|
|
Carl Linnaeus A short biography |
| Carl Linnaeus was born 13 May 1707 to Nils Ingemarsson Linnaeus and Christina Linnaea. His father was a man of the cloth in the diocese of Växjö in the Swedish province of Småland. Although his parents wanted Carl to follow in his fathers footsteps, it was probably his fathers knowledge of gardening that awakened Carls' interest in botany. At school, he was not known as an academic and it was suggested that he should take up a trade. Joh. Rothman saved the day when he offered to help Carl with his studies. At some stage, Carl persuaded his father that the church was not for him and he was allowed to study medicine. When his mother found out, she was greatly saddened. Carls school report was hardly encouraging but with the help of Gabriel Höök, he was able to enrol at the Academy in Lund where he stayed for one year. In Lund, he met professor and medical doctor Kilian Stobaeus, with whom he boarded and studied. Carl now moved to Uppsala where he was further encouraged by professors Lars Roberg and Olof Rudbeck. Unfortunately, Carls' father was now unable to support him. Whilst in Uppsala, Carl Linnaeus met and eventually married Sara Lisa Moraea with whom he had seven children. Linnaeus made five trips through Sweden on behalf of the government, the last being to Skåne. The purpose of the trips was to evaluate resources. Linnaeus also made trips to Holland, France and England. Linnaeus was considered short, of medium build and with a good memory. He collapsed whilst holding a private seminar in 1774 and died in 1778 following a cerebral haemorrhage. He is buried in Uppsala Cathedral.
LINNAEUS' SCIENTIFIC PATH In 1727, Carl Linnaeus was a poor student at Lund University. In 1728, he moved to Uppsala University. A meeting with Dean Olof Celsius and Professor Olof Rudbeck the younger in 1729 changed his fortunes. In 1732, the Royal Swedish Society of Science financed Linnaeus' trip to Lapland. Many of his peers viewed his trip with envy and, in 1734, this resulted in the loss of his teaching post. Linnaeus then secured work in the province of Dalarna. He worked there until he left for Holland, via Denmark and Germany, where he qualified as a doctor in 1735. Linnaeus published many papers in Holland including the first edition of Systema Naturae in 1735. Other important works followed in 1736, 1737 and 1738. Through Georg Clifford (1685 - 1760) Linnaeus first came in touch with exotic flora. It was during this period that Linnaeus' system of plant sexuality began to be accepted. 
Man has understood the healing properties
of varoius flora since early times. Aristotle's notations were used
for over 2000 years. In 1583, the Italian botanist Andrea Cesalpino
attempted to systematise a plant index, as did Englishman John Ray
a few years later. But it was not until 1735, in a book published
in Holland, that Linnaeus presented his principles. The 10th edition,
1758, was to become the root of all further cataloguing.In 1738, Linnaeus returned to Sweden where he and his colleagues founded the Royal Academy of Sciences (1739). He now devoted most of his time to scientific research. Despite differences of opinion, he was appointed Professor of Medicine at Uppsala in 1741. In 1742 he became professor of botany and devoted himself to his real passion. Linnaeus saw and categorised about 10 000 species, see later editions of Species Plantarum. By the mid 19th century, known species numbered 70 000. Today we speak of 248 000 and the numbers keep increasing. Through his work, Carl Linnaeus has become one of Sweden's most widely known figures. Scientists generally fall into one of two categories, those that discover and those that create order. Linnaeus was a specialist in both and was unique in his field. COLLECTIONS Ever since his death in 1778, the work of Carl Linnaeus has been a source of great interest. After his death, all his papers, books etc were moved from Hammarby to Uppsala. The collection remained here until the greater part of the collection was purchased by James Edward Smith on behalf of Joseph Banks and shipped to London on 17 September 1784. Smith was to become the first President of the Linnean Society of London. The society was founded in 1788 to manage and preserve the collection; it included 3 000 letters, 1 600 books, 14 000 pressed plants, 1564 shells, 3 198 insects and 158 dried fish. Today the society has the world's oldest natural history collection and includes 90 000 natural history and biological publications. It is in Burlington House near Piccadilly in London. In 1995, an international project was set up to publish Linnaeus' considerable correspondence. The letters, which are being collated by the Swedish Linnaeus Society, The Royal Swedish Academy of Science and The Linnaeus Society of London, will be published on the Internet. Approximately 5 500 letters were written between 1728 and 1778.
The Swedish Linnean Society was founded in Uppsala in 1917. The society also runs a Linnaeus museum in the house the family moved to in 1743. The gardens, which have been restored, were laid out by Linnaeus when he arrived in Uppsala as a newly appointed professor. It was described as a botanical paradise and contained over 2 000 plants arranged according to Linnaeus' sexual system. Linnaeus' fame brought a degree of fortune too and in 1757, the family bought an estate outside Uppsala where Linnaeus spent much time in later years with his collection and books. The 18th century house has been restored to allow visitors to experience Linnaeus second home. Linnaeus' childhood home, Råshult, in the province of Småland has also been restored. The 18th century gardens and buildings are well preserved. Linnaeus last visited his birthplace after his celebrated trip to Skåne in 1749. COAT OF ARMS
|
|||||
 |
Carl
Linnaeus who then took the name von Linné. After some
difficulties, Linnaeus ideas for a coat of arms were accepted.
|
| FACT FILES |
| Use the FACT FILES to put the real world of Linnaeus first - it is pure knowledge! You can learn more about the people listed below, the subjects that interested Carl Linnaeus, his Apostles and IK Foundation & Company's Linnaeus related publications, news and exhibitions. |
| CARL LINNAEUS |
|
Carl Linnaeus Biography |
| THE APOSTLES |
 EUROPE, THE ARCTIC & ASIA Anton Rolandsson Martin (1729-1785) Johan Peter Falck (1732-1774)
EUROPE, NORTH & SOUTH AMERICA Pehr Kalm (1716-1779) Pehr Löfling (1729-1756) Daniel Rolander (1725-1793)
EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST, NORTH EAST & WEST AFRICAGöran Rothman(1739-1778) Fredrik Hasselquist (1722-1752) Peter Forsskål (1732-1763) Andreas Berlin (1746-1773) Adam Afzelius (1750-1837)
SOUTHERN AFRICA, OCEANIA, ANTARCTICA & SOUTH AMERICAAnders Sparrman (1748-1820) EUROPE, SOUTHERN AFRICA, EAST-, SOUTHERN- & SOUTHEAST ASIACarl Peter Thunberg (1743-1828) EUROPE, SOUTHERN AFRICA, OCEANIA, SOUTH AMERICA, EAST-, SOUTHERN- & SOUTHEAST ASIAPehr Osbeck (1723-1805) Olof Torén (1718-1753)) Carl Fredrik Adler (1720-1761) Christopher Tärnström (1711-1746) Daniel Solander (1733-1782) |
| CONTENTS & UPDATES |
| Contents
The Linnaeus Apostles - Global Science & Adventure. Volume ONE to EIGHT TIMETABLE. The Linnaeus Apostles - Global Science & Adventure |
| PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE |
| ORDER: The Linnaeus Apostles - Global Science & Adventure. Vol. 1 - 8 List of Subscribers to the Limited Edition of The Linnaeus Apostles - Global Science & Adventure. Vol. 1 - 8. The Ambassadors of the Linnaeus Apostles - Global Science & Adventure project. |
| LINNAEUS PRESS INFORMATION |
|
Published: The Complete Catalogue - Unique world-wide travel journals written by the associates of the celebrated naturalist Carl Linnaeus (June 2009) The Return of the Linnaeus Apostles. At Whitby Museum. (April 2009) Obituary Mr Ragnar Edberg - naturalist, humanist and taxidermist (September 2008) New Book release - Doctor Carl Linnaeus Physician. World Wide (May 2008) Sir David Attenborough on the Linnaeus Apostles - Global Science & Adventure project. Richmond, United Kingdom. (8 October 2007) Obituary Mr Per Wahlström - "True Advocate for Nature and Culture". (October 2007) The New Scientist Magazine publishes a story about the Linnaeus apostle Daniel Rolander. (Aug 2007) The Linnaeus Apostles - Global Science & Adventure. The very first volume straight from the printers at a ceremony at the Drottningholm Palace, Sweden. (May 2007) The Return of the Linnaeus Apostles. At The Royal Geographical Society, London, United Kingdom. (March 2007) IK presents its publication of Linnaeus' Notebook from 1725 - the very first writings by Carl Linnaeus. World Wide (January 2007) Carl Linnaeus in Skåne. IK Launch of the official Guidebook for the Tercentenary Celebrations. (September 2006) Linnaeus Production With a Sense of Nordic Heritage (January 2006) The Swedish Gazebo - Science & Adventure (January 2005) Tärnström's Journal - Book launch in Gothenburg, Sweden IK's Linnaeus gathering with book launch in the presence of the Minister for Culture. Gothenburg, Sweden. (January 2005) The Speaker Björn von Sydow talks about The Linnaeus Apostles (February 2004) All of our news is available as an RSS feed here:  If you wish to receive the latest information on a regular basis, click here to join the mailing list. |
