Biographies

Frédéric Passy French economist and leading peace activist (1822–1912), advocate of free trade and international arbitration; co-recipient of the first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901 for his work prom…

Frederic W. H. Myers: poet, classicist, and pioneer of psychical research Frederic William Henry Myers English classical scholar, poet, and founder of modern psychical research; best known for work on the subconscious and the posthumous Human Personality (1903).

Frederica of Hanover, Queen Consort of Greece (1917–1981) Frederica of Hanover Queen consort of Greece from 1947 to 1964, wife of King Paul, mother of King Constantine II and Queen Sofia of Spain; remembered for charitable initiatives and a controversial publ…

Frederica Sagor Maas American playwright and screenwriter (1900–2012) who worked in early Hollywood, wrote for The Plastic Age, chronicled her career in an autobiography and lived to be a supercentenar…

Frederica Wilson Frederica Wilson is an American educator and Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida since 2011, noted for a long career in Miami education and outspoke…

Frederick Andermann Canadian neurologist (1930–2019) noted for epilepsy research and for describing Andermann syndrome; long-serving McGill professor and recipient of national honours.

Sir Frederick Ashton Frederick Ashton Sir Frederick Ashton (1904–1988) was a leading British dancer and choreographer whose work shaped the repertory and style of The Royal Ballet and 20th-century British ballet.

Sir Frederick Ballantyne — Governor-General and Cardiologist (1936–2020) Frederick Ballantyne Physician and public servant who served as Governor-General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines from 2002 to 2019; noted for a long career in medicine and public health leadership.

Frederick Banting Canadian physician and researcher who co-discovered insulin, shared the 1923 Nobel Prize, and whose work transformed diabetes care and medical research.

Frederick Brownell: South African herald and designer of national flags Frederick Brownell South African herald, vexillologist and genealogist best known for designing the flags of Namibia and South Africa; served as Herald of South Africa and helped shape modern nationa…

Frederick Chiluba, President of Zambia (1991–2002) Frederick Chiluba Zambian trade union leader and politician who led the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy and served as the country's second president from 1991 to 2002, initiating market reforms a…

Frederick de Houtman Dutch navigator and explorer (1571–1627) who sailed the western coast of Australia in 1619, contributed to early maps of the region and whose name appears in Australian place names…

Frederick Delius (1862–1934) — English Composer Frederick Delius Frederick Delius was an English-born composer who spent most of his life in France. Known for atmospheric orchestral tone poems and choral works, he blended folk, hymn-like melody,…

Frederick Douglass: Abolitionist, Orator, Author, and Statesman Frederick Douglass African American social reformer born into slavery who became a leading abolitionist, writer and statesman. Renowned for powerful oratory, autobiographies, the newspaper The North…

Frederick Forsyth: British thriller writer, journalist, and public figure Frederick Forsyth Overview of Frederick Forsyth, his life, major works, writing style, adaptations and public profile, including journalism, military service and his later claim of MI6 links.

Frederick Franklin (1840–1873), U.S. Navy sailor and Medal of Honor recipient Frederick Franklin Frederick Franklin was a United States Navy sailor who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the 1871 American expedition to Korea. His life and service are sparsely d…

Frederick Griffith English bacteriologist who in 1928 demonstrated the “transforming principle” in pneumococcal bacteria, a key experimental step that led to recognition of DNA as the genetic materia…

Frederick Hemke American classical saxophonist and educator (1935–2019), long-time Northwestern University professor who expanded the classical saxophone repertoire and trained generations of play…

Frederick I of Prussia First King in Prussia (1701–1713), Elector of Brandenburg who raised Brandenburg-Prussia's status, patronized the arts, and established a more courtly monarchy after the Great Elec…

Frederick I Barbarossa — Holy Roman Emperor (c.1122–1190) Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I, called Barbarossa, was a Hohenstaufen ruler who reigned as King of the Romans and Holy Roman Emperor in the 12th century, noted for Italian campaigns, conflict with th…

Frederick II of Denmark (1534–1588) Frederick II of Denmark King of Denmark and Norway (1559–1588). A Renaissance ruler known for military conflict with Sweden, building projects like Kronborg, cultural patronage, and a boisterous court lif…

Frederick II of Prussia (Frederick the Great) Frederick II of Prussia Enlightened absolutist and military commander who ruled Prussia (1740–1786), known for military victories, administrative reforms, patronage of the arts and correspondence with Enl…

Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor: ruler, patron, and reformer Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II (1194–1250), Hohenstaufen king of Sicily and Holy Roman Emperor, known for his multilingual court, legal and administrative reforms, clashes with the papacy, and cultu…

Frederick IX of Denmark (1899–1972) Frederick IX of Denmark King of Denmark from 1947 to 1972; a career naval officer turned constitutional monarch whose reign included post‑war modernization and a 1953 succession reform that enabled Queen…

Frederick Jelinek: Pioneer of Statistical Speech Recognition and NLP Frederick Jelinek Czech-American information theorist and researcher who transformed automatic speech recognition and statistical natural language processing through data-driven methods and leadersh…

Frederick John Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich British statesman (1782–1859) who served briefly as Prime Minister as Lord Goderich; a conciliatory Tory politician who held several senior ministries and is remembered for a short…

Frederick J. Kroesen Jr.: U.S. Army Four-Star General and NATO Commander Frederick Kroesen Overview of General Frederick J. Kroesen Jr., his military career, major commands in the U.S. Army and NATO, service in three wars, and his role in Cold War European defense.

Frédérick Leboyer and the Gentle Birth Movement Frédérick Leboyer French obstetrician and author who popularized gentle birthing methods, including the 'Leboyer bath' and early mother–infant contact, through his influential 1974 book 'Birth Witho…

Frederick McCubbin: leading figure of the Heidelberg School Frederick McCubbin Frederick McCubbin (1855–1917) was an influential Australian painter of the Heidelberg School, noted for plein air depictions of the bush, narrative canvases, and his long service…

Frederick Albert McDonald — Australian teacher, politician and missing person Frederick McDonald Frederick Albert McDonald (c.1872–disappeared April 1926) was an Australian teacher and Labor MP for Barton whose unexplained disappearance after leaving parliament has attracted l…

Frederick Augustus Conrad Muhlenberg (1750–1801) Frederick Muhlenberg American Lutheran minister and politician; first Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Pennsylvania delegate, cleric and community leader. Remembered for public service and…

Frederick North, Lord North (Prime Minister of Great Britain, 1770–1782) Frederick North, Lord North British statesman Frederick North, commonly Lord North (1732–1792), led the government through the years surrounding the American Revolution and presided over key fiscal and politi…

Frederick Pottinger: 19th-Century New South Wales Police Inspector Frederick Pottinger Sir Frederick William Pottinger (1831–1865) was a British-born inspector in colonial New South Wales, noted for leading police efforts against mid‑19th‑century bushrangers such as…

Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts Victorian-era British field marshal (1832–1914), noted for campaigns in India, Afghanistan and South Africa, decorated leader and influential reformer of the late British Army.

Frederick Russell Burnham American scout and adventurer (1861–1947) whose tracking skills and experiences in Africa influenced Robert Baden-Powell and the development of Scouting; later active in business,…

Frederick Sanger: Biochemist and Pioneer of Protein and DNA Sequencing Frederick Sanger English biochemist Frederick Sanger (1918–2013) developed methods to determine the sequences of proteins and nucleic acids, earning two Nobel Prizes in Chemistry and transforming m…

Frederick Soddy: Nobel-winning chemist and pioneer of isotope theory Frederick Soddy Frederick Soddy (1877–1956) was an English chemist and physicist who helped establish the concept of isotopes and the chemical understanding of radioactivity. He shared the 1921 No…

Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby British aristocrat and Governor General of Canada (1888–1893), remembered for donating the trophy that became the Stanley Cup, now the championship prize of North American professi…

Frederick Terman — Stanford Engineer and Architect of Silicon Valley Frederick Terman American electrical engineer and Stanford administrator who promoted industry–university partnerships, mentored technology entrepreneurs, and helped shape the region known as Silic…

Frederick Ward (Captain Thunderbolt) Frederick Ward (bushranger) Frederick Ward, known as Captain Thunderbolt, was a 19th-century Australian bushranger active in northern New South Wales whose long career and folklore reputation made him a notab…

Frederick William II of Prussia (1744–1797) Frederick William II of Prussia King of Prussia from 1786 to 1797. Nephew of Frederick the Great, he presided over territorial gains in Poland, a retreat from war with France, and notable cultural patronage amid…

Frederick William III of Prussia King of Prussia from 1797 to 1840 whose reign spanned the Napoleonic Wars, major administrative and military reforms, and the conservative restoration of the German states.

Frederick William IV of Prussia King of Prussia from 1840 to 1861; a conservative romantic and arts patron who resisted revolutionary liberalism, refused the 1849 imperial crown, and was incapacitated in 1857 and…

Frederick, Prince of Wales (1707–1751) Frederick, Prince of Wales Heir apparent who predeceased his father George II; known for political estrangement from his parents, a prominent court and patronage, and as the father of King George III.

Frederico Chaves Guedes (Fred) — Brazilian football striker Frederico Chaves Guedes Frederico Chaves Guedes (born 3 October 1983), known as Fred, is a Brazilian centre‑forward noted for spells with Cruzeiro, Olympique Lyonnais and Fluminense and for appearances wi…

Frederik H. Kreuger (1928–2015) Frederik H. Kreuger Dutch high-voltage scientist, inventor and author who taught at Delft University of Technology and wrote technical works, thrillers and a noted biography of forger Han van Meegeren…

Frederik Pohl: American science fiction author, editor, and fan Frederik Pohl Overview of Frederik Pohl (1919–2013), his writing and editing career, notable works and collaborations, themes and influence on 20th-century science fiction.

Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark (born 1968), is the heir apparent to the Danish throne, eldest son of Queen Margrethe II and the late Prince Consort Henrik. He undertakes public…