Commemoration of Carl Linnaeus end of his life in 1778, Carl Linnaeus had become one of the most acclaimed scientists in Europe, the first civilian in Sweden to be dubbed a knight of the Order of the Polar Star (1753) and ennobled as Carl von Linné (1761). The Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote during Linnaeus' lifetime: "I know no greater man on earth." The German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe would later write: "With the exception of Shakespeare and Spinoza, I know no one among the no longer living who has influenced me more strongly." Swedish author August Strindberg wrote: "Linnaeus was in reality
Apostles of Linnaeus helped spread the Linnaean taxonomy, a system for classifying organisms. Additionally, one of Linnaeus' admirers, the English Botanist Joseph Banks, was inspired to begin the tradition for all British research ships to have a naturalist aboard. Thus apostles had a direct influence on future expeditions such as Charles Darwin's expedition aboard HMS "Beagle". Carl Linnaeus was born in Råshult, Småland, Sweden on 23 May 1707. Linnaeus enrolled at Uppsala University to study botany and medicine in 1728. Following his studies, he went to the Netherlands to study medicine. While in the Netherlands, he published "Systema Naturae" that describes a new