Notable Alumni of Uppsala University [Sorted List]

1. Hjalmar Hammarskjöld

1862-1953 (aged 91)

diplomat jurist politician

Knut Hjalmar Leonard Hammarskjöld was a Swedish statesman, diplomat, and academic who served as Prime Minister of Sweden from 1914 to 1917. An independent conservative, he represented Uppsala County in the Riksdag from 1923 to 1938. His premiership was marked by economic hardship, domestic unrest, and growing tensions over suffrage and food shortages during World War I, all while maintaining...

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2. August Ludwig von Schlözer

1735-1809 (aged 74)

university teacher historian journalist mathematician statistician

August Ludwig von Schlözer was a German historian and pedagogist who laid the foundations for the critical study of Russian medieval history. He was a member of the Göttingen school of history.

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3. Ivar Arpi

1982-. (aged 44)

journalist

Ivar Arpi is a Swedish columnist and debater. He has written op-eds for Göteborgs-Posten, Hallandsposten and Svenska Dagbladet. Arpi claims that he supports freedom of speech and that he believes that pluralism of opinion is important for society to develop.

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4. Manne Siegbahn

1886-1978 (aged 92)

physicist university teacher

Karl Manne Georg Siegbahn was a Swedish physicist who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1924 "for his discoveries and research in the field of X-ray spectroscopy".

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5. Jonas Hallberg

1944-2025 (aged 81)

journalist television presenter

Jonas Sven Hallberg was a Swedish journalist, radio and television personality, and presenter. He participated in Spanarna in Sveriges Radio and presented Måndagsbörsen and Dominans on SVT. He also worked as a stand-up comedian. In his youth, he was friends with Jan Guillou, and Hallberg described their friendship as Guillou being his first best friend.

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6. Birgitta Dahl

1937-2024 (aged 87)

politician

Rut Birgitta Dahl was a Swedish politician of the Social Democratic Party. Dahl was a Member of Parliament from 1969 to 2002. She served as Minister for Energy from 1982 to 1990, as Minister for the Environment from 1986 to 1991, and as Speaker of the Parliament from 1994 to 2002. She was the chairman of the Swedish section of...

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7. Bengt Danielsson

1921-1997 (aged 76)

world traveler explorer writer anthropologist ethnologist

Bengt Emmerik Danielsson was a Swedish anthropologist, writer, and a crew member on the Kon-Tiki raft expedition from South America to French Polynesia in 1947. In 1991, he was awarded the Right Livelihood Award for "exposing the tragic results of and advocating an end to French nuclear colonialism."

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8. Ulf Ekman

1950-. (aged 76)

theologian missionary pastor

Ulf Ekman is a former charismatic pastor and the founder of the Livets Ord (Word of Life) organization in Sweden, which brought the Word of Faith movement to that country. Ekman is now a Catholic. Ekman is married to Birgitta Ekman and has four sons: Aron, Jonathan Ekman, Samuel, and Benjamin.

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9. Anders Chydenius

1729-1803 (aged 74)

economist writer priest philosopher politician

Anders Chydenius was a Swedish-Finnish Lutheran priest and a member of the Swedish Riksdag, and is known as the leading classical liberal of Nordic history. He carried out his life's work in the Kingdom of Sweden, advocating for free trade, freedom of speech, and social reforms.

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10. Theodor Svedberg

1884-1971 (aged 87)

university teacher chemist artist

Theodor Svedberg was a Swedish chemist and Nobel laureate for his research on colloids and proteins using the ultracentrifuge. Svedberg was active at Uppsala University from the mid-1900s to late 1940s. While at Uppsala, Svedberg started as a docent before becoming the university's physical chemistry head in 1912. After leaving Uppsala in 1949, Svedberg was in charge of the Gustaf...

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11. Olaus Petri

1493-1552 (aged 59)

priest theologian historian judge translator

Olof Persson, sometimes Petersson, better known under the Latin form of his name, Olaus Petri (or less commonly, Olavus Petri), was a clergyman, writer, judge, and major contributor to the Protestant Reformation in Sweden. His brother, Laurentius Petri (Lars Persson), became the first Evangelical Lutheran Archbishop of Sweden.

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12. Carl Linnaeus the Younger

1741-1783 (aged 42)

mycologist biologist botanist university teacher

Carl Linnaeus the Younger, Carolus Linnaeus the Younger, Carl von Linné den yngre, or Linnaeus filius (Latin for Linnaeus the son; abbreviated L.fil. (outdated) or L.f. (modern) as a botanical authority; 20 January 1741 – 1 November 1783) was a Swedish naturalist. His names distinguish him from his father, the pioneering taxonomist Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778).

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13. Erik Gustaf Geijer

1783-1847 (aged 64)

writer historian philosopher musicologist composer

Erik Gustaf Geijer was a Swedish writer, historian, poet, romantic critic of political economy, philosopher, and composer. His writings served to promote Swedish National Romanticism. He was an influential advocate of conservatism, but switched to liberalism later in life.

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14. Gösta Mittag-Leffler

1846-1927 (aged 81)

scientist university teacher editor entrepreneur mathematician

Magnus Gustaf "Gösta" Mittag-Leffler was a Swedish mathematician. His mathematical contributions are connected chiefly with the theory of functions that today is called complex analysis. He founded the prestigious mathematical periodical Acta Mathematica and was its editor for 40 years.

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15. Johan Gadolin

1760-1852 (aged 92)

university teacher physicist mineralogist geologist chemist

Johan Gadolin was a Finnish chemist, physicist and mineralogist. Gadolin discovered a "new earth" containing the first rare-earth compound yttrium, which was later determined to be a chemical element. He is also considered the founder of Finnish chemistry research, as the second holder of the Chair of Chemistry at the Royal Academy of Turku (or Åbo Kungliga Akademi). Gadolin was...

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16. Gunnar Ekelöf

1907-1968 (aged 61)

poet writer translator

Bengt Gunnar Ekelöf was a Swedish poet and writer. He was a member of the Swedish Academy from 1958 and was awarded an honorary doctorate in philosophy by Uppsala University in 1958. He won a number of prizes for his poetry.

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17. Peter Englund

1957-. (aged 69)

historian writer journalist

Peter Mikael Englund is a Swedish author and historian. He focuses on writing non-fiction books and essays, mostly about the Swedish Empire and other historical events. Englund is known for his accessible writing style, which includes narrative details that are often left out in traditional history books. His works have been translated into 20 languages. From 2009 to 2015, Englund...

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18. Prince Gustaf, Duke of Uppland

1827-1852 (aged 25)

composer

Prince Gustaf of Sweden and Norway, Duke of Uppland, also known officially as Gustav, was the second son of Oscar I of Sweden and Josephine of Leuchtenberg, and the younger brother of Prince (from 1844 Crown Prince) Charles.

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19. Gunnar Strömmer

1972-. (aged 54)

lawyer politician

Gunnar Sören Folke Strömmer is a Swedish politician serving as Minister for Justice since 2022. A member of the Moderate Party, he was previously Party Secretary from 2017 to 2022. He also served as Chairman of the Moderate Youth League from 1998 to 2000.

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20. Wilhelm Stenhammar

1871-1927 (aged 56)

pianist conductor composer

Carl Wilhelm Eugen Stenhammar was a Swedish composer, conductor and pianist. He is considered to be one of Sweden’s most important composers at the turn of the 20th century, and one of the finest Swedish pianists of his time, with a reputation as a fine interpreter of the piano music of Beethoven.

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21. Sara Lidman

1923-2004 (aged 81)

journalist writer

Sara Adéla Lidman was a Swedish writer.

22. Olaus Rudbeck

1630-1702 (aged 72)

university teacher historian archaeologist xylographer architect

Olaus Rudbeck was a Swedish scientist and writer, professor of medicine at Uppsala University, and for several periods rector magnificus of the same university. He was born in Västerås, the son of Bishop Johannes Rudbeckius, who was personal chaplain to King Gustavus Adolphus, and the father of botanist Olof Rudbeck the Younger. Rudbeck is primarily known for his contributions in...

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23. Johann Beckmann

1739-1811 (aged 72)

biologist agronomist economist university teacher historian of technology

Johann Beckmann was a German scientific author and coiner of the word technology, to mean the science of trades. He was the first man to teach technology and write about it as an academic subject.

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24. Lars Gustafsson

1936-2016 (aged 80)

playwright poet writer translator university teacher

Lars Erik Einar Gustafsson was a Swedish poet, novelist, and scholar. Among his awards were the Gerard Bonniers pris in 2006, the Goethe Medal in 2009, the Thomas Mann Prize in 2015, and the International Nonino Prize in Italy in 2016.

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25. Viktor Kochubey

1768-1834 (aged 66)

diplomat statesperson politician

Prince Viktor Pavlovich Kochubey; (22 November [O.S. 11 November] 1768 – 15 June [O.S. 3 June] 1834) was a Russian statesman and close aide of Alexander I of Russia. Of Ukrainian Zaporozhian Cossack origin, he was a great-grandson of Vasily Kochubey. He took part in the Privy Committee that outlined Government reform of Alexander I. He served in London and...

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26. Göran Lambertz

1950-. (aged 76)

jurist judge

Lars Göran Tomas Lambertz was the Chancellor of Justice (Swedish: justitiekansler) in Sweden between 2001 and 2009. He was serving as a judge on the Supreme Court of Sweden between 2009 and 2017.

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27. Johan Pehrson

1968-. (aged 58)

jurist politician

Carl Johan Georg Pehrson is a Swedish politician who served as leader of the Liberals Party from 2022 to 2025, as Minister for Employment and Integration from 2022 to 2024 and as Minister for Education from 2024 to 2025.

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28. Nathan Söderblom

1866-1931 (aged 65)

autobiographer missionary pastor university teacher theologian

Lars Olof Jonathan Söderblom was a Swedish bishop. He was the Church of Sweden Archbishop of Uppsala from 1914 to 1931, and recipient of the 1930 Nobel Peace Prize. He is commemorated in the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church on 12 July.

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29. Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie

1622-1686 (aged 64)

military personnel land owner judge politician

Count Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie was a Swedish statesman and military man. He became a member of the Swedish Privy Council in 1647 and came to be the holder of three of the five offices counted as the Great Officers of the Realm, namely Lord High Treasurer, Lord High Chancellor and Lord High Steward. He also served as Governor-General...

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30. Carl Jonas Love Almqvist

1793-1866 (aged 73)

composer school teacher women's rights activist writer priest

Carl Jonas Love Ludvig Almqvist was a Swedish author, romantic poet, romantic critic of political economy, realist, composer and social critic.

31. Johan August Sandels

1764-1831 (aged 67)

military personnel civil servant politician

Count Johan August Sandels was a Swedish soldier and politician, being appointed Governor-general of Norway (Riksståthållare in Swedish, Rigsstatholder in Dano-Norwegian) 1818 and Field Marshal in 1824. He also served as acting Governor of Stockholm in 1815.

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32. Knut Wicksell

1851-1926 (aged 75)

university teacher economist

Johan Gustaf Knut Wicksell was a Swedish economist of the Stockholm school. He was professor at Uppsala University and Lund University.

33. Ardalan Shekarabi

1978-. (aged 48)

politician

Ardalan Shekarabi is a Swedish social democratic politician. He was chairman for his party's youth league SSU 2003–2005. He was minister for social security from 2019 to 2022, and had previously served as minister for public administration from 2014 to 2019. From January to October 2019 he was also minister for consumer affairs.

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34. Rudolf Kjellén

1864-1922 (aged 58)

geographer political scientist university teacher politician

Johan Rudolf Kjellén was a Swedish political scientist, geographer and politician who first coined the term "geopolitics". His work was influenced by Friedrich Ratzel. Along with Alexander von Humboldt, Carl Ritter, and Ratzel, Kjellén would lay the foundations for the German Geopolitik that would later be espoused prominently by General Karl Haushofer.

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35. Pehr Henrik Ling

1776-1839 (aged 63)

teacher gymnast poet fencing master physician

Pehr Henrik Ling pioneered the teaching of physical education and gymnastics in Sweden. He is considered the Father of Physical Therapy in Sweden. Although his procedures included friction, kneading, stroking, cupping, and clapping they were not related to what was later termed as Swedish massage.

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36. Per Olov Enquist

1934-2020 (aged 86)

television writer literary critic writer novelist critic

Per Olov Enquist, also known as P. O. Enquist, was a Swedish author. He worked as a journalist, playwright and novelist.

37. Åsa Linderborg

1968-. (aged 58)

historian writer journalist

Åsa Natacha Linderborg is a Swedish writer, columnist and historian. She writes regularly for Aftonbladet, where she works as chief cultural editor.

38. Christopher Polhem

1661-1751 (aged 90)

industrial leader physicist entrepreneur mathematician inventor

Christopher Polhammar better known as Christopher Polhem (listen), which he took after his ennoblement in 1716, was a Swedish scientist, inventor, and industrialist. He made significant contributions to the economic and industrial development of Sweden, particularly mining. He was ennobled by King Charles XII of Sweden for his contributions to Swedish technological development.

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39. Carl Peter Thunberg

1743-1828 (aged 85)

ornithologist pteridologist university teacher bryologist lepidopterist

Carl Peter Thunberg, also known as Karl Peter von Thunberg, Carl Pehr Thunberg, or Carl Per Thunberg, was a Swedish naturalist and an "apostle" of Carl Linnaeus. After studying under Linnaeus at Uppsala University, he spent seven years travelling in southern Africa and Asia, collecting and describing many plants and animals new to European science, and observing local cultures. He...

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40. Anders Jonas Ångström

1814-1874 (aged 60)

university teacher astronomer physicist

Anders Jonas Ångström was a Swedish physicist and one of the founders of the science of spectroscopy.

41. Lars Levi Læstadius

1800-1861 (aged 61)

scientific illustrator pastor botanical collector pteridologist botanist

Lars Levi Laestadius was a Swedish Sami writer, ecologist, mythologist, and ethnographer as well as a pastor and administrator of the Swedish state Lutheran church in Lapland who founded the Laestadian pietist revival movement to help his largely Sami congregations, who were being ravaged by alcoholism. Laestadius himself became a teetotaller (except for his ongoing use of wine in holy...

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42. Kerstin Ekman

1933-. (aged 93)

writer novelist

Kerstin Lillemor Ekman is a Swedish novelist.

43. Niklas Zennström

1966-. (aged 60)

computer scientist businessperson entrepreneur

Niklas Zennström is a Swedish entrepreneur, technology investor, and philanthropist. He is the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of a European venture capital firm Atomico based in London. Previously, he co-founded the file-sharing service KaZaA and the internet telephony provider Skype with Janus Friis, where he was the CEO until March 2008.

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44. Petter

1974-. (aged 52)

singer rapper

Petter Alexis Askergren, who simply uses his given name Petter as a stage name, is a Swedish rapper from Stockholm, Sweden, rapping in Swedish. He debuted in 1998 with the album Mitt sjätte sinne (My Sixth Sense), which became a success and started the Swedish hip hop boom in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He owns a record company...

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45. Prince Eugen, Duke of Närke

1865-1947 (aged 82)

patron of the arts painter military personnel graphic artist

Prince Eugen of Sweden and Norway, Duke of Närke was a Swedish painter.

46. Hanif Bali

1987-. (aged 39)

web developer politician

Hanif Bali is a Swedish politician of the Moderate Party and a former board member of the party. He was member of the Riksdag for Stockholm County between 2010 and 2022. He lives in Österåker, Åkersberga, where he is now active in municipal politics.

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47. Erik Axel Karlfeldt

1864-1931 (aged 67)

poet writer

Erik Axel Karlfeldt was a Swedish poet whose highly symbolist poetry masquerading as regionalism was popular and won him the 1931 Nobel Prize in Literature posthumously after he had been nominated by Nathan Söderblom, member of the Swedish Academy. Karlfeldt had been offered the award already in 1919 but refused to accept it, because of his position as permanent secretary...

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48. Hans Vestberg

1965-. (aged 61)

businessperson handball player

Hans Vestberg is the former CEO and Chairman of Verizon, where he has worked as executive vice president of the company's network and technology team, and as chief technology officer. Vestberg was previously the CEO of telecommunications company Ericsson, president of the Swedish Olympic Committee, and chairman of the Swedish Handball Federation.

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49. Pär Lagerkvist

1891-1974 (aged 83)

autobiographer poet screenwriter writer essayist

Pär Fabian Lagerkvist was a Swedish author who received the 1951 Nobel Prize in Literature.

50. Prince Sigvard Bernadotte

1907-2002 (aged 95)

designer illustrator journalist

Sigvard Oscar Fredrik, Prince Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg born as, and until 1934 known as, Prince Sigvard of Sweden, Duke of Uppland, was a member of the Swedish Royal Family and a successful industrial designer.

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51. Tage Danielsson

1928-1985 (aged 57)

radio personality comedian film director poet actor

Tage Ivar Roland Danielsson was a Swedish author, actor, comedian, poet and film director. He worked together with Hans Alfredson in the comedy duo Hasse & Tage.

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52. Nyamko Sabuni

1969-. (aged 57)

politician

Nyamko Ana Sabuni is a Swedish politician who was Leader of the Liberals between June 2019 and April 2022. She previously served as Minister for Integration from 2006 to 2010 and as Minister for Gender Equality from 2006 to 2013 in the Swedish government. A member of the Liberal Party, Sabuni was elected a Member of Parliament in 2002. Sabuni...

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53. Gustaf Fröding

1860-1911 (aged 51)

translator poet journalist writer

Gustaf Fröding was a Swedish poet and writer from Alster, Värmland. The family moved to Kristinehamn in the year 1867. He later studied at Uppsala University and worked as a journalist in Karlstad.

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54. Dan Eliasson

1961-. (aged 65)

civil servant politician

Dan Tore Eliasson is a Swedish lawyer and civil servant. He served as Director–General of the Swedish Migration Agency from 2007 to 2011, as Director–General of the Swedish Social Insurance Agency from 2011 to 2014, as National Police Commissioner from 2014 to 2018 and as Director–General of the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) from 2018 until his dismissal in 2021....

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55. Romina Pourmokhtari

1995-. (aged 31)

chairperson politician

Romina Pourmokhtari is a Swedish politician for the Liberals. She has served as the Minister for the Environment since 2022 in the Kristersson cabinet. She has also been a member of the Riksdag for Stockholm Municipality since 2022. She is the youngest-ever minister of a cabinet in Sweden, having ascended to her position at the age of 26.

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56. Hjalmar Branting

1860-1925 (aged 65)

journalist diplomat editing staff politician

Karl Hjalmar Branting was a Swedish statesman and diplomat who served as Prime Minister of Sweden on three occasions from 1920 to 1925. From 1907 until his death in 1925, Branting led the Social Democratic Party (SAP), playing a major role in advocating universal suffrage, an eight-hour workday, and other labor rights. He was also instrumental in foreign policy, including...

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57. Carl Wilhelm Scheele

1742-1786 (aged 44)

chemist pharmacologist pharmacist

Carl Wilhelm Scheele was a German-Swedish pharmaceutical chemist.

58. Svante Pääbo

1955-. (aged 71)

evolutionary biologist geneticist biologist

Svante Pääbo ForMemRS KmstkNO is a Swedish geneticist and Nobel Laureate who specialises in the field of evolutionary genetics. As one of the founders of paleogenetics, he has worked extensively on the Neanderthal genome. In 1997, he became founding director of the Department of Genetics at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany. Since 1999, he has...

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59. Sara Danius

1962-2019 (aged 57)

university teacher literary critic philosopher

Sara Maria Danius was a Swedish literary critic and philosopher, and a scholar of literature and aesthetics. Danius was professor of aesthetics at Södertörn University, docent of literature at Uppsala University and professor in literary science at Stockholm University.

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60. Ebba Busch

1987-. (aged 39)

politician

Ebba-Elisabeth Busch is a Swedish politician who has served as Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden, Minister for Energy, and Minister for Business and Industry since 2022. She has served as Leader of the Christian Democrats since 2015.

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61. Håkan Nesser

1950-. (aged 76)

screenwriter writer secondary school teacher

Håkan Nesser is a Swedish author and teacher who mainly writes crime fiction. He has won Best Swedish Crime Novel Award three times, and his novel Carambole won the prestigious Glass Key award in 2000. His books have been translated from Swedish into more than twenty languages.

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62. Åsa Larsson

1966-. (aged 60)

advokat short story writer writer

Åsa Larsson is a Swedish crime-fiction writer, with her novels featuring Rebecka Martinsson. Her books and characters serve as the basis for the internationally successful TV series Rebecka Martinsson. The 2007 Swedish film Solstorm was based on the book The Savage Altar.

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63. Carl Michael Bellman

1740-1795 (aged 55)

composer poet office worker writer

Carl Michael Bellman was a Swedish songwriter, composer, musician, poet, and entertainer. He is a central figure in the Swedish song tradition and remains a powerful influence in Swedish music, as well as in Scandinavian literature, to this day. He has been compared to Shakespeare, Beethoven, Mozart, and Hogarth, but his gift, using elegantly rococo classical references in comic contrast...

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64. Axel Munthe

1857-1949 (aged 92)

personal physician screenwriter writer psychiatrist physician writer

Axel Martin Fredrik Munthe was a Swedish-born physician and psychiatrist, best known as the author of The Story of San Michele, an autobiographical account of his life and work. He spoke several languages (Swedish, English, French, Italian fluently, and German at least passably), grew up in Sweden, attended medical school there, then studied medicine in Paris and opened his first...

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65. Anders Celsius

1701-1744 (aged 43)

chemist physicist university teacher meteorologist mathematician

Anders Celsius was a Swedish astronomer, physicist and mathematician. He was professor of astronomy at Uppsala University from 1730 to 1744, but traveled from 1732 to 1735 visiting notable observatories in Germany, Italy and France. He founded the Uppsala Astronomical Observatory in 1741, and in 1742 proposed (an inverted form of) the centigrade temperature scale, which was later renamed Celsius...

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66. Oscar I of Sweden

1799-1859 (aged 60)

monarch composer

Oscar I was King of Sweden and Norway from 8 March 1844 until his death. He was the second monarch of the House of Bernadotte.

67. Ulf Kristersson

1963-. (aged 63)

politician

Ulf Hjalmar Kristersson is a Swedish politician who has served as Prime Minister of Sweden since 2022 and as Leader of the Moderate Party since 2017. He has been a Member of the Riksdag for Södermanland County since 2014, previously holding a seat for Stockholm County from 1991 to 2000. He also served as Minister for Social Security from 2010...

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68. Hans Rosling

1948-2017 (aged 69)

scientist university teacher blogger statistician physician

Hans Rosling was a Swedish physician, academic and public speaker. He was a professor of international health at Karolinska Institute and was the co-founder and chairman of the Gapminder Foundation, which developed the Trendalyzer software system. Widely regarded as one of the most influential physicians and geographers in the modern world, he held presentations around the world, including several TED...

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69. Jöns Jacob Berzelius

1779-1848 (aged 69)

university teacher non-fiction writer chemist pharmacist physician

Baron Jöns Jacob Berzelius was a Swedish chemist. Berzelius is considered, along with Robert Boyle, John Dalton, and Antoine Lavoisier, to be one of the founders of modern chemistry. Berzelius became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1808 and served from 1818 as its principal functionary. He is known in Sweden as the "Father of Swedish...

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70. Charles X Gustav of Sweden

1622-1660 (aged 38)

monarch

Charles X Gustav, also Carl X Gustav, was King of Sweden from 1654 until his death in 1660. He was the son of John Casimir, Count Palatine (Pfalzgraf) of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg, and Catherine of Sweden. After his father's death, he also succeeded him as Pfalzgraf. He was married to Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, who bore his son and successor, Charles XI....

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71. Carl XV of Sweden

1826-1872 (aged 46)

monarch

Charles XV and IV was King of Sweden and King of Norway, there often referred to as Charles IV, from 8 July 1859 until his death in 1872. Charles was the third Swedish monarch from the House of Bernadotte. He was the first one to be born in Sweden, the first to grow up speaking Swedish as his first language,...

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72. Anna Lindh

1957-2003 (aged 46)

diplomat politician

Ylva Anna Maria Lindh was a Swedish politician, diplomat, and lawyer who served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1998 until her assassination in 2003. A leading figure of the Swedish Social Democratic Party, Lindh was a Member of the Riksdag representing Södermanland County from 1982 to 1985 and again from 1998 to 2003.

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73. Carl Linnaeus

1707-1778 (aged 71)

university teacher botanist mycologist zoologist taxonomist

Carl Linnaeus, also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné, was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming organisms. He is known as the "father of modern taxonomy". Many of his writings were in Latin; his name is rendered in Latin as Carolus Linnæus and, after his 1761 ennoblement, as Carolus...

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74. Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden

1946-. (aged 80)

monarch

Carl XVI Gustaf is King of Sweden, reigning since 1973. Having reigned for 52 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch in Swedish history.

75. Carl XII of Sweden

1682-1718 (aged 36)

monarch military leader

Charles XII, sometimes Carl XII or Carolus Rex (17 June 1682 – 30 November 1718 O.S.), was King of Sweden from 1697 to 1718. He belonged to the House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken, a branch line of the House of Wittelsbach. Charles was the only surviving son of Charles XI and Ulrika Eleonora the Elder. He assumed power, after a seven-month caretaker...

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76. Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden

1882-1973 (aged 91)

classical archaeologist monarch art collector anthropologist botanist

Gustaf VI Adolf was King of Sweden from 29 October 1950 until his death in 1973. He was the eldest son of Gustaf V and his wife, Victoria of Baden. Before Gustaf Adolf acceded to the throne, he was crown prince for nearly 43 years during his father's reign. As king, and shortly before his death, he gave his approval...

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77. Gustaf V of Sweden

1858-1950 (aged 92)

tennis player monarch aristocrat

Gustaf V was King of Sweden from 8 December 1907 until his death in 1950. He was the eldest son of King Oscar II of Sweden and Sophia of Nassau, a half-sister of Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Reigning from the death of his father Oscar II in 1907 to his own death nearly 43 years later, he holds the...

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78. Gustav I of Sweden

1496-1560 (aged 64)

monarch politician

Gustav Eriksson Vasa, also known as Gustav I, was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death in 1560. He was previously self-recognised Protector of the Realm (Riksföreståndare) from 1521, during the Swedish War of Liberation against King Christian II of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Gustav rose to lead this war following the Stockholm Bloodbath, where his father was executed....

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79. Emmanuel Swedenborg

1688-1772 (aged 84)

physicist theologian mathematician writer mystic

Emanuel Swedenborg was a Swedish polymath; a scientist, engineer, astronomer, anatomist, Christian theologian, philosopher, and mystic. He became best known for his book on the afterlife, Heaven and Hell (1758).

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80. Oscar II of Sweden

1829-1907 (aged 78)

monarch

Oscar II was King of Sweden from 1872 until his death in 1907 and King of Norway from 1872 to 1905.

81. Tomas Lindahl

1938-. (aged 88)

physician geneticist biologist chemist

Tomas Robert Lindahl is a Swedish-British scientist specialising in cancer research. In 2015, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry jointly with American chemist Paul L. Modrich and Turkish chemist Aziz Sancar for mechanistic studies of DNA repair.

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82. Anders Borg

1968-. (aged 58)

politician economist

Anders Erik Borg is a Swedish politician who served as Minister for Finance in the Swedish government from 2006 to 2014. He is a member of the Swedish Moderate Party.

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83. Hans Blix

1928-. (aged 98)

civil servant jurist diplomat politician

Hans Martin Blix is a Swedish diplomat and politician for the Liberal People's Party. He was Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs (1978–1979) and later became the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Blix was the first Western representative to inspect the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster in the Soviet Union on-site and led the agency's response to them. Blix...

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84. Alva Myrdal

1902-1986 (aged 84)

writer diplomat sociologist politician

Alva Myrdal was a Swedish sociologist, diplomat and politician. She was a prominent leader of the disarmament movement. She, along with Alfonso García Robles, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1982. She married Gunnar Myrdal in 1924; he received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1974, making them the fourth ever married couple to have won Nobel Prizes,...

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85. Dag Hammarskjöld

1905-1961 (aged 56)

economist poet writer philosopher politician

Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl Hammarskjöld was a Swedish economist and diplomat who served as the second secretary-general of the United Nations from April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in September 1961. As of 2026, he remains the youngest person to have held the post, having been only 47 years old when he was elected. He was a...

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86. Svante August Arrhenius

1859-1927 (aged 68)

astronomer physicist chemist university teacher

Svante August Arrhenius was a Swedish scientist. Originally a physicist, but often referred to as a chemist, Arrhenius was one of the founders of the science of physical chemistry. In 1903, he received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, becoming the first Swedish Nobel laureate. In 1905, he became the director of the Nobel Institute, where he remained until his death.

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87. Rolf Sievert

1896-1966 (aged 70)

physicist university teacher

Rolf Maximilian Sievert was a Swedish medical physicist whose major contribution was in the study of the biological effects of ionizing radiation.

88. Hannes Alfvén

1908-1995 (aged 87)

science fiction writer electrical engineer astronomer university teacher physicist

Hannes Olof Gösta Alfvén was a Swedish electrical engineer, plasma physicist and winner of the 1970 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). He described the class of MHD waves now known as Alfvén waves. He was originally trained as an electrical power engineer and later moved to research and teaching in the fields of plasma physics...

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89. Gustaf de Laval

1845-1913 (aged 68)

scientist politician mechanical engineer businessperson inventor

Karl Gustaf Patrik de Laval was a Swedish engineer and inventor who made important contributions to the design of steam turbines and centrifugal separation machinery for dairy.

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90. Carl-Henric Svanberg

1952-. (aged 74)

economist engineer entrepreneur

Carl-Henric Svanberg is a Swedish business executive and current chairman of Volvo. He was chairman of BP for eight years from 2010 to 2018. In December 2023, Svanberg was appointed chair to the Commission on artificial intelligence to the Swedish government.

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91. Elisabeth Svantesson

1967-. (aged 59)

politician economist

Karin Elisabeth Svantesson is a Swedish politician of the Moderate Party. She has served as Minister for Finance in the cabinet of Ulf Kristersson since October 2022 and has served as first deputy leader of the party since 2019.

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92. Trita Parsi

1974-. (aged 52)

writer political scientist

Trita Parsi is an Iranian-born Swedish writer, analyst, Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. He is also the founder and former president of the National Iranian American Council, which lobbies for stances on behalf of, and aligned with, Islamic Republic of Iran.

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93. Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten

1906-1947 (aged 41)

military personnel equestrian aristocrat

Prince Gustaf Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten was a Swedish prince who for most of his life was second in the line of succession to the Swedish throne. He was the eldest son of Gustaf VI Adolf, who was crown prince for most of his son's life and ascended the Swedish throne three years after his son's death. The current king,...

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94. Fredrik Lindström

1963-. (aged 63)

writer film director television presenter screenwriter

Fredrik Lindström is a Swedish former biathlete from Bredbyn. He made his World Cup debut on 12 December 2008 in Hochfilzen, where he ended up in 47th place.

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95. Mari Jungstedt

1962-. (aged 64)

novelist writer journalist

Mari Jungstedt is a Swedish journalist and crime fiction author.

96. Herbert Blomstedt

1927-. (aged 99)

conductor musician

Herbert Thorson Blomstedt is an American-born Swedish conductor of classical music. At the age of 98, he continues to conduct concerts in Europe and the United States.

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97. Stane Dolanc

1925-1999 (aged 74)

university teacher political commissar politician

Stane Dolanc was a Slovenian communist politician during SFR Yugoslavia. Dolanc was one of president Josip Broz Tito's closest collaborators and one of the most influential people in Yugoslav federal politics in the 1970s and 1980s. He was secretary of the Executive Bureau of the Presidency of the Central Committee (CC) of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia (LCY) from...

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98. Sven Hedin

1865-1952 (aged 87)

naturalist geopolitical analyst scientific explorer non-fiction writer botanical collector

Sven Anders Hedin, KNO1kl RVO, was a Swedish geographer, topographer, explorer, photographer, travel writer and illustrator of his own works. During four expeditions to Central Asia, he made the Transhimalaya known in the West and located sources of the Brahmaputra, Indus and Sutlej Rivers. He also mapped lake Lop Nur, and the remains of cities, grave sites and the Great...

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99. Antje Jackelén

1955-. (aged 71)

pastor theologian

Antje Jackelén is archbishop emerita and primate emerita (prima inter pares) of the Church of Sweden, the national church. On 15 October 2013, she was elected the 70th Archbishop of Uppsala and formally received through a service in Uppsala Cathedral on 15 June 2014, making her Sweden's first foreign-born archbishop since the 12th century, and the first female archbishop.

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100. Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden

1977-. (aged 49)

diplomat

Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland is the heir apparent to the Swedish throne as the eldest child of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden. If she ascends to the throne as expected, she will be Sweden's fourth queen regnant (after Margaret, Christina and Ulrika Eleonora) and the first since 1720. Her inheritance is secured...

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