User:Esuzu/Apostles

The Apostles of Linnaeus was several students of the botanist Carl Linnaeus who made botanical and zoological expeditions to various places in the world from the during the latter half of the 18th century. Most of the expeditions were either approved or suggested by Linnaeus and he was thus often very involved in his apostles expedition. Often he left them notes of what they should try to look for on their journey. The apostles often started their journey from Sweden, sometimes as a priest or doctor aboard a Swedish East India Company ship. After and during their journey the apostles often sent letters and botanical samples to Linnaeus and if they returned a part of their collection was normally given to Linnaeus. One of the apostles, Daniel Rolander, did not give any of his collection to Linnaeus which lead to him being spoken ill of by Linnaeus.

The expeditions were often very dangerous and seven of the apostles did not return from their expeditions. For example the first apostle sent out, Christopher Tärnström, died of a tropical fever in 1746 on Côn Sơn Island. Tärnström's widow was very angry with Linnaeus for making her children fatherless. After this Linnaeus preferred to send unmarried men as his apostles.

The expeditions of the apostles helped in spreading Linnaeus new system of classifying organisms. Many newly discovered plants, animals and insects were also classified by Linnaues and his apostles. A more far-reaching effect was that one of Linnaeus admirers, the English Botanist Joseph Banks, was inspired by the apostles and started a tradition that all research ships should have a naturals aboard. Thus the apostles journeys made future expeditions such as Charles Darwins expedition aboard HSM Beagle.

Origins
Carl Linnaeus was born in Råshult, Småland, Sweden on 23 May 1707. From an early age Linnaeus was interested in botany and therefore he went to Uppsala University in 1728 to study botany and medicine. After some years studying at Uppsala he went to Holland to take a degree in medicine. In Holland he also published his Systema Naturae in which he described a new system of classifying plants. Linnaeus returned to Sweden in May 1741 and was appointed Professor of Medicine at Uppsala University. Nine years later he also became the rector of Uppsala University. During his time at Uppsala University he taught many students; many who travelled to various places in the world to explore the flora and fauna and to spread his new system of classifying plants and animals. Those students who made expeditions around the world is called "Apostles", first by Linnaeus himself.