People and Peoples (Q-Z)
People and Peoples (Q-Z)
The Quadi were a Teutonic tribe who lived on the Danube between the Carpathian Mountains and Theiss. They waged war against the Romans and disappeared in the 5th century after moving west with the Suevi.
In ancient Rome, the quaestors were magistrates responsible for the management of public treasure. They received taxes and tribunes, paid the troops. At the time of Julius Caesar there were 40 quaestors.
Savatore Quasimodo was an Italian poet. He was born in 1901, dying in 1968.
The Quechua are the largest group of South American Indians. The Quechua live in the Andean
region. Their ancestors included the Inca, who established the Quechua language in the
region. Quechua is the second official language of Peru and is widely spoken as a lingua
franca in Ecuador, Bolivia, Columbia, Argentina, and Chile; it belongs to the Andean-
Equatorial family.
Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch was a British critic and novelist. He was born in 1863 at Fowey and ied in 1944. He wrote Dead Man's Rock.
Roger Quilter was a British composer. He was born in 1877 at Brighton and died in 1953.
Vidkun Quisling was a Norwegian traitor and puppet minister. He was born in 1887 and died in 1945 when he was executed following the liberation of Norway.
A rabbi is the chief religious leader of a synagogue.
Francois Rabelais was a French satirist. He was born in 1490 at Chinon and died in 1553.
Sergi Rachmaninov was a Russian composer born near lake ilman in 1873. He died in 1943. He wrote pieces for the piano.
Jean Racine was a French dramatist and poet. He was born in 1639 at La Ferte-Milon and died in 1699.
Sir Henry Raeburn was a Scottish portrait painter. He was born in 1756 and died in 1823.
The Rajput are a Hindu people, predominantly soldiers and landowners, widespread over north India.
The Rajput states of north west India are now merged in Rajasthan.
Rajastani languages belong to the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European family.
Sir Walter Raleigh was an English soldier, explorer and author. He was born in 1552 near Sidmouth and died in 1618.
Jean-Philippe Rameau was a French composer. He was born in 1683 and died in 1764.
Sir William Ramsay was a Scottish scientist. He was born in 1852 in Glasgow and died in 1916. He discovered the inert gases which include helium, argon and neon.
Raphael was an Italian painter of the renaissance period.
Knud Johan Victor Rasmussen was a Danish arctic explorer. He was born in 1879 at Jakobshavn and died in 1933. He made a number of journeys into the arctic circle to study the lives of the Eskimos.
Gregory Rasputin was a Russian courtier. He was born in 1871 in Siberia and died in 1916 when he was assasinated by members of the Court.
Maurice Ravel was a French composer. He was born in 1875 at Cibourne and died in 1937.
John Ray was an English naturalist. He was born in 1627, dying in 1705. He produced a classification of plants.
Charles Reade was a British novelist and dramatist. He was born in 1814 at Ipsden and died in 1884. He wrote The Cloister and the Hearth.
Regent Albany was King of Scotland from 1406 to 1419.
Regent Murdoch was King of Scotland from 1419 to 1424.
Rembrandt was a 17th century Dutch painter.
Philo Remington invented the typewriter and also the breach loading rifle.
Renoir was a French impressionist painter.
Paul Julius Reuter was a German newsman. He was born in 1816 at Kassel and died in 1899. He founded the Reuter's news agency.
Paul Revere was an American soldier and patriot. He was born in 1735 at Boston and died in 1818. In april 1775 he rode from Boston to Concorde to warn the population of the approach of British troops.
Sir Joshua Reynolds was an English portrait painter. He was born in 1723 near Plymouth and died in 1792.
Cecil John Rhodes was a South African statesman. He was born in 1853 at Bishop's Stortford and died in 1902.
Richard was King of England from 1189 to 1199.
Richard II was son of Edward The Black Prince and King of England from 1371 to 1399.
Richard III was King of England from 1483 to 1485.
Richard Savage was an English poet believed to be the illegitimate son of Lord Rivers and the Countess of Macclesfield. He died in 1743.
Samuel Richardson was an English novelist. He was born in 1689 and died in 1761. He wrote Pamela.
Armand Duplessis Richelieu was a French churchman and statesman. He was born in 1585 in Paris and died in 1642. In 1624 he became minister of state to Louis XIII and dominated the weak King, ruling France himself.
Nicholas Ridley was an English protestant martyr. He was born in 1500, dying in 1555 when he was burnt at the stake.
Cola di Rienzi was an Italian patriot. He was born in rome in 1313. He led a popular uprising in 1347, reigned for seven months and then had to flee. He was eventually murdered in 1354.
Rainer Maria Rilke was an Austrian poet. He was born in 1875 at Prague and died in 1926.
Arthur Rimbaud was a Belgian poet. He was born in 1854 in the Ardennes and died in 1891.
Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov was a Russian composer. He was born in 1844 at Novogrod and died in 1908.
Rinaldo was a famous character in mediaeval romance. He was one of four sons of Aymom, cousin to Orlando and a brave knight of the Charlemagne.
Adelaide Ristori was an Italian tragedy actress. She was born in 1822 and died in 1906. She wrote "Studies and Memois".
Diego Rivera was a Mexican painter. He was born in 1886 at Guanajuato and died in 1957.
Briton Riviere was a British painter of animals. He was born in 1840 amd died in 1920.
Rob Roy (Robert McGregor) was a Scottish freebooter. He was born in 1671, dying in 1734. He helped the poor at the expense of the rich and played a lone role in the jacobite uprising of 1715.
Sir John Michael De Robeck was a British admiral. He was born in 1862 and died in 1928. He commanded the naval force at Dardanelles.
Robert (Bruce) was King of Scotland from 1306 to 1329.
Robert I, Duke of Normandy was the father of William the Conqueror and aide to Edward The Confessor. He died in 1035 while returning from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
Robert II was King of Scotland from 1371 to 1390.
Robert III was King of Scotland from 1390 to 1406.
David Roberts was a Scottish landscape and architectural painter. He was born in 1796 and died in 1864. John Roberts was an English billiard player. He was born in 1847 and died in 1919. He first won the world championship in 1875. He was one of the greatest billiard players of the time, setting a record of a break of 597 in 1900 with bonzoline balls. He stopped competing after the rules were changed in 1898.
Sir William Robertson was the only British soldier to join as a private and make field-marshal. He was born in 1860, dying in 1933.
Robespierre was a politician of the French revolution.
Robin Hood was an English mediaeval hero frequently mentioned in 14th century literature. He was depicted as a brave and chivalrous adventurer who had his head-quarters in Sherwood Forest.
William Heath Robinson was an English cartoonist renowned for his humorous drawings of machines. He was born in 1872, dying in 1944.
John Wilmot Rochester was an English poet and wit. He was bron in 1648, dying in 1680. Rockefeller
John Davison Rockefeller was an American who made a fortune from petroleum.
John Davison Rockefeller was an American who made a fortune from petroleum.
Edouard Rod was a Swiss psychological novelist. He was born in 1857 and died in 1910.
Auguste Rodin was a French impressionist sculptor. He was born in 1840 and died in 1917.
George Brydges Rodney was an English admiral who defeated the Spanish fleet off cape st. Vincent in 1780. He was born in 1718, dying in 1792.
Sir Thomas Roe was a famous English ambassador to the West Indies and Brazil. He was born in 1568 and died in 1644.
Roger Hollis was director of MI5, and alleged by Peter Wright (in his book "Spy Catcher") to have been a Russian spy.
Samuel Rogers was an English poet. He was born in 1763 and died in 1855. He was the son of a banker. He was offered the laureateship when Wordsworth died in 1850.
A rogue is an idle vagrant.
The Rohillas were an Afghan tribe who made themselves masters of Rohikhand in the 18th century, but were subdued in 1774 by the Nawab of Oudh assisted by a British force.
A Roman was an inhabitant of ancient Rome.
The Romanys are a nomadic Caucasoid people, also called Gypsy. They are believed to have originated in north west
India, and live throughout the world. The Romany language (spoken in different dialects in
every country where Gypsies live) is a member of the Indo-European family.
Erwin Rommel was a German Field Marshal of the 2nd world war.
George Romney was an English portrait painter. He was born in 1734 in Lancashire and died in 1802.
Romulus was the founder of Rome.
Pierre de Ronsard was a French poet. He was born in 1524, dying in 1585.
Konrad Wilhelm Rontgen was a German physicist who discovered x-rays. He was born in 1845, dy ng in 1923.
Sir George Rooke was a British admiral. He was born in 1650 and died in 1709. He commanded the squadron which relieved Londonderry in 1689.
Albrecht Theodor Count Von Roon was a Prussian soldier. He was born in 1803 and died in 1879. He was German minister of war from 1859 until 1873.
Theodore Roosevelt was president of the United States. He was born in 1858, dying in 1919.
franklin Delano Roosevelt was president of the United States. He was born in 1882, dying in 1945. He was opposed to war, and held the philosophy of talk soft, but carry a big stick.
Carl August Nicholas Rosa was an operatic impresario. He was born in Hamburg in 1843 and died in 1889.
Antonio Rosmini-Serbati was an Italian philosopher. He was born at Rovereto in 1797 and died in 1855. He founded the Rosminians.
James Clark Ross was an English admiral and Antarctic explorer. He was born in 1800, dying in 1862.
Dante Gabriel Rossetti was an English painter and poet. He was born at London in 1828 and died in 1882. William Michael Rossetti was the brother of Dante Gabriele Rossetti. He was an English author. He was born in 1829 and died in 1919.
Gioacchino Antonio Rossini was an Italian operatic composer. He was born in 1792 and died in 1868.
Edmond Rostand was a French poet and dramatist. He was born in 1868 and died in 1918.
Jean Jacques Rousseau was a French philosopher and writer. He was the pioneer of the Romantic Movement. He was born in 1712 and died in 1778. Henri Rousseau was a French painter. He was born in 1844 and died in 1910.
Thomas Rowlandson was an English caricaturist. He was born in 1756 and died in 1827.
Sir Peter Paul Rubens was a flemish painter. He was born in 1577, dying in 1640.
Anton Grigorovich Rubinstein was a Russian composer and pianist. He was born in 1829, dying in 1894.
Heinrich Daniel Ruhmkorff was a German electrician. He was born in 1803 and died in 1877. He invented a thermo-electric battery in 1844.
Jacob van Ruisdael was a Dutch painter. He was born in 1628 in Haarlem and died in 1682.
Benjamin Thompson Rumford was an Anglo-American scientist. He was born in 1753 in Massachusetts and died in 1814.
John Ruskin was a British writer and art critic. He was born in 1819 in London and died in 1900.
Bertrand Arthur William Russel was a British philosopher and mathematician. He was born in 1872 in Trelleck and died in 1970.
A Russian is an inhabitant of Russia.
Ernest Rutherford was a British scientist. He was born in 1871 in New Zealand and died in 1937. He won the Nobel prize for chemistry in 1908 for his work with radium.
The Saami (Lapp) are a group of herding people living in north Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula, and
numbering about 46,000. Some are nomadic, others lead a more settled way of life.
They live by herding reindeer, hunting, fishing, and producing handicrafts. Their language
belongs to the Finno-Ugric family. Their religion is basically animist, but incorporates
elements of Christianity.
Rafael Sabatini was an Anglo-Italian writer. He was born in 1875 and died in 1950. He wrote Captain Blood, and The Sea Hawk.
Hans sachs was a German poet. He was born at Nuremberg in 1494, dying in 1576.
Julius von sachs was a German botanist. He was born in 1832, dying in 1897. He demonstrated that chlorophyll is formed in chloroplasts only in light.
Mohammed Anwar el Sadat was presidant of Egypt. He was born in 1919, dying in 1981 when he was assassinated.
Camille Saint-Saens was a French composer. He was born in 1835 in Paris and died in 1921.
Saladin was sultan of Egypt and Syria. He was born in 1137, dying in 1193. He conquered Jerusalem in 1187 and caused the 3rd crusade to take place.
Sallust was a Roman historian. He was born in 86BC and died in 35BC.
The Samaritan are descendants of the colonists forced to settle in Samaria (now north Israel) by the
Assyrians after their occupation of the ancient kingdom of Israel in 722 BC.
The samurai are a Japanese military caste.
The San (formerly Bushman) are a small group of hunter-gatherer peoples living in and around
the Kalahari Desert. Their language belongs to the Khoisan family.
George Sand was a French writer. He was born in 1804 in Paris and died in 1876.
Carl Sandburg was an American poet. He was born in 1878 at Galesburg and died in 1969.
George Santayana was an American philosopher. He was born in 1863 in Madrid and died in 1952.
Victorien Sardou was a French dramatist. He was born in 1831, dying in 1908.
Jean-Paul Sartre is a French philosopher, playwright and novelist. He was born in 1905.
Siegfried Sassoon was an English writer. He was born in 1886 and died in 1967. He wrote poetry during the Great War which revealed the horror and wasteful destruction of the war.
Abdul Azziz Ibn Saud was King of Saudi Arabia. He was born in 1880 in Central Arabia and died in 1953.
Girolamo Savonarola was an Italian religious reformer. He was born in 1452 at Ferrara and died in 1498 when he was hanged for criticising Pope Alexander VI.
Domenico Scarlatti was an Italian composer. He was born in 1685 at Naples and died in 1757.
Sir Edward Schafer was a British physiologist. He was born in 1850. He worked at Edinburgh university and gave a famous address on the origin of life at Dundee in 1912. He was knighted in 1913.
Carl wilhelm scheele was a Swedish chemist. He was born in 1742, dying in 1786. He discovered oxygen as did priestley.
Johann Christoph Friedrich Von Schiller was a German dramatist and poet. He was born in 1759 in Wurttemberg and died in 1805.
Arnold Schonberg was an Austrian composer. He was born in 1874 and died in 1951.
Arthur Schopenhauer was a German philosopher. He was born in 1788 at Danzig and died in 1860.
Franz Schubert was an Austrian composer. He was born in 1797 in Vienna and died in 1828.
Robert Schumann was a German composer. He was born in 1810 at Zwickau and died in 1856.
Albert Schweitzer was an Austrian doctor, writer, and religious thinker. He was born in 1875 and died in 1964.
Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist. He was born in 1771 at Edinburgh and died in 1832.
Adam Sedgwick was an English geologist. He was born in 1785, dying in 1873. He mapped the rocks of the lake District in 1822.
The Seminoles are a north American tribe of Indians. They are an offshoot of the Choctaw Muskogee tribe. They settled in Florida in 1750.
The Semites are the peoples of the Middle East originally speaking a Semitic language, and
traditionally said to be descended from Shem, a son of Noah in the Bible. Ancient Semitic
peoples include the Hebrews, Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, Babylonians, Assyrians,
Chaldaeans, Phoenicians, and Canaanites. The Semitic peoples founded the monotheistic
religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
They speak languages of the Hamito-Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic family.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca was a Roman philosopher, dramatist and statesman. He was born in 4BC at Cordova and died in 65.
Aloys senefelder was a German inventor.
The serbs are Yugoslavia's largest ethnic group, found mainly in Serbia, but also in the
neighboring independent republics of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia. Their language,
generally recognized to be the same as Croat and hence known as Serbo-Croatian, belongs
to the Slavic branch of the Indo-European family. It has more than 17 million speakers.
The Serbs are predominantly Greek Orthodox Christians and write in a Cyrillic script.
The Serjeant-at-Arms is an officer of the House of Commons who has responsibility for keeping order. If the speaker orders a member to leave, the Serjeant-at-Arms must see that the member leaves.
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton was an Antarctic explorer. He was born in 1874 at Kilkee and died in 1922 of heart-failure whilst on Scott's third expedition to the south-pole.
William shakespear was an English dramatist and poet. He was born in stratford upon avon in 1564, dying in 1616.
William Shakespeare was an English dramatist and poet. He was born in Stratford Upon Avon in 1564, dying in 1616.
The Shan are a people of the mountainous borderlands separating Thailand, Myanmar (Burma),
and China. They are related to the Laos and Thais, and their language belongs to the Sino-
Tibetan family.
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish writer. He was born in 1856 in Dublin and died in 1950.
Mary Shelley (Mary Godwin) was the daughter of William Godwin. She was born in 1797, dying in 1851. She is remembered for writing frankenstein.
Percy Bysshe Shelley was an English poet. He was born in 1792 at Warnham and died in 1822.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan was a Britsh dramatist. He was born in 1751 in Dublin and died in 1816.
W.t. Sherman was an American soldier of the American civil war. An American tank of the second world war was named after him.
The sherpa are a people of north east Nepal.
The Shona are a Bantu-speaking people of south Africa, comprising approximately 80% of the
population of Zimbabwe. They also occupy the land between the Save and Pungure rivers in
Mozambique, and smaller groups are found in South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia. The
Shona are mainly farmers, living in scattered villages. The Shona language belongs to the
Niger-Congo family.
Dmitri Shostakovich is a Russian composer. He was born in 1906 at Leningrad. He wrote his 7th symphony in Leningrad whilst helping with the defence of the city against the Germans during the Second World War.
Jan Sibelius was a Finnish composer. He was born in 1865 at Tavastehus and died in 1958.
Walter Richard Sickert was an English artist. He was born in 1860 and died in 1942.
Sarah Siddons was an English actress. She was born in 1755, dying in 1831. She played with garrick's company at drury lane in 1775.
Sir Philip Sidney was an English poet, soldier and courtier. He was born in 1554 and died in 1586.
Henryk Sienkiewicz was a Polish novelist. He was born in 1846 and died in 1916.
The Sikhs are a group of people from Punjab who follow the religion of Baba Nanak.
Sir Clive Sinclair is the English electronics genius who produced the first widely available pocket calculator and a series of home computers.
The Sindhi are the majority ethnic group living in the Pakistani province of Sind. The Sindhi
language is spoken by about 15 million people.
Isaac Merritt Singer was an American engineer. He was born in 1811 and died in 1875. He developed and patented a single-thread and chain-stitching sewing machine.
The Sinhalese are the majority ethnic group of Sri Lanka (70% of the population). Sinhalese is the
official language of Sri Lanka; it belongs to the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European
family, and is written in a script derived from the Indian Pali form. The Sinhalese are
Buddhists.
The Sioux are a north American Indian tribe.
Sitting Bull was a great leader of the sioux.
John Skelton was an English poet. He was born in 1460 at Diss and died in 1529.
Felix Slade was an English art colllector. He was born in 1790, dying in 1868.
The Slavs are an Indo-European people in central and east Europe, the Balkans, and parts of north
Asia, speaking closely related Slavonic languages. The ancestors of the Slavs are believed to
have included the Sarmatians and Scythians. Moving west from Central Asia, they settled in
east and south east Europe during the 2nd and 3rd millennia BC.
Mary Slessor was a Britsh missionary. She was born in 1848 and died in 1915.
Sir Hans Sloane was a collector of books and physician. He was born in Ireland in 1660. Upon his death in 1753 he left his 50000 volumes of books and manuscripts under his will to the nation, thus forming the British library.
The Slovene are the Slavic people of Slovenia and parts of the Austrian Alpine provinces of Styria
and Carinthia. There are 1.5-2 million speakers of Slovene, a language belonging to the
South Slavonic branch of the Indo-European family. The Slovenes use the Roman alphabet
and the majority belong to the Roman Catholic Church.
Adam Smith was a Scottish economist. He was born in 1723 at Kirkcaldy and died in 1790. He wrote the first scientific work on the principles of economy, "The Wealth of Nations".
Sir Matthew Smith was an English painter. He was born in 1879 at Halifax and died in 1959.
Tobias Smollett was a British novelist. He was born in 1721 at Dalquhurne and died in 1771.
Jan Christiaan Smuts was a South African statesman. H was born in 1870 and died in 1950. He was South African Prime Minister from 1919 until 1924.
Ethel Mary Smyth was an English composer and suffragette. She was born in 1858, dying in 1944. She wrote the opera the wreckers.
Sir John Soane was an English architect and collector. He was born in 1753 near Reading and died in 1837.
Socrates was a Greek philosopher. He was born in 469BC and died in 399BC.
Frederick Soddy was an English scientist. He was born in 1877 at Eastbourne and died in 1956. He was a pioneer in the study of radioactive substances.
Solomon was the third King of the Hebrews. He lived around 960BC.
Sophocles was a Greek dramatist. He was born in 496BC at Colonus and died in 406BC.
The Sotho are a large ethnic group in southern Africa, numbering about 7 million and
living mainly in Botswana, Lesotho, and South Africa. The Sotho are predominantly farmers,
living in small village groups. They speak a variety of closely related languages belonging to
the Bantu branch of the Niger-Congo family. With English, Sotho is the official language of
Lesotho.
John Philip Sousa was an American composer. He was born in 1854 at Washington and died in 1932. he is famous for his military marches.
Robert Southey was an English poet and writer. He was born in 1774 and died in 1843.
A Sovereign is a supreme ruler, especially it is a term applied to a monarch
Spartacus was a Roman gladiator and slave. He escaped and led a slave insurrection routing several Roman armies before he was killed by crassus.
Herbert Spencer was a British philosopher. He was born in 1820 at derby and died in 1903.
Stanley Spencer was an English painter. He was born in 1891 and died in 1959.
Oswald Spengler was a German philosopher. he was born in 1880 at Blankenburg and died in 1936.
Edmund Spenser was an English poet. He was born in 1552 in London and died in 1599.
St Anselm was an archbishop of Canterbury. He was born in 1033 and died in 1109.
Chris Stein was lead guitarist with the 70's punk rock band Blondie.
John Ernest Steinbeck was an American novelist. He was born in 1902 and died in 1968.
Stendhal was a French novelist. He was born in 1783 and died in 1842.
Stephen was King of England from 1135 to 1154.
George Stephenson was an English engineer. He was born at Wylam in 1781, dying in 1848. He is remembered for designing locomotives. In 1829 his locomotive called the rocket ran at 30mph and won a prize.
Laurence Sterne was a British novelist. He was born in 1713 and died in 1768.
Robert Stevenson was a Scottish engineer. He was born in 1772, dying in 1850. He invented the flashing light for use in lighthouses.
Robert Louis Stevenson was a Scottish author. He was born at edinburgh in 1850, dying in 1894. He wrote treasure island, kidnapped, Dr jekyll and Mr hyde, and the Master of Ballantrae.
Stheino was one of the gorgons.
Bram Stoker was an Irish author. He was born in 1847, dying in 1912. He wrote the novel Dracula.
Sir George Gabriel Stokes was an Irish mathematician and physicist to whom is due the modern theory of viscuous fluids and the discovery that rays beyond the violet end of the spectrum produce flourescence in certain substances. He was born in 1819 and died in 1903.
Marie Carmichael Stopes was the English pioneer of birth control. She was born in 1880, dying in 1958. Her book married love was published in 1918.
Nicholas Storck (Storch?) was a fanatical German preacher. He formed the anabaptists in 1521 and excited rebellion of the German lower orders which was quelled with force in 1525.
Harriet Beecher Stowe was an American author. She was born in 1811, dying in 1896. Her book uncle tom's cabin was published in 1852 in which she exposed slavery.
Antonio Stradivari was an Italian maker of violins. He was born at Cremona in 1644, dying in 1737. His violins are the finest ever made.
Johann Strauss was a 19th century Austrian composer.
Richard Strauss was a German composer. he was born in 1864 and died in 1949.
Igor Stravinsky was a Russian composer. He was born in 1882, dying in 1971. He wrote several ballets.
August Strindberg was a Swedish writer. He was born in 1849 and died in 1912.
Suffragettes were the members of the women's suffrage movement who campaigned for women to be allowed to vote. The movement was abolished in 1918 when women aged 30 were allowed to vote.
Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan was an English composer. He was born in 1842 and died in 1900.
Sun Yat-Sen was a Chinese statesman. He was born in 1866 and died in 1925.
Franz von Suppe was an Austrian composer. He was born in 1819 in Dalmatia and died in 1895.
Graham Sutherland is an English painter.
The swazi are the majority group of people in Swaziland. The Swazi are primarily engaged in
cultivating and raising livestock, but many work in industries in South Africa. The Swazi
language belongs to the Bantu branch of the Niger-Congo family.
Emanuel Swedenborg was a Swedish religious thinker. He was in 1688 and died in 1772.
Jonathan Swift was an Irish writer. He was born in 1667 in Dublin and died in 1745. He wrote Gulliver's Travels which was an attack on the English society of the time.
Algernon Charles Swinburne was an English poet. He was born in 1837 and died in 1909.
John Millington Synge was an Irish dramatist. He was born in 1871 at Rathfarnham and died in 1909.
Conelius Tacitus was a Roman historian. He was born in 55 and died in 120.
The Tagalog are the majority ethnic group living around Manila on the island of Luzon, in the
Philippines, who number about 10 million. The Tagalog live by fishing and trading. In
its standardized form, known as Pilipino, Tagalog is the official language of the Philippines,
and belongs to the Western branch of the Austronesian family. The Tagalog religion is a
mixture of animism, Christianity, and Islam.
Sir Rabindranath Tagore was an Indian poet. He was born in 1861 and died in 1941.
The Tai are the groups of south east Asian peoples who speak Tai languages, all of which
belong to the Sino-Tibetan language family. There are over 60 million speakers, the majority
of whom live in Thailand. Tai peoples are also found in SW China, north west Myanmar (Burma),
Laos, and north Vietnam.
A talapoin is a Buddhist priest or monk.
Tamerlane (Timur) was King of Samarkland. He was born in 1336 and died in 1405. He extended the Mongol empire through Persia, Georgia, Armenia and Russia.
The Tamils are the majority ethnic group living in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Tamils retain a distinct culture. They possess an ancient literary tradition and have developed
their own court arts. The majority of Tamils are farmers, cultivating rice in irrigated fields. They
are also known for their handicrafts, including pottery.
The Tamils are an indigenous people of southern India and Sri Lanka.
Tancred was a hero of the first Crusade. He was born in 1078 of Marquis Odo the Good and Emma. He died in 1112 of a wound received at Antioch.
The Tasaday are an indigenous people of the rainforests of Mindanao in the Philippines.
Abel Tasman was a Dutch explorer. He discovered tasmania in 1642.
Torquato Tasso was an Italian poet. He was born in 1544 at Sorrento and died in 1595.
Tatian was a heresiarch of the 2nd century. He was born in Ethiopia around 120 and died around 172. He became a disciple of Justin, after whose martyrdom he left Rome and travelled the Middle East preaching. He taught abstinence from wine, meat and marriage and disbelieved the divinity of Christ.
The Tauri were the earliest known inhabitants of the Crimea.
Pyotr Tchaikovsky was a 19th century Russian composer.
William Tell was a Swiss hero. He lived during the 14th century.
Alfred Tennyson was an English poet. He was born in 1809 and died in 1892.
William Makepeace Thackeray was an English novelist. He was born at calcutta in 1811, dying in 1863. He wrote vanity fair.
Thales was a Greek philosopher. He was born in 636BC and died in 546 BC.
In English history, a thane was someone who was awarded land by the King or another superior as a reward for military service. Thanes ranked between ordinary freemen and hereditary nobles.
Theophrastus of Lesbos was a Greek naturalist. He was born in 368BC and died in 284BC. He wrote A History of Plants.
Jacques Thibaud was a French violinist. He was born in 1880, dying in an air crash in 1953.
Dylan Thomas was a Welsh poet. he was born in 1914 in Swansea and died in 1953. He wrote Under Milk Wood.
J. J. Thomson was an English scientist. He was born in 1856 at Cheetham and died in 1940. He won the Nobel prize for physics in 1906.
Henry David Thoreau was an American naturalist and writer. He was born in 1817 at Concord and died in 1862. He wrote Walden.
Thucydides was an Athenian historian. He was born in 460BC and died in 399BC. He wrote a history of the Peloponnesian War.
The thugs were a Hindu sect who strangled their victims as sacrifices to Kali.
The Thuringian were an ancient tribe of central Germany. They were conquered by the Franks in the 6th century.
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo was a Venetian painter. He was born in 1696 and died in 1770. He is famous for the frescoes he painted.
The Tigro are a people of north Ethiopia. The Tigro language is spoken by about 2.5 million people; it belongs
to the south east Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic family. Tigrinya is a closely related language
spoken slightly to the south.
Jacopo Robusti (Tintoretto) was an Italian painter. He was born in 1518 in venice and died in 1594.
Tiziano Vecellio (Titian) was an Italian painter. He was born in 1477 and died in 1576.
Josip Tito was a Yugoslav revolutionary and military leader. He was born in 1892 in Croatia. He liberated Yugoslavia from the invading German armies during the Second World War.
The Tlingit are a North American Indian people of the north west coast, living in south Alaska and north British
Columbia. They used to carve wooden poles representing their family crests, showing such
animals as the raven, whale, octopus, beaver, bear, wolf, and the mythical "thunderbird".
Their language is related to the Athabaskan languages.
Leo Nikolaievich Tolstoy was a Russian novelist. He was born in 1828 at Tula and died in 1910. He wrote "War and Peace".
Thomas de Torquemada was a Dominican monk and founder of the Spanish Inquisition. He was born in 1420 and died in 1498.
Evangelista Torricelli was an Italin physicist. He was born in 1608 and died in 1647. He discovered atmospheric pressure.
Arturo Toscanini was an Italian musician. He was born in 1867 and died in 1957.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was a French painter. He was born in 1864 at Albi and died in 1901.
Sir Frederick Treves was an English surgeon. He was born in 1853 and died in 1923. He was one of the founders of the Red Cross society. He operated on Edward VII for appendicitis in 1902.
Richard Trevithick was an English inventor. He was born in 1771 in Cornwall and died in 1833. He invented the high-pressure steam engine.
Triton was a herald of Neptune.
Troglodyte is a Greek term for a cave dweller, designating certain peoples in the ancient world. The
troglodytes of south Egypt and Ethiopia were a pastoral people.
Anthony Trollope was an English novelist. He was born in 1815 and died in 1852. He started life as a post-office clerk in 1834. His works include Barchester Towers, published in 1857.
Lev Davidovich Trotsky was a Russian Soviet leader. He was born in 1877. He was assasinated in South America under orders from Stalin.
Sir Thomas Troubridge was a British read-admiral. He was born in 1758 and died in 1807. He distinguished himself at the capture of Sartine.
Harry S. Truman was an American politician and President. He was born in 1884 in Missouri. In 1934 he was elected to the senate for the Democrats. In 1945 he became President when Roosevelt died. In 1948 he was re-elected President and in 1952 he retired from politics.
Sir George Tryon was a British admiral. He was born in 1832 and died in 1893. He commanded the Mediterranean fleet in 1891. His mistaken orders led to the sinking of the Victoria with himself and 358 officers and men on board off Tripoli.
The Tswana are the majority ethnic group living in Botswana. The Tswana are divided into four subgroups: the
Bakwena, the Bamangwato, the Bangwaketse, and the Batawana. Traditionally they are rural-
dwelling farmers, though many now leave their homes to work as migrant laborers in South
African industries. The Tswana language belongs to the Bantu branch of the Niger-Congo
family.
The Tuareg are a nomadic Berber people of the west and central Sahara.
The Tukano are an indigenous South American Indian people of the Vaupos region on the
Colombian-Brazilian border, numbering approximately 2,000. An estimated 12,000 speak
languages related to Tukano. The other main Tukanoan groups are Bara, Barasana, Cubeo,
Desana, and Makuna.
Ivan Sergeievitch Turgenev was a Russian novelist. He was born in 1818 at Orel and died in 1883. He wrote "A Sportsman's Sketches" in 1852 which dealt with country life and the plight of Russian serfs.
Joseph Mallord William Turner was an English painter. He was born in 1775 in London and died in 1851.
Richard (Dick) Turpin was a notorious English highwayman. he was born in 1706 and died in 1739 when he was hanged.
The Tuscarora are a North American indian tribe. They originated from North Carolina and are now a member of the Iroquois confederacy.
Marie Tussaud was born in 1760 in Switzerland. She died in 1850. She founded the famous Tussaud's wax works in London.
The Tutsi are the minority ethnic group living in Rwanda and Burundi.
They are traditionally farmers.
The Twa are an ethnic group comprising 1% of the populations of Burundi and Rwanda. The
Twa are the aboriginal inhabitants of the region. They are a pygmoid people, and live as
nomadic hunter-gatherers in the forests.
Mark Twain was an American writer. He was born in 1835 at Hannibal and died in 1910. He wrote "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer".
Wat Tyler was the leader of the English peasant's revolt of 1381.
Johann Ludwig Uhland was a German poet and ballad writer, born 1787, died 1862.
The Uigur are a Turkic people living in north west China and Kazakhstan; they form about 80% of the population of the Chinese province of Xinjiang Uygur. There are about 5 million speakers of
Uigur, a language belonging to the Turkic branch of the Altaic family; it is the official language of the province.
An umpire is someone to whose sole decision a matter in dispute between two parties is refered.
Sigrid Undset was a Norwegian writer. She was born in 1882 and died in 1949. She won the Nobel prize for literature in 1928.
Maurice Utrillo was a French painter. He was born in 1883 in Paris and died in 1955. He was taught how to paint by his mother, Suzanne Valadon.
Sir John Vanbrugh was an English dramatist and architect. He was born in 1664 in London and died in 1726. His first comedy, "The Relapse", opened in 1696. He designed Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard.
The Vandals were a war-like Germanic tribe who between the 5th and 6th centuries invaded Gaul, Spain and North Africa. In 455 they sacked Rome. They were renowned for wantonly destroying art treasures and books.
Vasco Da Gama was a Portugese explorer. He discovered the sea-route from Europe to India.
Sebastien de Prestre de Vauban was a French military engineer. He was born in 1633, dying in 1707. He invented the socket bayonet and assisted Louis XIV in the expansion wars.
Ralph Vaughan Williams was an English composer. He was born in 1872 at Down Ampney and died in 1958.
The Vedda are the aboriginal peoples of Sri Lanka, who occupied the island before the arrival of the Aryans about 550 BC. Formerly cave-dwelling hunter-gatherers, they have now almost
died out or merged with the rest of the population. They speak a Sinhalese language, belonging to the Indo-European family.
They live mainly in the central highlands, and many practise shifting cultivation.
Lope Felix de Vega Carpio was a Spanish dramatist and poet. He was born in 1562 and died in 1635. He served in the Spanish Armada against England.
Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velazquez was Spain's most celebrated painter. He was born in 1599 at Seville and died in 1660.
Giuseppe Verdi was an Italian composer. He was born in 1813 and died in 1901.
Paul Verlaine was a French poet. He was born in 1844 and died in 1896. He formed the Symbolists school of poetry.
Jan Vermeer was a Dutch painter. He was born in 1632 at Delft and died in 1675.
Jules Verne was a French writer. He was born in 1828 at Nantes and died in 1905. He wrote "Around the World in Eighty Days", and "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea".
Paolo Veronese (Paolo Cagliari) was an Italian painter. He was born in 1528 at Verona and died in 1588.
Andrea del Verrocchio was an Italian sculptor, painter, silversmith and engineer. He was born in 1435 in Florence and died in 1488. He was a teacher of Leonardo da Vinci.
Andreas Vesalius was a Belgian physician and founder of the science of anatomy. He was born in 1514 and died in 1564. He wrote "On the Fabric of The Human Body".
Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer. He was born in 1454 and died in 1512. He discovered the Amazon River in 1499. The continent of America was named after him.
A vicar is a church of England priest.
A viceroy is someone who acts as governor of a country or province by authority of the ruler.
Queen victoria was queen of England from 1837 to 1901. She was born in 1819 and died in 1901. She had the longest reign of any English monarch.
Francisco Villa was a Mexican revolutionary leader. He was born in 1877 and died in 1923 when he was assassinated.
Heitor Villa-Lobos was a Brazilian composer. He was born in 1887 and died in 1959.
Francois Villon was a French poet. He was born in 1431 in Paris and died in 1463.
Publius Vergilius Maro (Vergil) was a Roman poet. He was born in 70BC near Mantua and died in 19BC.
Antonio Vivaldi was an Italian composer. He was born in 1680 and died in 1743.
Alessandro Volta was an Italian scientist. He was born in 1745 and died in 1827. He invented the voltaic cell. The electrical unit the volt is named after him.
Voltaire was a French writer. He was born in 1694 in Paris and died in 1778.
Richard Wagner was a 19th century German composer. He was born in 1813 at Leipzig and died in 1883.
Edgar Wallace was a British novelist. He was born in 1875 and died in 1932.
The Wallonn are a French-speaking people of south east Belgium and adjacent areas of France. The name Walloon is etymologically linked to Welsh.
Horace Walpole was a British Politician. He was born in 1717 and died in 1797.
Robert Walpole was an English statesman. He was born in 1676 at Houghton and died in 1745.
Izaak Walton was an English writer. He was born in 1593 at Stafford and died in 1683. He wrote "The Compleat Angler", the first English nature book.
Sir William Walton was an English composer. He was born in 1902 at Oldham.
George Washington was an American statesman and the first President of the USA. He was born in 1732 at Briges Creek and died in 1799.
James Watt was a Scottish inventor. He was born in 1736 at Greenock and died in 1819.
Antoine Watteau was a French painter and engraver. He was born in 1684 at Valenciennes and died in 1721.
George Frederic Watts was an English painter and sculptor. He was born in 1817 in London and died in 1904.
Evelyn Arthur St. John Waugh was a British author. He was born in 1903 and died in 1965.
Archibald Percival Wavell was a British soldier. He was born in 1883 at Colchester and died in 1950. From 1943 until 1947 he was Viceroy of India.
Sidney James Webb was an English social reformer. He was born in 1859 and died in 1947.
Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber was a German composer. He was born in 1786 near Lubeck and died in 1826.
John Webster was an English dramatist. He was born in 1580 and died in 1625. he wrote "The White Devil" and "The Duchess of Malfi".
Josiah Wedgwood was an English potter. He was born in 1730 at Burslem and died in 1795. He founded the Wedgwood potteries.
Herbert George Wells was an English writer. He was born in 1866 at Bromley and died in 1946. Although he wanted to be a teacher, bad health meant he couldn't so he turned to writing. He wrote "The Invisible Man", "The Time Machine" and "The War Of The Worlds".
John Wesley was an English preacher and the founder of the Methodist church. He was born in 1703 at Epworth and died in 1791.
Roger van der Weyden was a Flemish painter. He was born in 1399 at Tournai and died in 1464.
Sir Charles Wheatstone was an English scientist. He was born in 1802 near Gloucester and died in 1875. He invented the Wheatstone bridge which measures electrical resistance.
James Abbott McNeill Whistler was an American artist. He was born in 1834 at Lowell and died in 1903.
George Whitefield was an English preacher. he was born in 1714 at Gloucester and died in 1770. He led a group called the Calvanistic Methodists.
Walt Whitman was an American poet. He was born in 1819 at Long Island and died in 1892.
Richard Whittington was Lord Mayor of London. He was born in 1358 at Pauntley and died in 1423. He mad a fortune as a mercer, and upon his death left all his money to London charities.
Sir Frank Whittle was an English inventor. he was born in 1907 at Leamington. He invented the jet propulsion engine for aircraft, first used in the Gloster E 2839 aircraft in 1941.
Sir Joseph Whitworth was an English mechanical engineer and inventor. He was born in 1803 at Stockport and died in 1887. In 1835 he invented the knitting machine. In 1869 he invented a process of fluid compression for making steel for use in guns.
William Wilberforce was an English statesman. He was born in 1759 at Hull and died in 1833. His life was dedicated to the abolition of slavery.
Oscar Fingall O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was a British writer who was persecuted for his homosexuality. He was born in 1854 at Dublin and died in 1900. He wrote "The Importance Of Being Earnest".
William was King of Scotland from 1165 to 1214.
Tenessee Williams (Thomas Lanier) is an American playwright. He was born in 1914. He wrote "A Street Car Named Desire" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof".
William II was a son of William The Conqueror and King of England from 1087 to 1100.
Kaiser William II was the 3rd German Emperor. He was born in 1859 and died in 1941. He ascended to the throne in 1888.
William III was King of England from 1689 to 1702.
William IV was King of England from 1830 to 1837.
James Harold Wilson was a British labour statesman and Prime Minister. He was born in 1916. He entered parliament in 1945. He became Prime minister in 1964.
Pelham Grenville Wodehouse was an English humorous novelist. He was born in 1881. He invented the characters "Jeeves and Wooster".
Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari was a German-Italian composer. He was born in 1876 in Venice and died in 1948.
James Wolfe was an English soldier. He was born in 1727 at Westerham and died in 1759 at the battle of Abraham which his forces none-the-less won and thus secured Canada for the British from the French.
The Wolof are the majority ethnic group living in Senegal. There is also a Wolof minority in Gambia. There are about 2 million speakers of Wolof, a language belonging to the Niger-
Congo family. The Wolof are predominantly arable farmers, and some also raise cattle.
Sir Henry Joseph Wood was an English conductor. He was born in 1869 in London and died in 1944.
Virginia Woolf was an English novelist. She was born in 1882 and died in 1941.
Frank Winfield Woolworth was an American trader who started the "five and ten cent stores" which grew into the world famous "F.W. Woolworth" chain of stores.
William Wordsworth was an English poet. He was born in 1770 at Cockermouth and died in 1850.
Sir Christopher Wren was an English architect. He was born in 1632 at East Knoyle and died in 1723. He designed St. Paul's Cathedral in London after the Great Fire Of London in 1666.
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect. he was born in 1869 and died in 1959.
Orville Wright was an American pioneer of flying. He was born in 1871 and died in 1948. Together with his brother he made the first controlled flight of an aeroplane.
Wilbur Wright was the brother of Orville Wright. He was born in 1867 and died in 1912.
Xenophanes was a Greek poet and philosopher. He lived around 500BC.
Xerxes was King of Persia. He was born in 519bc, dying in 465bc. He invaded Greece and defeated the spartans at thermopylae but he in turn was defeated at salamis.
The Xhosa are a Bantu people of southern Africa, living mainly in the Black National State of Transkei. Traditionally, the Xhosa were farmers and pastoralists, with a social structure based on a monarchy.
The Yao are a people living in south China, north Vietnam, north Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar (Burma), and numbering about 4 million. The Yao language may belong to either the Sino-Tibetan or the Thai language family. The Yao incorporate elements of ancestor worship in their animist religion.
The Yao are generally hill-dwelling farmers practising shifting cultivation, growing rice, vegetables, and also opium poppies. Some are nomadic.
Yardy is a Jamaican slang expression for someone (Jamaican or foreign) who knows their way around the island, and especially the ghettoe. The expression is often misused in England to describe an imaginary gang of organised Jamaican criminals (the yardies). Infact, no such Jamaican mafia exists.
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and dramatist. He was born in 1865 in Dublin and died in 1939.
The Yi are a people living in south China; there are also Yi populations in Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, totaling about 5.5 million. The Yi are farmers, producing both crops and
livestock. Their language belongs to the Sino-Tibetan family; their religion is animist.
The Yoruba are the majority ethnic group living in south west Nigeria; there is a Yoruba minority in east Benin. They number approximately 20 million in all, and their language belongs to the Kwa
branch of the Niger-Congo family. The Yoruba established powerful city-states in the 15th century, known for their advanced culture which includes sculpture, art, and music.
The Zapotec are a North American Indian people of south Mexico, now numbering approximately 250,000, living mainly in Oaxaca. The Zapotec language, which belongs to the Oto-Mangean family, has nine dialects
Anders Leonhard Zorn was a Swedish artist. He was born in 1860, dying in 1920.