The Macmillan Dictionary of Biography

858 Pages·1981·132.841 MB·English

by  Barry Jones, M. V. Dixon (auth.)

THE
MACMILLAN
DICTIONARY
OF BIOGRAPHY
THE
MACMILLAN
DICTIONARY
OF BIOGRAPHY
BARRY JONES
and
M. V. DIXON
© J. Dixon and B. Jones 1981
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or
by any means, without permission.
First published 1981 by
THE MACMILLAN PRESS LTD
London and Basingstoke
Associated companies throughout the world
ISBN 978-0-333-27274-9 ISBN 978-1-349-04915-8 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-04915-8
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Fort William, Scotland
A
Aalto, Alvar (I 898-1976). Finnish architect and July 1962. In September he was chosen to
designer. Finnish pavilions at international ex preside over the newly elected constituent
hibitions in Paris (I 937) and New York (I 939) assembly, but was forced to resign the following
were his first major successes outside Finland. year when a new constitution was promulgated
There he had long been known for his im without consultation, his rival Ben Bella becom
aginatively functional buildings, public, in ing first president of independent Algeria.
dustrial and domestic; in the first category the
library at Viipuri is among the most notable. A Abboud, Ibrahim (1900- ). Sudanese
feature of his work is his combination of wood soldier and political leader. His military service
with brickwork, glass, copper and cement. After was mostly spent with the Sudan Defence
the war Aalto lectured at the Massachusetts In Force, with which he served on the side of the
stitute of Technology, for which he designed a Allies in the Second World War. He became
students' hostel. In 1957 he received the gold commander-in-chief of the army of indepen
medal of the Royal Institute of British dent Sudan in 1956 and two years later assumed
Architects. political control to end anarchy. He was
Aalto also developed functional plywood fur removed from the presidency in a bloodless
niture, mass-produced in his own factory. Until revolution in 1964.
her death in 1949 his wife, Aino, collaborated
with him in all his work. Abd al Krim (1882-1963). Moroccan leader.
For years from 1920 he maintained an active
Aaron. In the Bible story, with his brother nationalist resistance in the Rif mountains (after
Moses, he led the Israelites from Egypt to Ca which the war was called) until in 1926 he was
naan (Palestine) and became their first high finally overcome by a combined Franco-Spanish
priest, but while Moses was receiving the ten army. Exiled to the island of Reunion, he re
commandments on Mount Sinai he made a mained there till 1948, after which he went to
golden calf for the people to worship (Ex. xxiii). Egypt, where he spent the rest of his life.
Furneaux, R., Abdel Krim: Emir of the Rif 1967
Abbas (566-652). Uncle of Mohammed and an
cestor of the Abbasid dynasty which held the Abdul Aziz ibn Saud see Ibn Sa 'ud
caliphate of Baghdad from 750 to 1258.
Abdul-Hamid II (1842-1918). Sultan of
Abbas II (Abbas Hilmi) (I 874-1 944). Khedive Turkey. In 1876 he began a disastrous reign,
(viceroy) of Egypt from 1892. When Turkey en marked by personal incompetence and military
tered the First World War in 1914 he was failure, as a result of which much of Turkey's
deposed by the British. He was succeeded by his Balkan empire was lost. He lived in seclusion in
uncle Hussein with the title of Sultan. his palace, the Yildiz Kiosk, surrounded by
favourite astrologers and the apparatus of
Abbas, Ferhat (I 899- ). Leader of the despotism. The Young Turk revolution of 1908
Algerian National liberation Front (F.L.N.) forced constitutional concessions and his ab
from 1956 until the granting of independence in dication the following year.
(I
Abdullah Abraham
Abdullah (l882-195\). Emir (1921-1946) and was professor of civil design at Liverpool and
king (J 946-195 J) of Transjordan, renamed Jor during these years plans for preserving Strat
dan in 1949. He was the son of Emir Hussein of ford-on-Avon and other English towns made
the Hejaz and brother of Faisal I of Iraq. With him well known in his particular field. He was
the rest of his family he gave active help to Bri professor of town planning at University Col
tain in the First World War and was made emir lege, London (1935-1946), and the 'Greater
of Transjordan as a reward, the title of king London Plan' (1943) crowned his life's work.
being assumed when the country became fully
independent in 1946. He annexed parts of Arab Abercromby, Sir Ralph (1734-180 \). Scottish
Palestine in 1948 when Israel was formed. Ab soldier. After being trained for the law he was
dullah, a wise and cautious ruler, was assassi commissioned in the 3rd Dragoon Guards in
nated by an Arab fanatic. 1756, and fought with distinction in the Seven
Years War and the French wars at the close of
Abdul Rahman, Tunku see Rahman, Tunku the century. He was knighted in 1795 and, as
Abdul leader of the West Indies campaign which im
mediately followed, received fresh acclaim.
Abelard, Peter (1079-1142). French While commander-in-chief of British forces in
philosopher and theologian of a noble Breton the Mediterranean he made (June 180 I) a suc
family. He became a lecturer in Paris and cessfullanding at Aboukir Bay, Alexandria. The
seduced and married a 17-year old pupil, French counter-attack was repulsed but
Heloise, whose uncle, Fulbert, canon of Notre Abercromby himself died of wounds.
Dame, eventually had him castrated. She Dunfermline, Lord, Sir Ralph Abercromby.
became a nun and he a monk. Later his retreat 1861
at Nogent-sur-Seine, known as Le Paraclet, was
visited by scores of disciples. Convicted of Aberdeen, George Hamilton Gordon, 4th Earl
heresy, he was eventually absolved by the pope. of (1784-1860). Scottish nobleman, who suc
His own account of his life and his correspon ceeded to his title in 180 I. After being am
dence with Heloise have perpetuated one of the bassador in Vienna and in 1814 signing in Paris
most famous love stories of the world. In 1817 the treaty which was intended to bring the
the two were laid together in one tomb in the Napoleonic wars to a final end, he entered
Pere-Lachaise cemetery in Paris. politics. Foreign secretary (1828-1830) under
His contribution to the philosophical problem Wellington, he later became a close supporter of
of universals was that a general word (e.g. Robert Peel. He served in the ministry of
'pink') does not have meaning by standing for a 1834-1835 as war and colonial secretary and
single quality (e.g. pinkness) that somehow ex was again foreign secretary (1841-1846). Hav
ists, but rather by being tied to a mental concept ing succeeded as leader of the Peelite group, he
we acquire by noticing similarities between was prime minister (1852-1855), resigning after
different things (e.g. pink ones). He extolled the criticism of his feeble handling of the Crimean
use of reason in religion while giving a place to War.
faith. One of his best known works is Sic et non Balfour, Lady F., LiJe oJGeorge. Fourth Earl oj
(Yes and No), which revealed the contradictions Aberdeen. 1923. Stanmore, Lord, The Earl oj
in the works of the early Christian fathers. Aberdeen. 1893
Gibson, E., Heloise and Abelard. 1953. Sikes, J.
G., Peter Abailard. 1932 Aberhart, William (1878-1943). Premier of
Alberta in Canada (1935-1943). He was
Abercrombie, Lascelles (1881-1938). English remarkable for his attempt to transplant in
poet associated with the 'Georgian' group. His Canada the Social Credit policies of • Major C.
most mature work was a poetic drama, The Sale H. Douglas. His scope of action was however
oj St. Thomas (193 J). His prose works are limited by the overriding authority of the federal
mainly concerned with theories of poetry and government. In earlier life Aberhart had been a
prosody. He was professor of English at Bed clergyman and a schoolmaster.
ford College, London University (I 929-1935).
Abraham (or Abram) (C. 21 OO-c. 2000 B.c.).
Abercrombie, Sir (Leslie) Patrick (1879-1957). Traditional ancestor of the Israelites. According
British town planner, first practised as an to the biblical account (Gen. xi, 26 ff,) he was
architect in Manchester. From 1915 to 1935 he born in Ur of the Chaldees (in Mesopotamia),
2
Abu-Dekr Adams, Henry Brooks
went to Canaan and thence, at the call of God, Adam, Adolphe Charles (1803-1856). French
migrated with Sarah his wife and his whole composer and a professor at the Paris Conser
household to Canaan (Palestine). His faith was vatoire from 1848. His best known work is the
tested when God commanded him to sacrifice ballet Giselle (184 I), but he also wrote several
his son Isaac. It was only at the last moment that operas.
he was told to substitute a ram.
Adam, Robert (1728-1792) and James
(1730-1794). The two best known ofa family of
Abu-Dekr (573-634). Father of Ayesha, one of
Scottish architects, James acting mainly as his
Mohammed's wives. In 632, on his son-in-law's
brother's assistant. As a young man Robert,
death, he became the first caliph (khal(fa, 'suc
who was brought up on the family estate in
cessor'). His claim was disputed by Moham
Kinross-shire, was sent by his father (himself an
med's son-in-law * Ali, whose followers
architect of distinction in the Palladian tradition)
became known as Shi 'ites.
to Italy, where, without neglecting the Renais
sance masters, he made a special study of the
Acheson, Dean Gooderham (1893-1971). antiquities of Rome, Pompeii and Herculaneum.
American secretary of state (1949-1953) under Across the Adriatic the ruins of Diocletian's
President Truman. He was especially associated palace at Spalato (Split), much more complete
with the Truman doctrine of aid to countries than they are today, provided a theme for a
under threat of aggression. He was born in Con book, fully illustrated by his own drawings,
necticut, educated at Yale and Harvard and had published in 1764. They also strongly
gained a reputation as an international lawyer influenced his designs for the Adelphi (i.e. The
before becoming an assistant secretary of state Brothers) Terrace, an unfortunate financial
in 1941. His Present at the Creation, an account speculation but an artistic triumph (destroyed in
of his time at the Department of State, won the our own time).
Pulitzer prize for history in 1970. Out of his studies gradually emerged the so
called Adam style, based on the principle that
exterior, interior and furnishings should form a
Ackermann, Rudolph (1764-1834). German
harmonious whole. Details were largely elegant
born lithographer. He published and sold from
adaptations of Roman and Greek models. Out
his shop in the Strand (opened 1795) illustrated
standing among the many Ada'll country houses
books and periodicals containing prints by
are Harewood in Yorkshire, Kedleston in Der
Rowlandson, Pugin and other well known ar
byshire and Syon and Osterley near London.
tists of his day.
The famous town houses were a later phase.
Robert, who was unmarried, was buried in
Acton, John Emerich Edward Dalberg, 1st Westminster Abbey.
Baron (1834-1902). English historian, born in Bolton, A. T., The Architecture oj R. and J.
the Kingdom of Naples where his grandfather Adam. 1922
was prime minister in Napoleonic times. He
was brought up in the household of the * 2nd Adams, Sir GrantIey Herbert (1898- ).
Earl Granville, who married his widowed First and only prime minister of the West Indian
mother, and his later education took place in federation (1958-1962). He was educated at Ox
Germany where he acquired his mastery of ford University, and became a successful lawyer
historical method. He was a liberal M.P. in Barbados, for which he played cricket. He
(1859-1865) but reached his greatest fame as was premier of Barbados (1954-1958).
professor of modern history at Cambridge
(1895-1902), where he planned the original Adams, Henry Brooks (1838-1918). Grandson
Cambridge Modern History. Though he was a of * John Quincy Adams and son of Charles
Roman Catholic, his liberalism made him Francis Adams, American ambassador in Great
strongly oppose the dogma of papal infallibility Britain during the Civil War. Henry, destined to
(1870). To him is attributed the maxim 'Power become a distinguished historian, must have
tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts gained from experience as his father's secretary
absolutely'. during this period. From 1870 to 1877 he was
Lally, F. E., As Lord Acton Says. 1942. Mathew, teaching history at Harvard, where he had been
D., Lord Acton and his Times. 1968; Acton: The educated, but then moved to Washington for the
Formative Years. 1972 preparation of his great History oj the U.S.A.
3
Adams, John Adams, Samuel
During the Administrations of Thomas Jefferson of the planet Neptune from calculations on ir
and James Madison (9 volumes, 1889-1891), regularities in the orbit of Uranus. Delay in
which set a standard in documentation. Lesser publication resulted in his sharing credit for dis
historical work followed but in later life Adams covery of the planet with * Leverrier who,
turned to general literature, having already writ working independently, presented similar
ten Democracy (1880), a slashing satirical novel calculations to the Academie FranC1liise in 1846.
of Washington society. Mont-Saint-Michel and Other notable work by Adams included
Chartres is a study of the unifying forces of researches on the moon's motion. He was
medievalism symbolized by these great build professor of astronomy at Cambridge from
ings. The Education ofH enry Adams, an ironical 1859 until his death.
autobiography, is concerned by contrast with
the centrifugal forces of modern life. Both (first Adams, John Quincy (1767-1848). Eldest son
printed privately in 1904 and 1906 respectively) of * John Adams and sixth president of the
have become American classics. U.S.A. (1825-1829). His natural precocity was
Levenson, J. C., The Mind and Art of Henry increased by accompanying his father on
Adams. 1957. Samuels, E., The Young Henry diplomatic missions. At the age of 14 he was
Adams. 1948; Henry Adams: The Middle secretary to the American ambassador in St
Years. 1958; Henry Adams: The Major Phase. Petersburg and at 16 to his father, ambassador
1964 in Paris. He graduated at Harvard in 17 87,
started work as a lawyer, but was soon recalled
Adams, John (1735-1826). Second president of to diplomacy. He was minister to Holland
the U.S.A. (I 797-1 80\). Born in Braintree (1794-1796), to Portugal (1796) and to Prussia
(Quincy), Massachusetts, and educated at Har (1797-1801). Back in America he was elected
vard College. He was cousin of * Samuel senator for Massachusetts in 1803 but disagreed
Adams. He became a leading lawyer and with the Federalist party in such matters as vot
politically a strong supporter of the colonial ing for the Louisiana Purchase, and was soon
cause, relying upon the argument 'No taxation back to diplomacy as minister to Russia
without representation', but revealed his fair (t 809-1814). He was appointed a justice of the
ness by defending British soldiers who had fired United States Supreme Court in 18 11 but
upon and killed some of a group of Boston declined this office. He negotiated the peace
citizens who had been baiting a sentry. He was treaty of Ghent with England in 1814, and was
prominent in the Continental Congresses, and minister to Great Britain (1815-1817). As secre
signed the Declaration of Independence (1776) tary of state under * President Monroe
which he had helped to draft. He was appointed (1817-1825) he was responsible for formulating
diplomatic representative to France (1778) and and applying the 'Monroe Doctrine'. No candi
Holland (t 78\) and with Franklin and Jay date gained a clear majority at the presidential
negotiated the treaty of Versailles (t 783), which election of 1834, and the situation was referred
brought the War of Independence to an end. to the House of Representatives, which chose
After serving as the first U.S. minister to Great Adams. Embittered by slander and defeat by
Britain (t 785-1788), he returned home and as Jackson in the presidential election of 1828 he
leading member of Washington's Federalist par retired to Quincy only to show his resilience by
ty became the first vice-president of the U.S.A. securing election to the House of Representa
(1789-1797), bewailing the lack of power of tives. Here from 1831 until his death he was
'this most insignificant office'. When known for his vehement attacks on slavery. He
Washington announced his retirement in 1796 died in the House after a vigorous speech.
he was elected president of the U.S.A. but in Lipsky, G. A., John Quincy Adams: His Theory
1800 was defeated by Jefferson when he stood and Ideas. 1950
for re-election. He returned to his home at Quin
cy, wrote several books analysing the machin Adams, Samuel (t 722-1803). Born in Boston,
ery of American government, and died on the the first distinguished member of the
50th anniversary of the signing of the Declara Massachusetts family which played such an im
tion of Independence. portant part in American history. Adams squan
Smith, P., John Adams. 1962 dered his inheritance, mismanaged his post as a
tax collector, but showed great talent as a politi
Adams, John Couch (t 819-1892). English cal agitator and fiery propagandist. By foment
astronomer. In 1845 he predicted the existence ing and publishing the grievances of the
4
Adams, William Adenauer, Konrad
American colonists as a radical leader in the post as commissioner of excise; similar posts
state House of Representatives, he played a maintained him in comfort for the rest of his
decisive part in the contrivance of events, such life. He became the main contributor to the
as the Boston Tea Party (177 3), that led up to the Tatler, founded (1709) by his boyhood friend
Declaration ofIndependence, of which he was a Steele, and Steele later joined him on the Specta
signatory. tor. The declared aim of both men was to
Miller, J. c., Sam Adams,' Pioneer in Propagan 'enliven morality with wit and to temper wit
da.1936 with morality', and it is likely that the influence
of both on English manners in the 18th century
Adams, William (t 564-1620). The first was more profound than the elegance and sober
Englishman to settle in Japan (1600), where he good sense of the papers would suggest. Ad
became the principal adviser on shipbuilding dison's tragedy Cato (1713) was highly suc
and trade: because of his usefulness he was not cessful in its day.
allowed to leave. He established a post there for Smithers, P., The Life ofJ oseph Addison. 1954
the East India Company.
Purnell, C. J., Log-Book of William Adams. Addison, Thomas (J 793-1860). Physician and
1916. Sladen, D., and Lorimer, N., More Queer pioneer endocrinologist. His early work was
Things about Japan and the Letters of William on the action of poisons on the human body,
Adams. 1904 and in his Elements of the practice of medicine
(1839) he printed an important account of ap
Addams, Jane (1860-1935). American social pendicitis. But he is mostly remembered for his
reformer, born at Cedarville, Illinois. She researches into the glands, and for his pioneer
founded (t 889) the Hull House social settlement ing work on anaemia. On the basis of autopsies,
in Chicago and worked for female suffrage, he suggested in 1849 a connexion between
social justice and the cause of peace. She shared anaemia and diseases of the suprarenals. This
the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931. work was extended in his book On the Constitu
Tims, M., Jane Addams ofH ull House. 1961 tional and Local Effects of Disease of the Supra
Renal Capsules (t 855), in which he identified
Addington, Henry, 1st Viscount Sid mouth 'idiopathic' anaemia (later known as Addisonian
(1757-1844). English politician. He entered anaemia). He also identified what became
parliament in 1784, was speaker of the House of known as 'Addison's disease', a condition of the
Commons (1789-180 I) and prime minister dur suprarenal capsules which produced weakness,
ing Pitt's temporary retirement (1801-1804). a bronze pigmentation of the skin, and fatality in
His incompetence was revealed when war the patient.
broke out again; Pitt turned against him but Singer, C. and Underwood. E. A. Short history
after reconciliation took him into his own of medicine. 1962
ministry. Thereafter he was almost con
tinuously in office until his opposition to Can Adelaide (1792-1849). The daughter of the
ning's policy of recognizing the independence of Duke of Saxe-Coburg Meiningen, she married
the Spanish colonies in S. America led to his (1818) the Duke of Clarence, later * William IV
final retirement. As home secretary of Great Britain. The capital of South Australia
(1812-1821) he was responsible for many is named after her.
repressive measures and incurred odium as a Hopkirk, M., Queen Adelaide. 1946
result of the' Peterloo Massacre' of 1819. As a
Tory he was opposed to Roman Catholic eman Adenauer, Konrad (1876-1967). The first chan
cipation and parliamentary reform. He received cellor (prime minister) and main architect of the
his peerage in 1805. West German federal republic. He first came
Zeigler, P., Addington. 1962 into prominence as mayor of Cologne, a post
which he held from 1917 until he was removed
Addison, Joseph (1672-1719). English essayist, by the Nazis (1933). During the remaining years
chiefly remembered as the founder of and chief of Hitler's supremacy he was twice imprisoned.
contributor to the Spectator (first appeared After the Allied victory (1945) he resumed office
1711). A sickly precocious child, he was edu in Cologne and in the same year founded the
cated at Charter house and Oxford. His poem Christian Democratic party, which included
The Campaign (1704), written to celebrate both Roman Catholics and Protestants. This
Marlborough's victory at Blenheim, won him a became the basis of his power when (1949) he
5
Adler, Alfred Aeschines
became the first chancellor of the new West Adrian VI (Adriaan DedeJ), (1459-1523). Pope
German state. His political good sense combined (J 522-1523). He was born in Utrecht and grew
with stubbornness won him respect and up to become a distinguished theologian. As tutor
authority in Germany and enabled him to re to the young Charles of Burgundy and the Low
establish the position of his country within the Countries (later king of Spain and emperor
community of nations, and to pursue a policy of Charles V), he attained political and ecclesiasti
economic rehabilitation which came to be cal preferment. Inquisitor-general of Aragon in
known as the German 'economic miracle'. He 1516, cardinal in 1517, he became (1522) the
negotiated West Germany's entry into NATO, last non-Italian pope until John Paul II. Zeal for
the Common Market and other international reform within the church combined with op
bodies, and in particular established a personal position to all doctrinal change won him
rapprochement with President de Gaulle. He enemies both in Rome and among Luther's
resigned the chancellorship in 1963 and was adherents: moreover his inability to prevent the
succeeded by his economics minister * Ludwig Turkish seizure (I522) of Rhodes from the
Erhard. Adenauer, however, retained the chair Knights of St John marked his political failure.
manship of the party. Hock, E., Der Letzte deutsche Papst, Adrian VI.
Weyrnar, P., Konrad Adenauer, Eng. trans. 1939
1957. Wighton, K. C, Adenauer: Democratic
Dictator. 1963 Adrian, Edgar Douglas Adrian, 1st Baron
(1889-1977). English physiologist. He was born
in London, educated at Westminster and Trinity
Adler, Alfred (1870-1937). Austrian psy
College, Cambridge, and trained for medicine at
chologist. He was an eye specialist before taking
St Bartholomew's Hospital, London. Most of his
up psychiatry and working with Freud, from
career was spent at Cambridge, where he was
whom however he finally broke away in 1911
professor of physiology (I 937-195 I) and master
(mainly through disagreement with what he
of Trinity. He achieved fame for his work on the
regarded as Freud's undue emphasis on infantile
transmission, by nerve impulses, of sensation
sexuality), and established his own system. He
and muscular control: his later work was on the
stressed the link between hereditary physical
electrical activity of the brain itself. Among the
defects and psychological states but is best
many honours received for his neurological
known for the importance he ascribed to the
research were a Nobel Prize for Medicine and
will to dominate and its frustration. The popular
Physiology (shared with Sir Charles Sher
use of the phrase 'inferiority complex' is derived
rington) in 1932, the O.M. (I 942), and his
from his teaching.
peerage (I 955). He retired as master of Trinity in
Bottome, P., Alfred Adler: Apostle of Freedom.
1965 and was succeeded by R. A. Butler.
3rd ed. 1957
A. E. (pen name of George William Russell) see
Adler, Felix (J 851-1933). American sociologist. Russell
German-born son of a rabbi. He established the
first child-study group and the first free kin
Aelfric (c. 955-c. 1020). The best known
dergarten in the U.S.A. He was a pioneer ofthe
Anglo-Saxon scholar and writer of his time. He
Ethical Culture movement, aimed at providing
wrote homilies, sermons, a colloquy between
ethical and moral teaching outside the churches.
the teacher, the pupil and such characters as
ploughman, hunter, etc., a paraphrase of the
early books of the Old Testament and some lives
Adrian IV (Nicholas Breakspear) (C. 1100-
of saints, e.g. St Oswald and St Edmund.
1159). The only Englishman ever to become
pope (I 154). Born near St Albans, he became a
canon of a monastery at Av ignon in France and Aeschines (389-314 B.C.). Athenian orator and
was cardinal-bishop of Albano in Italy great rival of Demosthenes. One famous speech
(1146-1154). As pope he reasserted papal (against Ctesiphon) and two others alone sur
power (* Arnold of Brescia), crowned Frederick vive, but his importance lies in the fact that he
I (Barbarossa) emperor in 1155, but later op was chief spokesman of the party of appease
posed him on the basis of his theories of papal ment in the face of the encroachments of Philip
supremacy. II of Macedon and so delayed the resistance ad
Mann, H. K., Nicholas Breakspear. 1914 vocated by Demosthenes until too late.
6