Quaestor
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.
Quechua
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.
Queen Elizabeth of Romania
Queen Elizabeth of Romania was born in 1843 and died in 1916. She married the then prince Charles of Romania in 1869 and wrote under the pen name of Carmen Sylva.
Queen Victoria
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.
Quintus Horace
Quintus Horatius Flaccus Horace was a Roman lyric poet. He was born in 65BC at Venusia and died in 8BC.
R. D. Laing
Rabbi
Rafael Sabatini
Rainer Rilke
Rajendra Prasad
Rajput
Ralph Emerson
Raoul Dufy
Raphael
Raphael Holinshed
Redwald
Regent Albany
Regent Murdoch
Reginald Barratt
Rembrandt
Rene Descartes
Rene Laennec
Rene Viviani
Renoir
Richard Aldington
Richard Byrd
Richard Cromwell
Richard Cumberland
Richard Doyle
Richard Earlom
Richard Hildreth
Richard I
Richard II
Richard III
Richard Neville
Richard Savage
Richard Sheridan
Richard Strauss
Richard Trevithick
Richard Whittington
Richbert
Rinaldo
Roald Amundsen
Rob Roy
Robert (Bruce)
Robert Adam
Robert Blair
Robert Burton
Robert Clive
Robert Devereux
Robert E. Lee
Robert Emmet
Robert Fabyan
Robert Fergusson
Robert Fitzroy
Robert Fitzsimmons
Robert Fitzwalter
Robert Frost
Robert Fulton
Robert Graves
Robert Herrick
Robert I
Robert II
Robert III
Robert Koch
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Millikan
Robert Oppenheimer
Robert Owen
Robert Schumann
Robert Southey
Robert Stevenson
Robert Wace
Robert Walpole
Robespierre
Robin Hood
Roger Bacon
Roger Boscovich
Roger Hollis
Roger Quilter
Roger van der Weyden
Rogue
Rohillas
Roman
Romany
Romulus
Ronnie Scott
Rudolf Eucken
Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Virchow
Rudolf Wagner
Rudyard Kipling
Ruggiero Leoncavallo
Russian
Saami
Saavedra Cervantes
Sabine Baring-Gould
Saint Adalbert
Saint Agnes
Saint Aldhelm
Saint Anselm
Saint Blasius
Saint Cecilia
Saint Clare
Saint Crispin
Saint Cuthbert
Saint Cyprian
Saint Cyril
Saint David
Saint George
Saint-Saens
Saladin
Saladoid
Sallust
Salvador Allende
Salvador Dali
Samaritan
Samaritans
Samoyedes
Samuel Barrington
Samuel Birch
Samuel Butler
Samuel Clemens
Samuel Cody
Samuel Coleridge
Samuel Colt
Samuel Crompton
Samuel Daniel
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Morse
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Richardson
Samuel Rogers
Samuel Warren
Samurai
San
Sarah Siddons
Savatore Quasimodo
Saxon
Saxred
Sean O'Casey
Sebastien Le Prestre De Vauban
Sebastien Vauban
Sebbi
Sebert
Selred
Seminoles
Semite
Seneca
Senussi
Serb
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergi Diaghilev
Sergi Rachmaninov
Serjeant-at-Arms
Seward
Sexburga
Shakers
Shan
Sherpa
Shona
Sidney Webb
Siegfried Sassoon
Sigebert
Sigebert II
Sigebert III
Sigebright
Sigenard
Sigered
Sigeric
Sigher
Sigrid Undset
Sigurd Snogoje
Sikhs
Simon de Montfort
Simone Martini
Sindhi
Sinhalese
Sioux
Sir Adolphus Ward
Sir Alexander Douglas-Home
Sir Ambrose Fleming
Sir Anthony Van Dyck
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Eddington
Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch
Sir Arthur Sullivan
Sir Astley Cooper
Sir Austen Chamberlain
Sir Charles Warren
Sir Charles Wheatstone
Sir Christopher Cradock
Sir Christopher Wren
Sir Clive Sinclair
Sir David Gill
Sir Edward Codrington
Sir Edward Coke
Sir Edward Elgar
Sir Edward German
Sir Edward Jenner
Sir Edward Schafer
Sir Edwin Landseer
Sir Ernest Shackleton
Sir Eyre Coote
Sir Francis Drake
Sir Francis Galton
Sir Francis Palgrave
Sir Francis Walsingham
Sir Frank Whittle
Sir Frederick Hopkins
Sir Frederick Ouseley
Sir Frederick Treves
Sir George Cockburn
Sir George Paish
Sir George Rooke
Sir George Stokes
Sir George Tryon
Sir Gilbert Blane
Sir Godfrey Kneller
Sir Guy Dawber
Sir Hans Sloane
Sir Harry Lauder
Sir Henry Bessemer
Sir Henry Bishop
Sir Henry Doulton
Sir Henry Frere
Sir Henry Irving
Sir Henry Joseph Wood
Sir Henry Morgan
Sir Henry Raeburn
Sir Henry Roscoe
Sir Henry Tate
Sir Hiram Maxim
Sir Humphry Davy
Sir Isaac Newton
Sir Jacob Epstein
Sir James Black
Sir James Dewar
Sir James Frazer
Sir James Jeans
Sir James Outram
Sir James Paget
Sir John Barry
Sir John Betjeman
Sir John Millais
Sir John Robeck
Sir John Soane
Sir John Vanbrugh
Sir Joseph Banks
Sir Joseph Whitworth
Sir Joshua Reynolds
Sir Malcolm Campbell
Sir Martin Frobisher
Sir Matthew Smith
Sir Moses Montefiore
Sir Paul Vinogradoff
Sir Peter Lely
Sir Peter Rubens
Sir Philip Sidney
Sir Rabindranath Tagore
Sir Reginald Bowker
Sir Richard Grenville
Sir Richard Steele
Sir Richard Wallace
Sir Robert Peel
Sir Samuel Cunard
Sir Sidney Colvin
Sir Stafford Cripps
Sir Thomas Browne
Sir Thomas Malory
Sir Thomas More
Sir Thomas Roe
Sir Thomas Troubridge
Sir Thomas Wyatt
Sir Walter Raleigh
Sir Walter Scott
Sir William Bowman
Sir William Crookes
Sir William Davenant
Sir William Dugdale
Sir William Fairbairn
Sir William Fettes
Sir William Fletcher Barrett
Sir William Herschel
Sir William Nicholson
Sir William Orchardson
Sir William Osler
Sir William Penney
Sir William Perkin
Sir William Ramsay
Sir William Robertson
Sir William Wallace
Sir William Walton
Sir William Watson
Sir Winston Churchill
Sitting Bull
Sixtus I
Skalds
Skanderbeg
Slav
Sledda
Slovene
Smatchet
Socrates
Solomon
Sophocles
Sotho
Sovereign
Spartacus
St. Edmund
St. Elizabeth
St. Ethelbert
St. Vincent de Paul
Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Spencer
Steen Blicher
Stendhal
Stephane Mallarme
Stephen
Stephen Benet
Stevedore
Stoic
Subahdar
Suebricht
Suenon
Suenon the Forked-beard
Suffragette
Sufis
Sun Yat Sen
Sun Yat-Sen
Susan Ferrier
Susan Warner
Swazi
Sweyn III
Swithelm
Swithred
Szlachta
R. D. Laing was a Scottish psychoanalyst. He originated some radical methods of psychiatry.
A rabbi is the chief religious leader of a synagogue.
Rafael Sabatini was an Anglo-Italian writer. He was born in 1875 and died in 1950. He wrote Captain Blood, and The Sea Hawk.
Rainer Maria Rilke was an Austrian poet. He was born in 1875 at Prague and died in 1926.
Rajendra Prasad was the first president of the republic of India between 1950 and 1962. He was born in 1884, dying in 1963.
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.
Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist, philosopher and poet. He was born in 1803 and died in 1882.
Raoul Dufy was a French painter. He was born in 1877 and died in 1953.
Raphael was an Italian painter of the renaissance period.
Raphael Holinshed was an English chronicler. He lived in the 16th century and wrote The Chronicles Of England, Scotland and Ireland.
Redwald was king of the East Angles in 599.
Regent Albany was King of Scotland from 1406 to 1419.
Regent Murdoch was King of Scotland from 1419 to 1424.
Reginald Barratt was an English watercolour artist famous for his perfection of draughtmanship. He was born in 1861 and died in 1917.
Rembrandt was a 17th century Dutch painter.
Rene Descartes was a French mathematician and philosopher. He was born in 1596 and died in 1650. He invented Cartesian geometry.
Rene Theophile Hyacinthe Laennec was a French physician who invented the stethoscope. He was born in 1781 and died in 1826.
Rene Viviani was a French independant Socialist statesman. He was born in 1862 at Sidi-bel-Abbas, Algeria and died in 1925. After studying at the bar he entered Chanbers as a deputy for Paris in 1893, was defeated in 1902 and regained his seat in 1906 and in the same year became minister of labour and public hygiene in the Clemenceau administration. He represented France at the first meeting of the League of Nations at Geneva in 1920.
Renoir was a French impressionist painter.
Richard Aldington was an English writer and poet. He was born in 1892 and died in 1962. He was born in Hampshire. He wrote a controversial biography of Lawrence of Arabia.
Richard Evelyn Byrd was an American scientist and explorer. He started his career in the navy, but took up flying. In 1926 he flew over the North Pole. He was born in 1888 and died in 1957. William Byrd was an English composer. He was born in 1543 and died in 1623.
Richard Cromwell was Lord Protector of England and the son of Oliver Cromwell. He was born in 1626 and died in 1712. He served with his father in the Parliamentary Army and was an MP from 1654 until 1656. He succeeded to the protectorate in 1658 and resigned in 1659 under pressure from the Army.
Richard Cumberland was an English dramatist. he was born in 1732 and died in 1811. Amongst his works, which are mainly sentimental comedies, are "The West-Indian" written in 1771 and "The Fashionable Lover" written in 1772.
Richard Doyle was an English artist. He was born in 1824 and died in 1883. He worked on the staff of Punch magazine from 1843 to 1850 when he resigned on religious grounds. He illustrated many books and had designs appear on the cover of Punch.
Richard Earlom was an English engraver. He was born in 1743 and died in 1822.
Richard Hildreth was an American historian. He was born in 1807, dying in 1865. He wrote the history of the united states.
Richard I 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 Neville (Earl of Warwick) was an English Baron. He was born in 1428 and died in 1471. He was nicknamed the king-maker and distinguished himself at St. Albans under the Duke of York in 1455. He continued as a Royalist commander until he was defeated and slain by Edward at Barnet in 1471.
Richard Savage was an English poet believed to be the illegitimate son of Lord Rivers and the Countess of Macclesfield. He died in 1743.
Richard Brinsley Sheridan was a Britsh dramatist. He was born in 1751 in Dublin and died in 1816.
Richard Strauss was a German composer. he was born in 1864 and died in 1949.
Richard Trevithick was an English inventor. He was born in 1771 in Cornwall and died in 1833. He invented the high-pressure steam engine.
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.
Richbert was king of the East Angles in 627.
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.
Roald Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer. First to reach south pole.
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.
Robert (Bruce) was King of Scotland from 1306 to 1329.
Robert Adam was a Scottish architect and designer. He was born in 1728 and died in 1792. He was responsible for the Adelphi.
Robert Blair was a British poet. He was born in 1699 and died in 1746. He wrote ''The Grave''.
Robert Burton was a British prose writer. He was born in 1577 and died in 1640. He wrote ''The Anatomy of Melancholy''.
Robert Clive was the principal founder of the British Empire in India. He is also known as Clive of India. He was born in 1725 at Market Drayton and died in 1774. As a child he formed a protection racket and demanded money from the local shop keepers!
Robert Devereux was the Second Earl Of Essex. An Elizabethan soldier and courtier he was born in 1566 at Herefordshire and died in 1601. He was a lover to Elizabeth I.
Robert E. Lee was an American Confederate General. He was born in 1807 and died in 1870.
Robert Emmet was an Irish rebel. He was born in 1778 and died in 1803. He joined the United Irishmen with his brother Thomas Emmet, and in 1802 visited Paris to interview Napoleon then planning an invasion of England. Returning to Dublin, Emmet plotted for an armed rising against the British administration. His colleagues failed to cooperate, and after the murder of Lord Kilwarden by his followers, Emmet was tried for high treason and hanged.
Robert Fabyan was an English historian and sheriff of London from 1493. In 1498 he defended Newgate against the Cornish rebels. He died in 1513.
Robert Fergusson was a Scotish poet. He was born in 1750 and died in 1774.
Robert Fitzroy was a British sailor, hydrographer and meteorologist. As commander of the Beagle he surveyed the coasts of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego between 1828 and 1830 and on a second voyage when he was accompanied by Charles Darwin between 1831 and 1836.
Robert Fitzsimmons was an English boxer. He was born in 1862 and died in 1918. He was World Heavyweight Champion in 1897 which he won from J. J. Corbett. He lost the title in 1899 to Jim Jeffries.
Robert Fitzwalter was the leader of the barons against King John of England. He was exiled for his rebellion in 1212 but returned to head the movement which resulted in the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215. He later supported Prince Louis of France in his invasion of England during 1216 and 1217.
Robert Frost was an American poet. He was born in 1875 at San Fancisco and died in 1963.
Robert Fulton was an American inventor. He was born in 1765 at Little Britain.
Robert Ranke Graves was an English poet and novelist. He was born in 1895.
Robert Herrick was an English poet. He was born in 1591 and died in 1674.
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.
Robert Koch was a German scientist. He was born in 1843 and died in 1910. He won the Nobel proze for medicine for discovering the bacteria which cause TB, cholera and anthrax.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Robert Schumann was a German composer. He was born in 1810 at Zwickau and died in 1856.
Robert Southey was an English poet and writer. He was born in 1774 and died in 1843.
Robert Stevenson was a Scottish engineer. He was born in 1772, dying in 1850. He invented the flashing light for use in lighthouses.
Robert Wace was an Anglo-Normal historical poet of the 12th century. He wrote an account of the Norman Dukes.
Robert Walpole was an English statesman. He was born in 1676 at Houghton and died in 1745.
Robespierre was a politician of the French revolution.
Robin Hood was a legendary English folk hero who led a band of outlaws in Sherwood forest and opposed the tyranny and excessive taxes of King John. He is mentioned in the 14th century poem Piers Plowman. Thomas Hood was a British poet and humourist. He was born in 1799 and died in 1845.
Roger Bacon was the founder of English philosophy. He was born in 1220, dying in 1294. In 1257 he became a fanciscan friar.
Roger Joseph Boscovich was an Italian astronomer and geometrician. He was born in 1711 at Ragusa and died in 1787 in Milan.
Roger Hollis was director of MI5, and alleged by Peter Wright (in his book ''Spy Catcher'') to have been a Russian spy.
Roger Quilter was a British composer. He was born in 1877 at Brighton and died in 1953.
Roger van der Weyden was a Flemish painter. He was born in 1399 at Tournai and died in 1464.
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.
Romulus was the founder of Rome.
Ronnie Scott was an English jazz musician. He was born in 1927 and died in 1996. He started a club in London, called Ronnie Scott's which promotes English jazz.
Rudolf Christoph Eucken was a German philosopher. He was born in 1846 and died in 1926. He studied at Gottingen under Lotze, and later at Berlin. Eucken taught philosophy at Basle, and held the chair at Jena. In 1908 he was awarded a Nobel Prize. He dealt mainly with ethical and religious problems, maintaining that man is the meeting ground of matter and spirit, and that it is his duty to subdue the former by concious application of the latter.
Rudolf Steiner was leader of the German Theosophical Society from its inception until he developed his system of ''Anthroposophy'' when he was excluded. He was born in 1861 and died in 1925.
Rudolf Virchow was a German pathologist and politician. He was born in 1821 and died in 1902. He was professor of pathological anatomy at Berlin in 1856 and proved the cellular theory applicable in pathology as well as in physiology.
Rudolf Wagner was a German physiologist. He was born in 1805 and died in 1864. He was professor of zoology at Erlangen in 1832 and Gottingen in 1840. He made important researches and observations in anatomy and physiology, particularly in embryology, discovering the germinal vesicle of the human ovum.
Rudyard Kipling was an Indian writer. He was born in 1865 at Bombay of Britsh parents. He died in 1936. He wrote The Jungle Book.
Ruggiero Leoncavallo was an Italian composer. He was born in 1858, dying in 1919. He composed the opera pagliacci.
A Russian is an inhabitant of Russia.
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.
Saavedra Miguel de Cervantes was a Spanish writer. He was born in 1547 at Acala de Henares and died in 1616. He was the author of the book Don Quixote de la Mancha.
Sabine Baring-Gould was an English author or numerous hymns and novels. He was born in 1834 and died in 1924.
Saint Adalbert was a missionary in north Germany and Poland. He was born in 955, dying in 997. He was martyred in Bremen.
Saint Agnes is the patron saint of virgins.
Saint Aldhelm was born in 640 and died in 709. He was abbot of Malmsebury and later the bishop of Sherborne. He was an architect and poet.
Saint Anselm was an archbishop of Canterbury. He was born in 1033 and died in 1109.
Saint Blasius was Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia. He was said to have been martyred around 316 by torture with a wool-comb, from which he became the patron saint of wool-combers.
Saint Cecilia was a Christian martyr. She died in 230. She is associated with church music.
Saint Clare was the first woman follower of Saint Francis of Assisi. She was born in 1194 and died in 1253. She founded the order of Poor Clares, who follow Franciscan rule and are one of the severest female religious orders. She is celebrated on August 12th.
Saint Crispin is the patron saint of shoe-makers.
Saint Cuthbert was an English saint. He was Bishop of Lindisfarne in 685 and died on the island of Farne in 687.
Saint Cyprian was Bishop of Carthage and an early Christian martyr. He was born in 205 and died in 258.
Saint Cyril was the Bishop of Jerusalem. He was born in 318 and died in 386.
Saint David is the patron saint of Wales. He was the Bishop of Menevia, now called St. Davids.
Saint George is the tutelary saint of England, Portugal and Aragon, and was the patron saint of chivalry in Europe in medieval times. He was a reputed native of Cappadocia and rebuked Diocletian for his persecution of Christians. He was arrested, tortured and executed at Nicomedia in 303. The tradition of Saint George with a Dragon dates from the 6th century.
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.
The Saladoids were the first inhabitants of Statia arriving in great sea-going canoes from South America before the end of the 15th century.
Sallust was a Roman historian. He was born in 86BC and died in 35BC.
Salvador Allende was a radical Chilean marxist democrat leader who became president in 1970, but was killed in a military coup in 1973.
Salvador Dali is a Spanish painter. He was born in 1904. He is a surrealist painter.
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 Samaritans were a people settled in Samaria by the Assyrian Kings to replace the indigenous population which had been captured by Sargon.
The Samoyedes are a Mongolian race of Ural-Altaic stock, inhabiting the tundras of north east Europe and Siberia. They are nomadic, dwelling in tents or huts and hunting and fishing.
Samuel Barrington was a British admiral who gained distinction during the Seven Years War. He was born in 1729 and died in 1800.
Samuel John Lamorna Birch was an English lanscape painter. He was born in 1869, dying in 1955.
Samuel Butler was a British satirist and poet. He was born in 1612 and died in 1680. He wrote ''Hudibras''.
Samuel Clemens was the real name of Mark Twain, the American writer.
Samuel Franklin Cody was an American aviator. He was born in 1861 and died in 1913. He came to England in 1908 and invented a successful biplane in 1909. He was aeronautical advisor to the War Office and won its aeroplane competition in 1912. He was killed in an air crash near Aldershot.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge was an English poet. He was born in 1772 and died in 1834. He is best remembered for his poem the Ancient Mariner.
Samuel Colt of Hartford, Conneticut patented the first successful percussion revolver in England in 1835 and in America in 1836.
Samuel Crompton was an English inventor born in 1753 he died in 1827. He invented the spinning-mule in 1779.
Samuel Daniel was a British poet. He was born in 1562 and died in 1619. He wrote ''Defence of Ryme''.
Samuel Johnson was an English writer. He was born in 1709 and died in 1784. He was twice imprisoned for debt.
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.
Samuel Pepys was an English diarist. He was born in 1633 at London and died in 1703.
Samuel Richardson was an English novelist. He was born in 1689 and died in 1761. He wrote Pamela.
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.
Samuel Warren was a British novelist. He was born in 1807 at Wales and died in 1877. He was called to the bar in 1837 and held the post of MP for Midhurst from 1856 to 1859.
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.
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.
Savatore Quasimodo was an Italian poet. He was born in 1901, dying in 1968.
The Saxons were a Teutonic race which invaded Britain between the 5th and 7th centuries.
Saxred was joint ruler of the East Saxons in 614.
Sean O'Casey was an Irish playwright. He was born in 1884 at Dublin and died in 1966.
Sebastien Le Prestre De Vauban was a French soldier. He was born in 1633 at Burgundy and died in 1707. He spent most of his life constructing and besieging fortresses. He developed systems of attack and defence which made the French school of fortification the first in Europe. He also wrote several books on the strategy of fortress attack and defence.
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.
Sebbi was joint ruler of the East Saxons in 663 until he became a monk.
Sebert was the first christian king of the East Saxons. He reigned in 597.
Selred was king of the East Angles in 713.
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.
The Senussi are an islamic sect inhabiting the desert regions of Libya.
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.
Sergei Prokofiev was a Russian composer. He was born in 1891 in the Ukraine and died in 1953.
Sergi Pavlovich Diaghilev was a Russian impressario. He was born in 1872 and died in 1929.
Sergi Rachmaninov was a Russian composer born near lake ilman in 1873. He died in 1943. He wrote pieces for the piano.
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.
Seward was joint ruler of the East Saxons in 614.
Sexburga was Queen of the West Saxons in 672.
The Shakers are an American religious sect, more properly called ''The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing''. The term Shakers was first applied to the Quakers, from whom the Shakers split off under Ann Wardley in 1774. They belive God to be bisexual, reject the deity of Christ and practise communism.
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.
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.
Sidney James Webb was an English social reformer. He was born in 1859 and died in 1947.
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.
Sigebert was joint ruler of the East Saxons in 614. Sigebert was king of the East Angles in 629.
Sigebert II (Sigebert the little) was king of the East Saxons in 623.
Sigebert III (Sigebert the good) was king of the East Saxons in 655 until he was put to death.
Sigebright was king of the West Saxons in 754. Having murdered his friend Cumbran, the governor of Hampshire, he was himself slained by one of Cumbran's retainers.
Sigenard was king of the East Saxons in 693.
Sigered was king of the East Saxons in 799.
Sigeric was king of the East Saxons in 799. He died while on a pilgrimage to Rome.
Sigher was joint tuler of the East Saxons in 663.
Sigrid Undset was a Norwegian writer. She was born in 1882 and died in 1949. She won the Nobel prize for literature in 1928.
Sigurd Snogoje was king of Denmark in 794.
The Sikhs are a group of people from Punjab who follow the religion of Baba Nanak.
Simon de Montfort was an English statesman and soldier. He was born in 1208 and died in 1265 at the battle of Evesham.
Simone Martini was an Italian painter. He was born in 1283 and died in 1344.
The Sindhi are the majority ethnic group living in the Pakistani province of Sind. The Sindhi
language is spoken by about 15 million people.
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.
Sir Adolphus William Ward was an English scholar. He was born in 1837 and died in 1924. He was master of Peterhouse from 1900, president of the British Academy from 1911 to 1913 and was knighted in 1913.
Sir Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home is a British Conservative statesman. He was educated at Eton and Oxford. He entered Parliament in 1931. In 1960 he became Foreign Secretary. In 1963 he became Prime Minister.
Sir Ambrose Fleming was an English scientist. He was born in 1849 and died in 1945. In 1904 he invented the thermionic valve.
Sir Antony Van Dyck was a Dutch artist. He was born in 1599 at Antwerp and died in 1641. He was an assistant to Rubens.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was a British author. He trained in medicine, but started writing to earn some money. He is best remembered for creating the character Sherlock Holmes.
Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington was a British astronomer and mathematician. He was born in 1882 at Kendal and died in 1944. He studied the internal constitution of stars.
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.
Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan was an English composer. He was born in 1842 and died in 1900.
Sir Astley Paston Cooper was an English surgeon and the author of medical text books. He was born in 1768, dying in 1841.
Sir Austen Chamberlain was a British politician. He was born in 1863 at Birmingham and he died in 1937. He initiated the Locarno pact in 1925 which sought to reconcile France and Germany. Neville Chamberlain was a British politician. He was born in 1869 and died in 1940. He became Prime Minister in 1937.
Sir Charles Warren was a British general. He was born in 1840 and died in 1927. He was engaged in excavation work in Palestine from 1867 - 1870 and the commissioner for the settlement of the boundary between the Orange Free State and Griqualand West in 1876 and 1877.
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.
Sir Christopher Cradock was a British sailor. He was born in 1862 and died in 1914. He entered the Navy in 1875 and served in the Egyptian campaign in 1884 and the Sudan in 1891. He commanded the naval brigade at the relief of Peking in 1900 and was appointed rear-admiral in 1910. He went down on the Monmouth on November 1st 1914 whilst trying to protect southern trade routes during the Great War.
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.
Sir Clive Sinclair is the English electronics genius who produced the first widely available pocket calculator and a series of home computers.
Sir David Gill was a Scottish astronomer. He was born in 1843 at Aberdeen and died in 1914. He organised expeditions to observe two transits of venus and in 1885 completed a systematic survey of the southern heavens and by 1898 had published a catalogue of 450,000 stars.
Sir Edward Codrington was a British admiral. He was born in 1770 and died in 1851. He commanded the Orion at the Battle of Trafalgar, and served in the war with America, 1814. As commander of the Allied Mediterranean Fleet in 1827 he defeated the Turkish and Egyptian navies at Navarino and secured the evacuation of the Morea in 1828.
Sir Edward Coke was an English judge. he was born in 1552 and died in 1634. He was known as the greatest common lawyer of all time. He was a member of parliament in 1589 and Attorney-General in 1594. In 1603 he conducted the Raleigh trial and in 1605 the Gunpowder Plot trial. In 1606 he was appointed Chief Justice. Coke upheld the common law against the Crown, the Church, and the Admiralty.
Sir Edward Elgar was an English composer. He was born in 1857 and died in 1934.
Sir Edward German was an English composer. He was born in 1862 at Whitchurch and died in 1936. He produced light operas including Merrie England and Tom Jones.
Sir Edward Jenner was an English physician. He was born in 1749 at Berkeley and died in 1823. He developed a vaccine for smallpox from cowpox, and thus created the concept of innoculation through mild infection to allow the body's immune system to develope strength against a particular virus.
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.
Sir Edwin Henry Landseer was an English painter. He was born in 1802 at London and died in 1873. He was knighted in 1850. Typically he painted pictures of animals.
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.
Sir Eyre Coote was a British general. He was born in 1726 and died in 1783. He served against the Jacobites in 1745, and later in India. He assisted Clive at Calcutta and at Plassey in 1756. In the campaign against the French in the Carnatic, Coote won the battle of Wandewash in 1760 and was with Monson at the siege of Pondicherry in 1761.
Sir Francis Drake was an English seaman. He was born in 1545, dying in 1596.
Sir Francis Galton was an English anthropologist and eugenist. He made explorations in south west Africa. He established the theory of anticyclones in meterology. He was born in 1822 and died in 1911.
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.
Sir Francis Walsingham was an English statesman of the Puritan party. He was born in 1530 and died in 1590. He was ambassador to France in 1570 and appointed one of Elizabeth's secretaires of state in 1573. He was the chief agent in the execution of Mary Queen of Scots.
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 Frederick Gowland Hopkins was a British scientist. He was born in 1861 and died in 1947. He discovered vitamins.
Sir Frederick Ouseley was an English composer. He was born in 1825 in London and died in 1889. He mainly wrote church music.
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.
Sir George Cockburn was a British admiral He was born in 1772 and died in 1853. As captain of the Minerve he assisted Nelson at the blockade of Leghorn in 1796 and shared in the capture of Martinique in 1809. He took part in the American War at the capture of Washington and conveyed Napoleon to St. Helena in 1815.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sir Gilbert Blane was a Scottish physician. He was born in 1749 in Ayrshire and died in 1834. He was private physician to Admiral Rodney, and then physician to the fleet in the West Indies, in which position he introduced the use of lime-juice and other means of preventing scurvy among sailors. He wrote ''Elements of Medical Logic''.
Sir Godfrey Kneller was an Anglo-German artist. He was born in 1646 at Lubeck and died in 1723. He settled in England in 1674.
Sir Guy Dawber was an English architect. He was born in 1861, dying in 1938. He did a lot of work to bring about the restoration of buildings throughout England.
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.
Sir Harry Lauder was a Scottish variety actor. He was born in 1870 at Portobello and died in 1950.
Sir Henry Bessemer was born in 1813, dying in 1898. He invented the bessemer Converter which is a three stage process for maKing cheap steel.
Sir Henry Rowley Bishop was an English composer. He was born in 1786, dying in 1855. He wrote home sweet home.
Sir Henry Doulton was an English potter and inventor. He was born in 1820 and died in 1897. His father, John, was the owner of a pottery works in Lambeth, London. Henry entered the factory at the age of 15 and perfected the process of enamel glazing.
Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere was the South African High Commissioner, whose abortive attempt to unite South Africa resulted in the Zulu War. He was born in 1815 and died in 1884.
Sir Henry Irving was a British actor, and the first to be knighted. He was born in 1838 and died in 1905. Washington Irving was an American writer. He was born in 1783 at New York and died in 1859.
Sir Henry Joseph Wood was an English conductor. He was born in 1869 in London and died in 1944.
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.
Sir Henry Raeburn was a Scottish portrait painter. He was born in 1756 and died in 1823.
Sir Henry Enfield Roscoe was an English chemist. He was born in 1833 at London and died in 1915. His chief researches were on vanadium and the chemical action of light, but he was also notable for the stimulus he gave to the study of technical chemistry in Britain, and for his literary work.
Sir Henry Tate was an English art collector and sugar refiner. He was born in 1819 and died in 1899. He donated the Tate collection and a picture gallery to the people of Britain.
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).
Sir Humphry Davy was an English chemist. He was born in 1778 at Penzance and died in 1829. he studied under Lavoisier and Nicholson and became superintendent of the Pneumatic Institution in Bristol. There he studied the properties of nitrous oxide, and as a result was made assistant lecturer by the Royal Institution, London. He invented the Davy safety-lamp for miners.
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.
Sir Jacob Epstein was an American born sculptor who lived in England. He was born in 1880 and died in 1959.
Sir James Black is a British scientist. He was born in 1924. He was awarded a nobel prize for medicine in 1988 for his work on drugs which prevent heart attacks.
Sir James Dewar was a British chemist and physicist. He was born in 1842 and died in 1923. Together with Abel he had a part in the invention of cordite but he is chiefly remembered for his work with the liquefacation of gasses and researches on the electrical and other properties of matter at low temperatures. In 1898 he liquified hydrogen. He became president of the Vritish Association in 1902 and was knighted in 1914.
Sir James George Frazer was a British scholar and anthropologist. He studied the religion and magic of primitive peoples, the findings of which he published in the book The Golden Bough. He was born in 1854 and died in 1941.
Sir James Jeans wrote many popular books on astronomy. He was born in 1877 at Ormskirk and died in 1946.
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.
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.
Sir John Wolfe Barry was a civil engineer who built Tower Bridge. He was born in 1836 and died in 1918.
Sir John Betjeman was an English poet. He was born in 1906, dying in 1984. He was the poet laureate from 1972 to 1984.
Sir John Everett Millais was an English painter. He was born in 1829 at Southampton and died in 1896.
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.
Sir John Soane was an English architect and collector. He was born in 1753 near Reading and died in 1837.
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.
Sir Joseph Banks was a British botanist who accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage and was mainly responsible for the colonization of Australia. He was born in 1743 and died in 1820. Nathaniel Prentiss Banks was an American politician and soldier. He defended Washingston from Jackson's army in 1862. He was born in 1816 and died in 1894. Thomas Banks was an English sculptor. He was born in 1735 and died in 1805. He made the monument to Dr. Watts in Westminster Abbey.
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.
Sir Joshua Reynolds was an English portrait painter. He was born in 1723 near Plymouth and died in 1792.
Sir Malcolm Campbell was a British racing motorist. He set land speed records and speed-boat speed records. He was born in 1885 and died in 1949. Donald Campbell was the son of Malcolm Campbell. He broke the world water speed record on Ullswater in 1955. He was born in 1921 and died in 1967.
Sir Martin Frobisher was an English navigator. He was born in 1535 and died in 1594. He distinguished himself against the Spanish Armada, and was the first Englishman to attempt a North-west passage to Cathay.
Sir Matthew Smith was an English painter. He was born in 1879 at Halifax and died in 1959.
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.
Sir Paul Vinogradoff was a Russian jurist. he was born in 1854 and died in 1925. He settled in England and became corpus professor of jurisprudence at Oxford in 1903. He lectured at Harvard in 1907 and Calcutta from 1913 to 1914. He was literary director of the Selden Society and director of publications of the British Academy. He was knighted in 1917.
Sir Peter Lely was a Dutch born painter. He was born in 1618 and died in 1680. He came to England in 1641 as a portrait painter.
Sir Peter Paul Rubens was a flemish painter. He was born in 1577, dying in 1640.
Sir Philip Sidney was an English poet, soldier and courtier. He was born in 1554 and died in 1586.
Sir Rabindranath Tagore was an Indian poet. He was born in 1861 and died in 1941.
Sir Reginald James Bowker was a British statesman. He was born in 1901. He was ambassador to Burma from 1948 to 1950, ambassador to Turkey from 1954 to 1958 and ambassador to Austria from 1958 to 1961.
Sir Richard Grenville was an Elizabethan English seaman. He was born in 1541 and died in 1591. He commanded Raleigh's expedition to Virginia.
Sir Richard Steele was an Irish author, founder, editor and, with Addison, chief contributor of The Tatler and The Spectator. He was born in 1672 and died in 1729.
Sir Richard Wallace was an English art collector. He was born in 1818 and died in 1890.
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.
Sir Samuel Cunard was the founder of the Cunard shipping line. He was born in Wales in 1787, dying in 1865.
Sir Sidney Colvin was an English literary critic and art publisher. He was born in 1845 and died in 1927. He was Slade Professor of Fine Art at Cambridge from 1873 to 1885 and Keeper of Prints and Drawings at the British Musuem from 1884 to 1912.
Sir Stafford Cripps was a British Labour MP. He was born in 1889, dying in 1952. He was chancellor of the exchequer in post-war Britain.
Sir Thomas Browne was a British prose writer. He was born in 1605 and died in 1682. He wrote ''Religio Medici'' and ''Pseudodoxia Epidemica''.
Sir Thomas Malory was an English writer. He lived around 1450. He wrote Le Morte d'Arthur about King Arthur.
Sir Thomas More was an English statesman and politician. He was born in 1478 at London and died in 1535.
Sir Thomas Roe was a famous English ambassador to the West Indies and Brazil. He was born in 1568 and died in 1644.
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.
Sir Thomas Wyatt was a British poet. He was born in 1503 and died in 1542. He wrote ''Certayne Psalmes''.
Sir Walter Raleigh was an English soldier, explorer and author. He was born in 1552 near Sidmouth and died in 1618.
Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist. He was born in 1771 at Edinburgh and died in 1832.
Sir William Bowman was an English anatomist and surgeon. He was born in 1816 and died in 1892. He collaborated with Todd in writing ''The Physiological Anatomy''.
Sir William Crookes was an English physicist. He was born in 1832, dying in 1919. He discovered the element thallium in 1861. He invented the crookes tube in 1874.
Sir William Davenant was an English poet and dramatist. He was born in 1606 and died in 1668.
Sir William Dugdale was an English antiquary and Garter King-of-Arms. He was born in 1605 and died in 1686. He was a Royalist, and accompanied Charles I to Oxford during the Civil War. At the Restoration he was appointed King-of-Arms and knighted.
Sir William Fairbairn was a Scottish engineer. He was born in 1789 at Kelso and died in 1874. He built the Conway and Menai tubular bridges in 1845.
Sir William Fettes was a Scottisj man who left a large sum of money for the education of orphans and other unfortunate children. He was born in 1750 and died in 1836.
Sir William Fletcher Barrett was a British scientist. He was the principal founder of the Society for Psychical Research. He was born in 1844 and died in 1925.
Sir William Herschel was an anglo-German astronomer. He was born in 1738 and died in 1822. He discovered the planet Uranus.
Sir William Nicholson was an English painter. He was born in 1872 at Newark and died in 1949.
Sir William Orchardson was a British genre and portrait painter. He was born at Edinburgh in 1835 and died in 1910.
Sir William Osler was a Canadian physician and author. He was born in 1849 and died in 1919. He studied at Montreal, London, Berlin and Vienna and became professor of medicine at Oxford in 1905, a post he held until his death. He wrote ''Principles and Practice of Medicine''.
Sir William George Penney is a British atomic scientist. He was born in 1909 at Gibraltar.
Sir William Henry Perkin was an English chemist. He was born in 1838 and died in 1907. He discovered aniline dyes.
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.
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.
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish patriot. He was born in 1270 and died in 1305. He organised Scottish resistance to Edward I in 1297 and was for a time successful until he was defeated by Edward I at Falkirk in 1298. He continued to wage war against England until he was betrayed and captured in 1305 when he was taken to London and executed.
Sir William Walton was an English composer. He was born in 1902 at Oldham.
Sir William Watson was an English poet. He was born in 1858 and wrote mainly political poems, but made his reputation with the poem ''Wordsworth's Grave'' in 1890.
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was a Britsh statesman. He was born in 1874 at Blenheim Palace and died in 1965. He was Britains Prime Minister during the Second World War.
Sitting Bull was a great leader of the sioux.
Sixtus I was bishop of Rome from 115 until 125.
The Skalds were ancient Scandinavian poets, who composed poems in honour of the distinguished men and their prowess, and recited or sang them on public occasions.
George Castriota (Skanderbeg) was an Albanian hero. He was born in 1403 and died in 1468. In 1414 the Turks invaded Albania and captured his uncle's fortress. Castriota was taken to Constantinople and given the Turkish name and title of Iskandar Bey, which was later corrupted into Skanderbeg. In 1443 Albania revolted and Castriota returned to free the country.
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.
Sledda was a son of Ella and king of the East Saxons in 587.
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.
A smatchet is an inconsequential or unimportant person.
Socrates was a Greek philosopher. He was born in 469BC and died in 399BC.
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.
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.
St. Edmund was a vassal king of the East Angles in 870. He was slain by the Danes.
St. Elizabeth was a Hungarian saint. She was born in 1207 and died in 1231. She was the daughter of Andrew II and the wife of Louis IV. She was famous for her charity and piety.
St. Ethelbert was the first christian king of the Heptarchy in 560.
St. Vincent de Paul was a French priest. He was born in 1576 and died in 1660. He instituted the Lazarist Society and worked among galley slaves. He was canonized in 1737.
Stanley Baldwin was an English statesman. He was born in 1867, dying in 1947. He was prime minister three times.
Stanley Spencer was an English painter. He was born in 1891 and died in 1959.
Steen Stensen Blicher was a Danish poet and novelist. He was born in 1782 and died in 1848. His novels give an accurate account of country life in Jutland in the middle of the 19th century.
Stendhal was a French novelist. He was born in 1783 and died in 1842.
Stephane Mallarme was a French poet. He was born in 1842 at Paris and died in 1898. He founded the Symbolists school of poetry.
Stephen was King of England from 1135 to 1154.
Stephen Vincent Benet was an American writer. He was born in 1898 and died in 1943. He wrote the poem John Brown's Body which deals with the American Civil War.
A stevedore is someone who takes charge of the loading and unloading of cargoes. A ship's master is supposed to be a competent stevedore, and is responsible for bad stowage. But a professional stevedore is generally appointed and shipowners are responsible for stowage.
A Stoic was a follower of an Athenian school of philosophy named from the stoa (porch) in which its founder, Zeno of Citium, taught.
Subahdar was the title of a governor of a province under the Mogul rule in India. During the British occupation of India, Subahdar was the designation given to a native Captain in the Indian army.
Suebricht was king of the East Saxons in 709.
Suenon was king of Denmark in 1047.
Suenon the Forked-beard was king of Denmark in 991.
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.
Sufis are Islamic mystics, so named from their garments of wool, known in Arabic as ''suf''. The various orders of Dervish arose from the Sufis.
Sun Yat Sen was the founder and first President of the Chinese Republic. He was born in 1867 and died in 1925. Whilst studying medicine in Hong Kong he took part in a revolutionary plot in 1895 and upon its discovery fled to England. He was captured in 1896 by the Chinese Legation in London and held prisoner until his release was demanded by the Prime Minister. In 1905 he founded the China Revolutionary League in Europe and Japan and played a large part in the revolution of 1911.
Sun Yat-Sen was a Chinese statesman. He was born in 1866 and died in 1925.
Susan Ferrier was a Scottish author. She was born in 1782 and died in 1854. She published several novels anonymously, and in 1831 wrote the book ''Destiny''.
Susan Warner was an American author. She was born in 1819 and died in 1885. Under the pseudonym of Elizabeth Wetherell she wrote a series of tales of domestic life including ''The Wide, Wide World''.
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.
Sweyn III was king of Denmark in 1137 until he was beheaded in 1147.
Swithelm was king of the East Saxons in 661.
Swithred was king of the East Saxons in 738.
The Szlachta were the Polish land owning aristocratic class up until the mid-20th century.