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Authorised form of nameHumboldt; Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von (1769 - 1859); naturalist and traveller
Other forms of nameAlexander von
Humboldt, Alexander von
Other forms of surnameHumbolt
Dates1769 - 1859
Place of birthBerlin, Germany
Date of birth14 September 1769
Place of deathBerlin, Germany
Date of death06 May 1859
Dates and placesBurial:
Tegel, Berlin, Germany
Research fieldNatural science
ActivityEducation:
Frankfurt-an-der -Oder; Gottingen
Career:
Visited England with George Forster (FRS 1777) whom he met at Gottingen; worked in a mining department, Upper Franconia; stayed in Paris, then sailed for South America, which he explored (over 5 years); settled in Paris (1804-1827); lecturer in Berlin (1827); travelled through Russia with Ehrenberg (FRS 1837) and Gustav Rose (FRS 1866) (1829); undertook diplomatic missions (1830-1848); held high position in the Prussian court; began to publish 'Kosmos' (1845)
Memberships:
For Mem GS
Membership categoryForeign Member
Date of election06/04/1815
Royal Society activityMedals and prizes:
Copley Medal 1852
RelationshipsYounger son of a major in the Prussian army; unmarried
SourcesSources:
Bulloch's Roll; DSB
Obituaries:
Proc Roy Soc 1859-1860 vol 10 pp xxxix-xlii
References:
James Gabriel O'Hara, 'Gauss and the Royal Society: The Reception of His Ideas on Magnetism in Britain (1832-1842)' in NR 1983-84 vol 38 pp 17-78
K K Schwarz, 'Faraday and Babbage' in NR 2002 vol 56 pp367-381
Notes:
In R he is described as Baron Alexander von Humbolt.
Virtual International Authority Filehttp://viaf.org/viaf/95193235
Royal Society codeNA7984
Archives associated with this Fellow
Reference numberTitleDate
IM/002302Humboldt, Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von nd
M/240Humboldt Medal1959
DM/3/116Minute of a meeting of the Committee for considering the letter of Baron Humboldt13 March 1837
IM/002303Humboldt, Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von nd
IM/002301Humboldt, Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von nd
CB/1/4/163Letter from Baron Alexander von Humboldt, Paris to Charles Blagden6 June 1813
CB/1/4/165Letter from Baron Alexander von Humboldt, Paris to Charles Blagden, Royal Society, Somerset House, London21 July 1814
MM/21/32Copy of letter from Friedrich Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt [to Francis Rawden Chesney]7 November 1850
IM/006822Humboldt, Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von nd
MC/5/63Copy letter from Alexander von Humboldt, Potsdam, to the Royal Society27 November 1852
CB/1/4/164Letter from Baron Alexander von Humboldt, Paris to Charles Blagden, Royal Society, London12 November 1813
IM/006821Humboldt, Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von nd
EC/1814/36Humboldt, Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von: certificate of election to the Royal Society
MC/3Volume 3 of miscellaneous correspondence regarding business matters, sent to the Royal Society1839-1843
MC/3/46Copy letter from Captain Edward Sabine, Elberfelt, to Baron von Humboldt 24 October 1839
MC/5/79Letter from Baron de Humboldt, Berlin, to the Earl of Rosse, President of the Royal Society30 December 1852
MC/5/57Copy letter from Baron von Humboldt, Potsdam, to [William Henry Smyth], Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society9 November 1852
MC/5/94Letter from [Christian Charles Josias von] Bunsen, Prussia House, to Colonel [Edward] Sabine, [Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society]18 April 1853
MC/5/377Letter from Prince Albert, Osborne, to Baron [Alexander von] Humboldt 10 December 1858
MC/5Volume 5 of miscellaneous correspondence regarding business matters, sent to the Royal Society1851-1858
AP/20/7Unpublished letter, regarding terrestrial magnetism from Baron Humboldt to the President of the Royal Society23 April 1836
AP/20/8Unpublished letter, 'Report upon a letter addressed by the Baron de Humboldt to HRH the President of the Royal Society and communicated by HRH to the Council' from S [Samuel] Hunter Christie and G B [George Biddell] Airy to the President of the Royal Society9 June 1836
HS/10/72Letter, from Alexander von Humboldt to Sir John Herschel, dated at Berlin31 December 1850
HS/10/67Letter, from Alexander von Humboldt to Sir John Herschel, dated at Berlin18 April 1844
HS/10/70Letter, from Alexander von Humboldt to Sir John Herschel, dated at Sans Souci31 July 1850
HS/10/63Letter, from Alexander von Humboldt to Sir John Herschel, dated at Berlin8 October 1828
HS/10/71Letter, from Alexander von Humboldt to Sir John Herschel, dated at Sans Souci11 August 1850
HS/10/66Letter, from Alexander von Humboldt to Sir John Herschel, dated at Sans Souci19 August 1842
HS/10/68Letter, from Alexander von Humboldt to Sir John Herschel, dated at Sans Souci8 June 1845
HS/10/69Letter, from Alexander von Humboldt to Sir John Herschel, dated at Berlin19 January 1850
HS/10/74Letter, from Alexander von Humboldt to Sir John Herschel, dated at Berlin6 May 1855
HS/10/75Draft letter, from Sir John Herschel to Alexander von Humboldtundated
HS/10/73Letter, from Alexander von Humboldt to Sir John Herschel, dated at Sans Souci13 August 1851
HS/10/64Letter, from Alexander von Humboldt to Sir John Herschel, dated at Berlin29 May 1838
HS/23/84Copy letter, from Sir John Herschel to Alexander von Humboldt, dated at Collingwood11 February 1850
HS/21/43Copy letter, from Sir John Herschel to Alexander von Humboldt, dated at Leamington18 March 1829
HS/22/253Copy letter, from Sir John Herschel to Alexander von Humboldt, dated at Collingwood2 November 1845
HS/23/89Copy letter, from Sir John Herschel to Alexander von Humboldt, dated at Collingwood7 August 1850
HS/23/110Copy letter, from Sir John Herschel to Alexander von Humboldt, dated at London8 November 1851
HS/22/197Copy letter, from Sir John Herschel to Alexander von Humboldt, dated at Collingwood1844-6-10 or 1844-5
HS/25/14/14Copy of draft letter, from Sir John Herschel to Alexander von Humboldt, dated at [Collingwood]1842-8-24 or later
HS/10/65Copy letter, from Sir John Herschel to Alexander von Humboldt, dated at Altona31 July 1838
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