Famous People Born In 1676

Frederick I of Prussia reigned as the King of Prussia from 1701 until his death in 1713. He crowned himself in 1701 in Königsberg and proclaimed himself King in Prussia. A patron of learning and arts, Frederick I is credited with founding the Academy of Arts in 1696 as well as the Academy of Sciences in 1700.

Frederick I of Sweden reigned as the King of Sweden from 24 March 1720 until his death on 5 April 1751. His reign is seen largely as unsuccessful as Frederick lost interest in state affairs after the first few years as the king and chose instead to focus on hunting and love affairs. Frederick I was succeeded by William VIII.

Alexander Selkirk was a Scottish privateer and Royal Navy officer. He spent four years and four months as a castaway from 1704 to 1709, after being marooned on an uninhabited island in the South Pacific Ocean by his captain. He survived the ordeal, and his story was widely publicized following his return to England.

Eighteenth-century Spanish essayist Benito Jerónimo Feijóo y Montenegro was a monk of the Benedictine order and also taught theology and philosophy at the University of Oviedo. He later wrote on a variety of subjects such as medicine, philology, and law, in Teatro crítico universal and Cartas eruditas y curiosas.

Hungarian nobleman Ferenc Rákóczi, II was born into a Magyar noble family and was the richest landlord in Hungary and the prince of Transylvania. He played a major role in the near-successful Rákóczi's War of Independence against the Habsburg empire and is now considered one of Hungary’s national heroes.

French dancer and choreographer Jean Balon is largely believed to have inspired the use of the word “ballon,” which is used to describe a ballet dancer’s smooth moves in a performance. He was part of the Paris Academie and also performed in Les Horaces, partnering with Françoise Prévost.