Origins & Early Life

Albrecht von Haller (also known as Albertus de Haller; 16 October 1708 – 12 December 1777) was a Swiss anatomist, physiologist, naturalist, encyclopedist, bibliographer and poet. A pupil of Herman Boerhaave and Jacob Winslow, he is sometimes referred to as "the father of modern physiology." Haller was born into an old Swiss family at Bern. Prevented by long-continued ill-health from taking part in boyish sports, he had more opportunity for the development of his precocious mind. At the age of four, it is said, he used to read and expound the Bible to his father's servants; before he was ten he had sketched a Biblical Aramaic grammar, prepared a Greek and a Hebrew vocabulary, compiled a collection of two thousand biographies of famous men and women on the model of the great works of Bayle and Moréri, and written in Latin verse a satire on his tutor, who had warned him against a too great excursiveness.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

When still hardly fifteen he was already the author of numerous metrical translations from Ovid, Horace and Virgil, as well as of original lyrics, dramas, and an epic of four thousand lines on the origin of the Swiss confederations, writings which he is said on one occasion...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• 7th Dalai Lama — Contemporary (Born in 1708) (1708): Spiritual leader of Tibet, recognized as the 7th Dalai Lama, scholar, and poet.
• Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor — Contemporary (Born in 1708) (1708): Last non-Habsburg Holy Roman Emperor, founder of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.
• Guru Gobind Singh — Contemporary (Died in 1708) (1708): The tenth and last human Sikh Guru, founder of the Khalsa Panth.
• Aleksey Yermolov — Contemporary (Born in 1777) (1777): Prominent Russian general known for service in the Napoleonic Wars and the Caucasian Campaign.
• Alexander I of Russia — Contemporary (Born in 1777) (1777): Emperor of Russia during the Napoleonic era, known for liberal reforms and military campaigns.
• Carl Friedrich Gauss — Contemporary (Born in 1777) (1777): German polymath whose work spanned number theory, algebra, and statistics.
• Ahmad Shah Durrani — Shared historical date (10-16 · Died) (1772): Founder of the Durrani Empire and modern Afghanistan's first ruler.
• Alfred Jodl — Shared historical date (10-16 · Died) (1946): German general and war criminal, known for his role in the Wehrmacht High Command.
• Alfred Werner — Shared historical date (12-12 · Born) (1866): Pioneering chemist who established the field of modern coordination chemistry.
• Anne Baxter — Shared historical date (12-12 · Died) (1985): Acclaimed American actress known for her work in Hollywood and on Broadway.
• 1708 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1708
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• 1777 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1777
• December 12 (12-12) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on December 12