Famous People Born In 1778

José de San Martín was an Argentine general who played an important role in the Spanish American wars of independence. San Martín is considered a national hero of Peru and Argentina. The Order of the Liberator General San Martín, the highest honor conferred by the government of Argentina, was created in his honor.

English essayist and critic William Hazlitt is remembered for his characteristic humanism in his works. Initially aspiring to be a painter, he traveled to Paris but later deviated to philosophy and metaphysics. Though he penned iconic works such as The Spirit of the Age, he spent his later life in oblivion.

Louis Bonaparte reigned over the Kingdom of Holland from 1806 to 1810. The younger brother of Napoléon Bonaparte, Louis followed in the footsteps of his brother and served in the French Army. He was later made the new king of Holland by Napoleon. However, Louis' wilfulness forced Napoleon to annex Holland into the French Empire and Louis fled into exile.

Known for his pathbreaking Gay-Lussac's Law, French chemist-physicist Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac was also the first, along with his colleague Alexander von Humboldt, to discover that water is composed of one part of oxygen and two parts of hydrogen. His name is one of the 72 that adorn the Eiffel Tower.

Giovanni Battista Belzoni was an Italian explorer and archaeologist of Egyptian antiquities. A pioneer in the field of Egyptian archaeology, Belzoni was the first person to enter the famous Pyramid of Khafre. Belzoni is also credited with unblocking the entrance of the temple at Abu Simbel and discovering the tomb of Seti I, which is referred to as Belzoni's Tomb. 

Fernando Sor was a Spanish composer and classical guitarist best remembered for writing solo classical guitar music. Widely regarded as the best classical guitarist of his generation, Fernando Sor also composed an opera, two ballets, and three symphonies. Many of his works have been studied by students and guitar enthusiasts all over the world.

Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen was a Russian cartographer, naval officer, and explorer. He is best remembered for his role in Russia's first circumnavigation of the world. Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen also led another circumnavigation that led to the discovery of Antarctica. 

Swiss botanist Augustin Pyrame de Candolle excelled in literature and poetry in school but later focused on botany. He is remembered for establishing scientific standards and classification for plant genera. Known for his Théorie élémentaire de la botanique, he later lent his name to several plant species and genera.

Catholic nun Catherine McAuley is best remembered as the founder of the Religious Sisters of Mercy. Orphaned as a child, she was raised by Protestant foster parents and later built The House of Mercy, catering to orphans and homeless women, with her inheritance. Her congregation focuses on education of the poor.

A prominent Austrian statesman and Bohemian nobleman of the 19th century, Franz Anton von Kolowrat-Liebsteinsky had served as the Minister-President of the Austrian Empire. He had also been the interior minister of his kingdom. He was also the main rival of Prince Klemens von Metternich.

Marie Thérèse of France was the daughter of Queen Marie Antoinette of France and King Louis XVI. She was married to Louis XIX of France and was technically the Queen consort of France for 20 minutes on 2 August 1830 when Charles X and Louis XIX of France signed the instrument of abdication. Marie-Thérèse has been depicted in many films.

Thomas Brown was a Scottish poet and philosopher best remembered for his contribution to the development of the Scottish school of common sense. Among his most important work is a critique of the theory of transmutation by Erasmus Darwin. Titled Observations on the zoonomia of Erasmus Darwin, his critique was praised as a mature work by several scholars and critics.

Best remembered for his invention of the Davy lamp, a safety lamp for miners, Humphry Davy initially aspired to be a doctor but later deviated to chemistry. The Copley Medal winner had co-founded the Zoological Society of London. He also excelled in writing poetry and loved fishing.

Popularly known as Madame Placide, Suzanne Douvillier is regarded by some as the first trained female choreographer to perform in the US. Not much is known about her childhood apart from the fact that she was an illegitimate child. She made history with her debut in The Bird Catcher.

Jules Solime Milscent was a Haitian poet, fabulist, and politician. Some of his best known fables are L'Homme et le Serpent, Le Cœur et l'Esprit, and Le Chien et le Loup. He is also credited with co-founding a journal named L'Abeille Haytienne. Also a prominent politician, Jules Solime Milscent served in several government positions during his lifetime.

Marie-Madeleine Lachenais was a Haitian woman who was politically active during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. She is best remembered as the political advisor of both Alexandre Sabès Pétion and Jean-Pierre Boyer, the first and second president of Haiti respectively. Marie-Madeleine Lachenais is widely regarded as the most politically powerful Haitian woman of all time.