Quaestor
Quechua
Queen Elizabeth of Romania
Queen Victoria
Quintus Horace
R. D. Laing
Rabbi
Rafael Sabatini
Rainer Rilke
Rajendra Prasad
Rajput
Ralph Emerson
Raoul Dufy
Raphael
Raphael Holinshed
Regent Albany
Regent Murdoch
Reginald Barratt
Rembrandt
Rene Descartes
Rene Laennec
Renoir
Richard Aldington
Richard Byrd
Richard Cromwell
Richard Cumberland
Richard Doyle
Richard Earlom
Richard Hildreth
Richard I
Richard II
Richard III
Richard Savage
Richard Sheridan
Richard Strauss
Richard Trevithick
Richard Wagner
Richard Whittington
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
Romans
Romany
Romulus
Ronnie Scott
Rudolf Eucken
Rudolf Steiner
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
Saki
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
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.
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 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 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 Horatius Flaccus Horace was a Roman lyric poet. He was born in 65BC at Venusia and died in 8BC.
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.
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.
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 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 Wagner was a 19th century German composer. He was born in 1813 at Leipzig and died in 1883.
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.
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.
see "Roman"
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 untill he developed his system of "Anthroposophy" when he was excluded. He was born in 1861 and died in 1925.
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.
see "Munro"
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.