Special Sub-Topic: Lesser Known 'B' People Click Here To Play: Lesser Known 'B' People

What is the Latin name for the French scholar who convinced King Francis I to found the College de France?

Budaeus. His French name was Guillaume Bude. The library of the College de France forms the nucleus of the Bibliotheque Nationale of France.

Which British actor is believed to have been Shakespeare's original Hamlet, Othello and King Lear?

Richard Burbage. Burbage's father and brother were responsible for building 'The Theatre' and the original 'Globe Theatre', respectively.

What is the name of the German romantic poet responsible for the romantic ballad 'Lenore'?

Bürger. Gottfried August Bürger (1747–94) was a writer of folk ballads, and his most famous work was the romantic piece called 'Lenore'. He taught at the University of Göttingen, where he translated many famous works (from Homer to Shakespeare) into German for the first time.

Which Catholic saint was responsible for the founding of the Carthusian monastic order?

St. Bruno. He was born in Cologne Germany, in 1030 A.D. and was head of the cathedral school in Rheims from 1057-76.

What scientist was the first to use the term 'Green Revolution'?

Norman Borlaug. He developed high-yield wheat crops, along with other inventions that helped spur the 'green revolution'.

What was the name of the Canadian anatomist who discovered the 'Peking Man' in 1927?

Black. Davidson Black discovered Peking Man during a period of political turmoil in China. Consequently, the original bones and skull of 'Peking Man' were lost and/or destroyed.

Whose law gives a numerical sequence by which the distance of the planets from the sun can be obtained?

Bode. Johann Elert Bode also published the first atlas of the stars, called 'Uranographia', in 1801. His law is, of course, commonly refered to as 'Bode's Law'.

She was queen of the Iceni, and died by ingesting poison in 60 A.D. Name her!

Boudicca. King Prasutagus was a vassal of Rome, after his death his queen, Boudicca, raised England in revolt. Sadly, this revolt was easily crushed. She committed suicide soon after.

He was known as the 'knight without fear and without reproach'. Who was this knight?

Bayard. A French soldier, Pierre du Terrail Bayard (Chevalier Bayard) was propagated for many generations to come as the ideal man of chivalry.

Which of these individuals was considered to be the ultimate Japanese master of haiku?

Basho. Basho's most well known work is called 'oku-no-hosomichi' or 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North'. It is still very readable today, in either Japanese or quality translation. Thank you for attempting this quiz. If you enjoyed it, please feel free to try my many other alphabetical people quizzes.