1722day.year
Fredrik Hasselqvist
(1722 - 1752)
Swedish biologist and explorer
Swedish biologist and explorer
Swedish naturalist and explorer who conducted pioneering scientific expeditions to the Middle East.
Fredrik Hasselqvist was born in 1722 in Stockholm and studied under Carl Linnaeus at Uppsala University. In 1749, he embarked on a Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences expedition to Egypt, Palestine, Cyprus, and Asia Minor to collect plant, animal, and mineral specimens. Hasselqvist meticulously documented regional flora, fauna, and customs, sending his findings back to Europe. His journals provided one of the earliest detailed accounts of Middle Eastern biodiversity. Tragically, he died of fever in 1752 near Smyrna after three years of exploration. His work was published posthumously by Linnaeus as Voyage to the Levant, influencing future naturalists and explorers.
1722
Fredrik Hasselqvist