Virginia in 1758 and died in 1831.
Michel de Montaigne was a French essayist. He was born in 1533 at Bordeaux and died in 1592.
Sir Moses Haim Montefiore was a Jewish philanthropist who made a fortune on the London stock market. He was born in 1784 and died in 1885. He became sheriff of London in 1837. He secured better treatment for Jews in various countries, including: Turkey, Russia, Moldavia and Morocco.
The Montenegrin are Slavic inhabitants of Montenegro whose culture has much in common with the
Serbs.
Charles de Secondat Montesquieu was a French philosopher. He was born in 1689 and died in 1755.
Maria Montessori was an Italian educationalist. She was born in 1870 and died in 1952. She developed the Montessori system of education.
Claudio Monteverdi was an Italian composer. He was born in 1567 at Cremona and died in 1643. He wrote a lot of church music.
Simon de Montfort was an English statesman and soldier. He was born in 1208 and died in 1265 at the battle of Evesham.
The Montgolfier brothers made a hot air balloon, in which Jean francois pilatre de rozier and the marquis d'ariandes made the world's first aerial voyage over paris on november the 21st 1783.
Montgomery was a British soldier. He was born in 1887 at County Donegal in Ireland. He entered the army in 1908 and served in the Great War. In 1939 he was Divisional Commander. He took part in the evacuation of Dunkirk and in 1942 took over command of the Eight Army in North Africa. In 1944 he led the 21st Army Group in Normandy to the Rhine.
Albert Joseph Moore was an English artist. He was born in 1841 and died in 1893.
George Moore was an Irish poet and novelist. He was born in 1852 and died in 1933.
Henry Moore is an English sculptor. He was born in 1898 at Castleford.
The Moors were dark skinned people of North Africa who under the influence of Islam conquered an empire stretching from the Pamirs to the Pyrenees in the 9th century. Their occupation of Spain lasted from 711 until 1492.
The Mordvin are a Finnish people inhabiting the middle Volga Valley in west Asia. They are known to have lived in
the region since the 1st century. There are 1 million speakers of Mordvin scattered
throughout west Russia, about one-third of whom live in the Mordvinian republic. Mordvin is a
Finno-Ugric language belonging to the Uralic family.
Sir Thomas More was an English statesman and politician. He was born in 1478 at London and died in 1535.
Sir Henry Morgan was a Welsh buccaneer. As the leader of the West Indian
buccaneers he sacked Porto Bello and commited atrocities against the inhabitants. He was captured and sent to England in chains, however Charles II pardoned him and made him governor of Jamaica. He was born in 1635 and died in
1688.
George morland was an English painter of rural life. He was born in 1763, dying in 1804.
Thomas Morley was an English composer of madrigals. He was born in 1557, dying in 1603.
John Morley was the 1st viscount morley. He was an English biographer and liberal politician. He was born in 1838, dying in 1923.
William morris was an English poet, craftsman and socialist. He was born in 1834, dying in 1896. He founded the socialist league and the kelmscott press.
Herbert Morrison was a British labour statesman. He was born in 1888, dying in 1965. He was home secretary during the second world war.
Samuel Morse was an American artist and inventor. He was born in 1791 and died in 1872. He invented the morse code and conceived the idea of a recording magnetic telegraph.
Moses was the founder and legislator of the Israelite nation. He delivered his people from Egypt.
The Mossi are the majority ethnic group living in Burkina Faso. Their social structure, based on a
monarchy and aristocracy, was established in the 11th century. The Mossi have been
prominent traders, using cowrie shells as currency. There are about 4 million speakers of
Mossi, a language belonging to the Gur branch of the Niger-Congo family.
Louis mountbatten was a British admiral and statesman. He was born in 1900, dying in 1979 when he was assasinated by the ira. He was chief of combined operations in 1942 and the last viceroy of India.
Modest Petrovich Moussorgsky was a Russian composer. He was born in 1835 at St. Petersburg and died in 1881.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an Austrian composer. He was born at Salzburg in 1756, dying in 1791. He began his career at the age of 4 and toured Europe when he was 6. In 1781 he settled in vienna and became friends with haydn.
MP is an abbreviation for member of parliament. An MP is a politician.
The Mpongwa are a native tribe of the Gabon.
Muhammad was the founder of Islam.
Edwin Muir was a Scottish poet. He was born in 1887 on Orkney and died in 1959.
Lewis Mumford is an American writer on town-planning and social problems. He was born in 1895.
Edvard Munch was a Norwegian painter. He was born in 1863 and died in 1944.
Baron Munchhausen was a German soldier. He was born in 1720 and died in 1797. He is remembered for telling exagerated tales about his adventures during the campaigns he served in. He is the feature of a book, The adventures of Baron Munchhausen written by rudolph Raspe in 1785.
The Munda are any one of several groups living in north east and central India, numbering about 5
million (1983). Their most widely spoken languages are Santali and Mundari, languages of
the Munda group, an isolated branch of the Austro-Asiatic family. The Mundas were formerly
nomadic hunter-gatherers, but now practise shifting cultivation. They are Hindus, but retain
animist beliefs.
Hector Hugo Munro (Saki) was a Britisj novelist. He was born in 1870 and died in 1916.
Bartolome Esteban Murillo was a Spanish painter. He was born in 1617 at Seville and died in 1682.
A Muslim is someone who professes the religion of Islam.
Alfred de Musset was a French romantic poet. He was born in 1810 and died in 1857.
Benito Mussolini was an Italian dictator. He was born in 1883 at Predappio and died in 1945 when he was executed by Italian Partisans. He founded the fascist movement in 1919 and sided with Hitler during the Second World War.
Mutsuhito was Emperor of Japan from 1867 until 1912. He was born in 1852 and died in 1912. He abolished the feudal system and modernised Japan with state schools, conscription and the Western calendar. Under his rule Japan became a world naval and military power. In 1889 he introduced a constitution.
Eadweard Muybridge (born Edward James Muggeridge) was a British photographer of animal locomotion. His photographs proved for the first time that when a horse trots there are times when all its feet are off the ground. He was born in 1830 and died in 1904.
Vladimir Nabokov is a Russian-born American author. He was born in 1899. He wrote Lolita.
The Naga are the various peoples who inhabit the highland region near the
Indian/Myanmar (Burma) border; they number approximately 800,000. These peoples do not
possess a common name; some of the main groups are Ao, Konyak, Sangtam, Lhota, Sema,
Rengma, Chang, and Angami. They live by farming, hunting, and fishing. Their languages
belong to the Sino-Tibetan family.
The nahua are an indigenous people of Mexico.
The Nahuatl are a group of Mesoamerican Indian peoples, of
which the best-known group were the Aztecs. The Nahuatl are the largest ethnic group in
Mexico, and their languages, which belong to the Uto-Aztecan (Aztec-Tanoan) family, are
spoken by over a million people today.
Nanak was an Indian guru who formed the religion of Sikhism. He was born in 1469 and died in 1539.
Fridtjof Nansen was a Norwegian scientist. He was born in 1861 and died in 1930. He explored the ploar regions and in 1921 organised relief for Russian famine victims. He won the Nobel peace prize in 1922.
John Napier was a Scottish mathematician. He was born in 1550 and died in 1617. He invented logarithms.
Napoleon Bonaparte was emperor of France. He was born in 1769 and died in 1821. In 1799 he overthrew the Directory and appointed himself dictator. He became emperor in 1804 and reigned until 1815. From 1803 he conquered most of Europe. He was finally overthrown following his defeat at Waterloo at the hands of Wellington's army and was exiled on the Island of St Helena.
Paul Nash was an English artist. He was born in 1899 at London and died in 1946.
Gamal Abdel Nasser was prime minister of Egypt from 1954 until 1956. He was born in 1918 and died in 1970.
The Natchez are an American Indian tribe of the Mississippi area. They were almost wiped out by the French in 1731. Today a few survive in Oklahoma.
The Navaho are a peaceable agricultural North American Indian people related to the Apache;
population about 200,000. Like the Apache, they speak a Southern Athabaskan language.
The Navajo are an American Indian tribe.
The nazis were a German fascist political party led by Hitler.
The Naenderthal were early human beings of the Palaeolithic period. The first Neanderthal skeleton was found in the Rhineland in 1857. They became extinct in 30,000 BC.
The Negrito are several groups living on various islands in south east Asia. The Negritos are long-
established inhabitants of the region. They include the cave-dwelling Vedda of Sri Lanka, the
Andamanese of the Andaman Islands, and the Semang of Malaysia.
Negroid refers to one of the three major races of humans,
mainly the indigenous peoples of Subsaharan Africa and some of the nearby islands in the
Indian Ocean and the west Pacific. General physical traits include dark eyes, tightly curled dark
hair, brown to very dark skin, little beard or body hair, low to medium-bridged wide noses, and
wide or everted lips.
Jawaharial Nehru was an Indian politician. He was born in 1889 and died in 1964. He dedicated himself to liberating India from British rule and then addressing the problem of poverty in India.
Neil Gordon Kinnock is a British MP. He was born in 1942 in Wales. He was secretary of state for employment between 1974 and 1975.
Horatio Nelson was an English naval commander. He was born in 1758 and died in 1805 from a sniper's gunshot at the battle of Trafalgar. Oddly, he suffered from sea sickness!
Nero (Claudius Caesar) was a Roman Emperor. He was born in 37 and died in 68. He was a cruel and unpopular Emperor and committed suicide after a successful revolt against him.
Thomas Newcomen was an English engineer. He was born in 1663 at Dartmouth and died in 1729. He developed the steam engine.
John Henry Newman was a British theologian. He was born in 1801 at London and died in 1890.
Sir Isaac Newton was an English scientist. He was born at Woolsthorpe in 1642, dying in 1727. He put forward the theory that the universe is regulated by simple mathematical laws.
Michel Ney was a French general. He was born in 1769 and died in 1815. He served under Napoleon at Jena, Borodino and Waterloo.
Sir William Nicholson was an English painter. He was born in 1872 at Newark and died in 1949.
Jean Nicot was French ambassador at the Portugese court. He was born in 1530 and died in 1600. He was presented, in Portugal with some tobacco plant seeds. He introduced tobacco into France in 1560. The botanical name Nicotiana is derived from his name.
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a German philosopher who originated the idea of a superman and the doctrine of perfectability of man through forcible self assertion and superiority.
Florence Nightingale was a Britsih nurse and reformer of hospital nursing. She was born in 1820 at Florence and died in 1910. She attended the sick durong the Crimean war.
Alfred Bernhard Nobel was a Swedish engineer and the inventor of dynamite. He was born in 1833 at Stockholm and died in 1896. On his death he left money that annual prizes in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and the cause of peace could be made (the Nobel prizes).
Joseph Nollekens was an English sculptor. He was born in 1737 and died in 1823.
Nordic is the ethnic designation for any of the various Germanic peoples, especially those of Scandinavia.
The physical type of Caucasoid described under that term is tall, long-headed, blue-eyed, fair
of skin and hair.
The Norsemen were early inhabitants of Norway. The term Norsemen is also applied to Scandinavian Vikings who
during the 8th-11th centuries raided and settled in Britain, Ireland, France, Russia, Iceland,
and Greenland.
The Norse religion (banned 1000) was recognized by the Icelandic government 1973.
The Nuba are a minority ethnic group living in south Sudan, numbering about 1 million (1991). They
speak related dialects of Nubian, which belongs to the Chari-Nile family.
The Nuba farm terraced fields in the Nuba mountains, to the west of the White Nile.
William Richard Morris Nuffield was a British industrialist and philanthropist. He was born in 1877 at Worcester and died in 1963.
The Nyanja are a central African people living mainly in Malawi, and numbering about 400,000. The Nyanja are predominantly farmers, living in villages under a hereditary monarchy.
They speak a Bantu language belonging to the Niger-Congo family.
Sean O'Casey was an Irish playwright. He was born in 1884 at Dublin and died in 1966.
Eugene Gladstone O'Neill was an American dramatist. He was born in 1888 at New York and died in 1954.
Lawrence Edward oates was an English antarctic explorer. He was born in 1880. He died by commiting suicide in a blizzard on the return journey from the south pole with scott so that the others would not be hampered by his frost-bite.
Oceanus was the son of Uranus and Gaea.
Ocypete was one of the harpies.
Offa was King of Mercia (a region of central England) around 790. He died in 796.
Jacques Offenbach was a German composer. He was born in 1819, dying in 1880. He wrote the opera tales of hoffmann.
Georg Ohm was a German physicist born in 1787, died 1854, who discovered ohm's Law.
Omar Khayyam was a Persian poet, mathematician and astronomer. He was born in 1050 and died in 1123.
John Opie was an English painter. He was born in Cornwall in 1761 and died in 1807.
J. Robert Oppenheimer was an American physicist and director of the Los Almos research project which made the first atomic bomb. He was born in 1904 and died in 1967.
An Orangeman is a member of the Ulter Protestant Orange Society which was formed in 1795 in opposition to the United Irishmen and the Roman Catholic secret societies. It is a revival of the Orange Institution of 1688 which was formed in support of William III of Orange. The Orangemen celebrate William III defeat of the Catholic James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
Sir William Orchardson was a British genre and portrait painter. He was born at Edinburgh in 1835 and died in 1910.
Baroness Emmusca Orczy was a Hungarian born novelist. She was born in 1865 and died in 1947. She is remembered for writing The Scarlet Pimpernel, which she wrote in 1905.
Francisco de Orellana was a Spanish soldier. He discovered the Amazon river, which was so named because he claimed that while travelling down the river he was attacked by a tribe of female warriors.
Robert Walpole, Earl of Orford was one of Britain's greatest statesmen. He was born in 1676 in Norfolk and died in 1745. He was a Whig politician who sought to bring the court and the House of Commons into working alliance.
Origen was a christian theologian and writer of the early christian church. He was born in Alexandria in 185 and died in 254.
The Oriya are the majority ethnic group living in the Indian state of Orissa. Oriya is Orissa's
official language; it belongs to the Eastern group of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-
European family.
Eleanor Anne Ormerod was an English entomologist and the author of "Textbook of Agricultural Entomology" published in 1892. She was born in 1828 and died in 1901.
Jose Clemente Orozco was a Mexican painter. He was born in 1883 and died in 1949.
Orpheus was the son of Apollo and Calliope. He was born at Thrace; journeyed with the Argonauts and kept his companions safe by means of his lyre given to him by Apollo.
Felice Orsini was an Italian patriot. He was born in 1819 and was executed in 1858 in Paris for attempting to assasinate Napoleon III.
George Orwell was an English writer. He was born in 1905 in India and died in 1950. He wrote Nineteen Eighty Four and Animal Farm (the book, not the video).
John James Osborne is a Britsih playwright and actor. He was born in 1929. He wrote Look Back In Anger.
Osman Digna was originally a slave-dealer at Suakin, he graduated to become leader of the Sudan tribesman. He was born in 1836 and died in 1900.
Haarlem Ostade was a Dutch painter born in 1610, he died in 1685. He was a pupil of Franz Hals and was later influenced by Rembrandt. Isaac Ostade was a Dutch painter born in 1621 and died in 1649.
Otto I, or Otto The Great as he was known was Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. He was born in 912 and died in 973. He was the son of Henry The Fowler. In 936 he was elected king of Germany.
Otto II was the son of Otto I. He was Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. He was born in 955 and died in 983.
Otto III was Emperor of The Holy Roman Empire. He was born in 980 and died in 1002. He sought to revive the greatness of the Roman Empire, but was frustrated by a general revolt in Italy in 1001.
Otto IV was son of Henry The Lion and Matilda of England. He was born in 1175 and died in 1218. He was Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. He was excommunicated in 1210 for annexing Apulia.
Thomas Otway was an English dramatist. He was born in 1652 at Trotton in Sussex and died in 1685. He is renowned for his work "Venice Preserved".
Nicolas Charles Oudinot was born in 1767 and died in 1847. He was Duke of Reggio and became Marshal of France in 1809.
Walter William Ouless was an English portrait painter. He was born in 1848 at St Helier on Jersey.
Sir Frederick Ouseley was an English composer. He was born in 1825 in London and died in 1889. He mainly wrote church music.
Sir James Outram was a British soldier. He was born in 1803 and died in 1863. He carried out a famous ride in disguise through Afghanistan in 1839 during the Afghan war. He distinguished himself during the Indian mutiny.
Publius Ovidius Naso Ovid was a Roman poet. He was born in 43BC and died in 17AD. He was born at Sulmo the son of a Roman knight and was educated in Rome with a view to a legal career.
Robert Owen was an English socialist reformer. He was born in 1771 and died in 1858. He wrote "A New View Of Society" published in 1813.
John Oxenham was an English author of romantic novels and adventure stories. His works include "John of Gerisau" and "The Man Who Would Save The World".
Prince Iwao Oyama was a Japanese Samurai soldier-statesman. He was born in 1842 and died in 1916. He was attache with the German army during the Franco-German war.
Vladimir Pachmann was a Russian pianist and interpreter of Chopin. He was born in 1848.
Ignance Jan Paderewski was a Polish musician. He was born in 1860 at Kurilowka and died in 1941.
Nicolo Paganini was an Italian violinist and composer. He was born in 1784 and died in 1840. He was the founder of the modern school of violin-playing.
Sir James Paget was a British surgeon and lecturer. He was born in 1814 and died in 1899. He worked at St Bartholomew's hospital, London.
Barry Pain was an English journalist and humours author. He was born in 1867 and died in 1928. He became editor of "To-day" in 1897. Thomas Pain was an English author and agitator. He was born in 1737 and died in 1809. He published "Common Sense" in 1776 which advocated American Independence.
Thomas Paine was an English writer on politics and religion. He was born in 1737 in Norfolk and died in 1809.
Sir George Paish was a British economist. He was born in 1867. He was assistant editor of the "Statist" from 1894 to 1900. He wrote "Railways in Great Britain" published in 1904.
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian composer. He was born in 1524 and died in 1594. His works include Marcellus Mass.
William Paley was an English theologian. He was born in 1743 and died in 1805. In 1782 he became archdeacon of Carlisle. He wrote "Evidences of Christianity" in 1794.
Sir Francis Palgrave was an English historian. He was born in 1788 and died in 1861. He wrote "History of England". Francis Turner Palgrave was the son of Sir Francis Palgrave. He was an English critic and poet. He was professor of poetry at Oxford from 1886 to 1895. He was born in 1824 and died in 1897.
The Palikur are a South American Indian people living in north Brazil and numbering about 1 million. Formerly a warlike people, they occupied a vast area between the Amazon and
Orinoco rivers.
Bernard Palissy was a French potter and glass painter. He discovered how to manufacture enamel. He was born in 1510 and died in 1589.
Edward Henry Palmer was a British Orientalist. He was born in 1840 and died in 1882. His works include "Oriental Mysticism" published in 1867.
Henry John Temple Palmerston was an English statesman. He was born in 1784 in Jampshire and died in 1865. He became Conservative MP for Newport in 1807 but in 1828 switched sides to the Liberals.
The Pauan are natives to or inhabitants of Papua New Guinea; a speaker of any of various Papuan languages,
used mainly on the island of New Guinea, although some 500 are used in New Britain, the
Solomon Islands, and the islands of the SW Pacific. The Papuan languages belong to the
Indo-Pacific family.
Phillippus Aureolus Paracelsus was a Swiss alchemist and physician. He was born in 1493 and died in 1541. He was the first to note occupational diseases.
Paris was a Trojan prince whose abduction of Helen of Sparta caused the Trojan war.
Francesco Parmigianino was an Italian painter. He was born in 1503 at Parma and died in 1540.
Charles Stewart Parnell was an Irish nationalist politician. He was born in 1846 at Avondale and died in 1891.
Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician.
Louis Pasteur was a French scientist. He was born in 1822 at Dole and died in 1895. He founded the modern theory of bacteria.
Walter Pater was an English critic. He was born in 1839 and died in 1894.
The Pathan are a people of north west Pakistan and Afghanistan, numbering about 14 million (1984).
The majority are Sunni Muslims. The Pathans speak Pashto, a member of the Indo-Iranian
branch of the Indo-European family.
The Pathans comprise distinct groups, some living as nomads with herds of goats and
camels, while others are farmers.
Coventry Kersey Dighton Patmore was an English poet. He was born in 1823 and died in 1896.
Ivan Petrovich Pavlov was a Russian psychologist. He was born in 1849 at Ryazan and died in 1936. He conducted work into conditioned reflexes using dogs.
Sir Robert Peel was an English statesman. He was born in 1788 at Bury and died in 1850. As Home Secretary he reformed the prison service and established the Metropolitan Police Force. He was twice Prime Minister, in 1834 and from 1841 until 1846.
William Penn was an English quaker and the founder of Pennsylvania. He was born in 1644, dying in 1718.
Sir William George Penney is a British atomic scientist. He was born in 1909 at Gibraltar.
Samuel Pepys was an English diarist. He was born in 1633 at London and died in 1703.
Pericles was an Arthenian ruler and orator. He was born in 490BC and died in 429BC.
Sir William Henry Perkin was an English chemist. He was born in 1838 and died in 1907. He discovered aniline dyes.
Juan Peron is an Argentine army officer. He was president of Argentina from 1946 until 1955.
Marshal Henri Philippe Petain was a French soldier. He was born in 1856 at Normandy and died in 1951. He headed the Vichy government which collaborated with the Germans after the fall of France during the second World War.
Peter The Great was a Czar of Russia. He was born in 1672 and died in 1725.
Francesco di Petracco (Petrarch) was an Italian poet and scholar. He was born in 1304 and died in 1374.
Pharaoh was the title of the ruler of Ancient Egypt.
The Pharisee were a Jewish sect from 1BC to 1AD which were charcterized by their strict observance of the traditional and written laws.
Pheidias was a Greek sculptor. He was born in 500BC and died in 433BC.
Pablo Picasso was a Spanish artist born in 1881, dying in 1973.
Auguste Piccard was a Belgian scientist. He was born in 1884 at Lutry and died in 1962.
Piero was an Italian painter. He was born in 1420 and died in 1492. He painted frescoes in Florence and at Loretto.
Percy Pilcher, an Englishman, may be said to have invented the hang glider. During the late 19th century he invented a man launched glider.
Harold Pinter is a British playwright. He was born in 1930 in London. His plays include The Caretaker and The Birthday Party.
John Piper is an English painter born at Epsom in 1903.
Luigi Pirandello was an Italian writer. He was born in 1867 at Girgenti and died in 1936. He won the Nobel prize for literature in 1934.
Giovanni Battista Piranesi was an Italian architect. He was born in 1720 in Venice and died in 1778.
Niccala Pisano was an Italin sculptor. He was born in 1220 and died in 1280. He created reliefs such as those on the pulpit in Pisa Cathedral.
William Pitt was a Whig politician. He was born in 1708 and died in 1778.
Max planck was a German scientist. He was born at Kiel in 1858, dying in 1947. He won the nobel prize for physics in 1918.
Plato was an ancient Greek philosopher. He was born in 427bc, dying in 347bc.
Titus Marcius Plautus was a Roman comic poet. He was born in 254BC and died in 184BC.
Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer. He was born in 1809 at Boston and died in 1849. He wrote a number of horror and crime novels.
Poena was the attendant of punishment to nemesis.
Antonio Pollaiuolo was an Italian goldsmith, sculptor and painter. He was born in 1429 and died in 1498.
Marco Polo was a Venetian traveller. He was born in 1256, dying in 1323. He travelled through various eastern countries.
The pope is the leader of the Roman catholic church.
alexander pope was an English poet. He was born in London in 1688, dying in 1744. He is remembered for his satire.
The Potiguara are a group of South American Indians living in north west Brazil, and numbering about 1
million. Their language belongs to the Tupi-Guarani family. Their religion is centered
around a shaman, who mediates between the people and the spirit world.
Nicolas poussin was a French painter. He was born in 1593, dying in 1665.
John cowper powys was an English writer. He was born in 1872, dying in 1964.
Rajendra prasad was the first president of the republic of India between 1950 and 1962. He was born in 1884, dying in 1963.
Praxiteles was a 4th century bc Greek sculptor. He carved hermes carrying dionysus.
Joseph priestley was an English chemist. He was born in 1733, dying in 1804. He worked on gasses and discovered oxygen as did scheele. He moved to America in 1794.
Sergei Prokofiev was a Russian composer. He was born in 1891 in the Ukraine and died in 1953.
A prophet is some one who claims to reveal or interpret god's will.
Marcel Proust was a French novelist. He was born in 1871 at Paris and died in 1922.
A Provost is the chief magistrate in a Royal burgh in Scotland. His position is like that of an English Mayor.
Giacomo Puccini was an Italian opera composer. He was born at Lucca in 1858, dying in 1924.
The Pueblo were a tribe of American Indians which lived in New Mexico and Arizona. They were a farming tribe.
Pueblo Indian is a generic name for a member of any of the farming groups of the south west USA and north Mexico, living
in communal villages of flat-topped adobe or stone structures arranged in terraces. Surviving groups include the Hopi and the Zuni.
Augustus Welby Pugin was an English architect. He was born in 1812 in London and died in 1852.
Joseph Pulitzer was an American newspaper proprietor and philanthropist. He was born in 1847 in Hungary and died in 1911.
William Pulteney was 1st Earl of Bath. He was born in 1684 and died in 1764. He led the opposition against Walpole, and became prime minister in 1741.
Henry Purcell was an English composer born in London in 1659. He died in 1695.
The Puritans were a group of religious people who wanted what they perceived to be extreme purity in church services. They observed a strict code of behaviour with few amusements.
Alexander pushkin was a Russian poet. He was born at Moscow in 1799. He died in 1837 from wounds received duelling.
John Pym was an English parliamentary leader. He was born in 1584, dying in 1643. He opposed Charles I.
Pythagoras was a Greek philosopher. He was born on the island of samos in 582bc, dying in 500bc.