Carl Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) was a brilliant Swedish naturalist and educator who considered all of nature his classroom. Like a botanical prophet, he would lead students on long excursions through woods and countryside, reeling off colorful anecdotes and observations on plants, insects and vertebrates. He eventually collected over 14,000 sheets of pressed plants and thousands of insect specimens.
More than two centuries after his death, Linnaeus is most honored for his revolutionary plant and animal naming system of binary Latin nomenclature: one name indicating the genus and the other the species.
It is little wonder that Linnaeus is internationally recognized as the "Father of Botany".
Carl's life and times
| 1707 |
May 23rd, Carl Linnaeus is born in Rashult, in the province of Smaland in Southern Sweden.
|
| 1727 | Studies medicine for a year in Lund. |
| 1728 | Continues his studies in Uppsala. |
| 1732 |
Goes alone to Lappland (Northern Sweden) on scientific expedition for five months. This portrait shows Linnaeus after his return in the traditional Lappland peasant-wear.
note: He is holding the
Linnaea borealis that would later be the focus of his noble
family's coat of arms |
| 1734 | Next, a scientific expedition to Dalarna. |
| 1735 | Attains a Doctor of Medicine degree at Harderwijk, Holland. |
| 1735 - 1738 | Lives and works in Holland, publishing several important works. Visits Denmark, Germany, England and France. |
| 1735 |
Publishes the first edition of Systema Naturae. |
| 1736 | Publishes Fundamenta Botanica. |
| 1737 | Publishes Flora Lapponica. |
| 1739-1741 | Removes to Stockholm as a medical doctor. |
| 1739 | One of the founders of the Royal Academy of Science in Stockholm. |
| 1739 | Marries Sara Lisa Moraea at Sveden, near Falun, Dalarna. |
| 1741 | Appointed professor of medicine at Uppsala University. |
| 1741 | Scientific expedition to the islands of Oland and Gotland. |
| 1745 |
Publishes Flora Svecica in Stockholm. The
work describes 1296 plants.
|
| 1746 | Scientific expedition to Vastergotland. |
| 1751 | Publishes Philosophia Botanica. Carl Linnaeus completed this book elaborating principles of botany that he had published 15 years before in Systema Naturae. This new Philosophia Botanica, became one of the most important books in the history of systematic botany. |
| 1753 | Publishes Species Plantarum. Binomial nomenclature for plants begins to be used. |
| 1757 |
Linnaeus was dubed in 1753 by king Adolph Fredrik to knight of Nordstjarneordern. He was the first civilian in Sweden to received this honor. In 1761 he was raised to the nobility and took the name von Linne. 
Linne drew a proposal on a coat of arms for the noble family von Linne. His proposal was composed of three fields with the colours of the nature; black, green and red. Above these fields was an anatomic egg and in the helmet a Linnaea borealis. This proposal was rejected and the counter proposed coat of arms was accepted by Linne. |
| 1758 |
Purchases the farms of Hammarby, and Savja within 13 km from Uppsala. |
| 1758 | Publishes the 10th edition of Systema Naturae where the binomial (two names) system for animals is consistently used for the first time. |
| 1778 | January 10th, Carl Linnaeus dies in Uppsala and is buried in the Cathedral there. |
