1872 deaths

German philosopher and anthropologist (1804–1872)

American inventor and painter (1791–1872)

Italian nationalist activist, politician, journalist and philosopher

French poet, dramatist, novelist, journalist, and art and literary critic (1811–1872)

President of Mexico from 1858 to 1872

King of Sweden and Norway (1859-1872)

civil engineer (1820–1872)

Austrian dramatist and poet (1791-1872)

American lawyer and politician (1801-1872)

national author of Finland (1834–1872)

Russian lexicographer (1801-1872)

Scottish scientist, writer and polymath (1780–1872)

Polish composer (1819–1872)

Danish Lutheran pastor, theologian, hymn-writer and educator (1783-1872)

American politician and publisher (1811–1872)

United States Army general and civil engineer (1815–1872)

English ornithologist, author and museum curator (1808–1872)

Dutch statesman (1798-1872)

Croatian academic, writer and politician (1809–1872)

Bavarian princess (1805–1872)

American painter (1796-1872)

4th Governor of Hong Kong; hymnwriter; translator (1792-1872)

Chinese politician and military commander (1811–1872)

Union Army general (1815–1872)

French astronomer and mathematician (1816-1872)

Scottish surgeon, explorer, ethnologist and zoologist (1797–1872)

German princess (1807–1872); maternal half-sister of Queen Victoria

Croatian poet (1818–1872)

Academic, Romantic and Classicist poet, essayist, memoirist, short story writer, newspaper editor and politician (1802-1872)

German mathematician (1833–1872)

French physicist, mathematician and astronomer

Anglican clergyman and allegedly the inventor of Rugby football (1806-1872)

German philosopher, philologist, Prussian university professor (1802-1872)

Sorbian writer and activist (1804-1872)

Swedish architect, engineer, inventor and industrialist (1801-1872)

Prussian colonel-general (1809-1872)

American artist (1816-1872)

painter from Germany (1794-1872)

King of Hawaii from 1863 to 1872

Armenian poet (1851-1872)

Confederate Army general (1817–1872)

German botanist (1805–1872)

Finnish and Russian chess player and theorist (1813-1872)

Welsh navy captain, inventor and chess player (1790–1872)

Zulu king (1798–1872)

Slovak poet and translator (1820–1872)

French chess player (1800-1872)

Austrian botanist and explorer (1806-1872)

first member of Liberia's True Whig Party to serve as President (1815-1872)

African American artist (1821-1872)

British writer (1788-1872)

British zoologist, botanist, and physician (1811-1872)

Croatian writer (1811–1872)

French mathematician and physicist

German princess (1839–1872)

novelist and travel writer (1816–1872)

English theologian, religious author and Christian Socialist (1805-1872)

American composer; leading figure in American church music

Romanian politician (1824–1872)

Scottish surgeon, botanist and botanical collector (1796-1872)