HISTORIAN

William H. Prescott

1796 - 1859

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William Hickling Prescott (May 4, 1796 – January 28, 1859) was an American historian and Hispanist, who is widely recognized by historiographers to have been the first American scientific historian. Despite having serious visual impairment, which at times prevented him from reading or writing for himself, Prescott became one of the most eminent historians of 19th century America. He is also noted for his eidetic memory, also called "photographic memory". After an extensive period of study, during which he sporadically contributed to academic journals, Prescott specialized in late Renaissance Spain and the early Spanish Empire. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. William H. Prescott is the 260th most popular historian (up from 348th in 2019), the 4,485th most popular biography from United States (up from 5,583rd in 2019) and the 16th most popular American Historian.

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Among HISTORIANS

Among historians, William H. Prescott ranks 260 out of 561. Before him are Richard G. Hovannisian, Hisham ibn al-Kalbi, Heinrich Graetz, Régine Pernoud, Zeev Sternhell, and Alexander Svanidze. After him are Lucius Coelius Antipater, Philistus, Hermann Conring, Thomas the Archdeacon, Peter Brown, and Frederick Jackson Turner.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1796, William H. Prescott ranks 35. Before him are John Stevens Henslow, David Roberts, Abdullah Abdul Kadir, Johann Christian Poggendorff, Mikhail Muravyov-Vilensky, and Laurent-Joseph-Marius Imbert. After him are Georg, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg, Horace Mann, Fernán Caballero, Manto Mavrogenous, Princess Marie of Hesse-Kassel, and Antun Mihanović. Among people deceased in 1859, William H. Prescott ranks 42. Before him are William Cranch Bond, Sergey Aksakov, Thomas Horsfield, Muhammad ibn Ali as-Senussi, F. J. Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich, and Princess Anna of Saxony. After him are Joseph Ludwig Raabe, Horace Mann, Stefan Bogoridi, José de Madrazo y Agudo, Thomas Nuttall, and Eliza Acton.

Others Born in 1796

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In United States

Among people born in United States, William H. Prescott ranks 4,485 out of 20,380. Before him are Jack Cassidy (1927), Laurie Metcalf (1955), Jim Croce (1943), Hope Lange (1933), Adlai Stevenson I (1835), and Redman (1970). After him are Marky Ramone (1952), Richard Bandler (1950), E. L. Doctorow (1931), Vincent Richards (1903), John Petrucci (1967), and Jim Bridger (1804).

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Among HISTORIANS In United States

Among historians born in United States, William H. Prescott ranks 16. Before him are Linda Nochlin (1931), Howard Zinn (1922), Deborah Lipstadt (1947), Rudolph Rummel (1932), Natalie Zemon Davis (1928), and Richard G. Hovannisian (1932). After him are Frederick Jackson Turner (1861), Efraim Zuroff (1948), Robert Darnton (1939), Donald Keene (1922), Richard N. Frye (1920), and Ernest Fenollosa (1853).

American born Historians

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