Topelius in a picture published in the Swedish periodical Svenska Familj-Journalen 1866.

Zacharias (Zachris) Topelius (January 14, 1818 – March 12, 1898) was a Finland-Swedish journalist, historian and author who wrote Finnish historical novels in Swedish. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (562x616, 343 KB) Finnish writer Zachris Topelius from Svenska Familj-Journalen 1866. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (562x616, 343 KB) Finnish writer Zachris Topelius from Svenska Familj-Journalen 1866. ... January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1818 (MDCCCXVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar. ... March 12 is the 71st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (72nd in Leap years). ... 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A historian is a person who studies history. ... An author is the person who creates a written work, such as a book, story, article or the like. ... A historical novel is a novel in which the story is set among historical events, or more generally, in which the time of the action predates the lifetime of the author. ...

He was born at Kuddnäs, near Nykarleby in Österbotten, the son of a physician of the same name (Zacharias Topelius the Elder), who was distinguished as the earliest collector of Finnish folk-songs. As a child he heard his mother, Katarina Sofia Calamnius, sing the songs of the Finland-Swedish poet Franzén. At the age of eleven , he was sent to school in Uleåborg and boarded with relatives in the possession of a lending library, where he nurtured his fantasy with the reading of novels. Nykarleby, or Uusikaarlepyy in Finnish, is a municipality of Finland. ... Österbotten (Pohjanmaa) is the name of a geographical region in Finland which can refer to: Österbotten - a historical Province of Sweden (Historical provinces of Finland) Österbottens län - a former County of Sweden (Counties in Finland) Norra Österbottens landskap - a current Region of Finland Södra Österbottens landskap - a current... Physician examining a child A physician is a person who practices medicine. ... Frans Michael Franzén painted by Johan Gustaf Sandberg in 1823. ... City Oulu (1605) Administrative Province Oulu province Historical Province Ostrobothnia Area (2004-01-01)  â€“ Total (excl. ...

He came to Helsinki in 1831 and became a member of the circle of young nationalist men surrounding Johan Ludvig Runeberg, in whose home he stayed for some time. Topelius became a student at the Imperial University of Helsingfors in 1833, received his filosofie magister degree in 1840, the Licentiate degree in 1844 and was made a Doctor of Philosophy in 1847, having defended a dissertation titled De modo matrimonia jungendi apud fennos quondam vigente ("About the custom of marriage among the ancient Finns"). Besides history, his academic studies had for periods been devoted both to Theology and Medicine. He was secretary of Societas pro fauna et flora fennica 1842-1846, was employed by the university library 1846-1861, and taught History, Statistics and Swedish at the school Helsingfors lyceum during the same period. Province Southern Finland Region Uusimaa Sub-region Helsinki City manager Jussi Pajunen Official languages Finnish, Swedish Area  - total  - land ranked 342nd 185. ... Johan Ludvig Runeberg (Portrait by Albert Edelfelt) J.L. Runebergs autograph Johan Ludvig Runeberg (February 5, Pietarsaari 1804 – May 6, 1877,Porvoo) was a Finland-Swedish poet, and is held to be the national poet of Finland. ... The University of Helsinki is a university located in Helsinki, Finland. ... 1833 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... A masters degree is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate or graduate course of one to three years in duration. ... Licentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a license. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Through the intervention of a friend, Fredrik Cygnæus, Topelius was named professor extraordinary of the History of Finland at the University in 1854. He was made first ordinary professor of Finnish, Russian and Nordic history in 1863, and exchanged this chair for the one in general history in 1876. He was rector of the university from 1875 until 1878, when he retired as Emeritus Professor and received the title of verkligt statsråd (literally "state councillor", a Russion honorary title). The word rector (ruler, from the Latin regere) has a number of different meanings. ...

Quite early in his career he began to distinguish himself as a lyric poet, with the three successive volumes of his Heather Blossoms (1845-1854). The earliest of his historical romances was The Duchess of Finland, published in 1850. He was also editor-in-chief of the Helsingfors Gazette from 1841 to 1860. In 1878, Topelius was allowed to withdraw from his professional duties, but this did not sever his connection with the university; it gave him, however, more leisure for his abundant and various literary enterprises. Of all the multifarious writings of Topelius, in prose and verse, that which has enjoyed the greatest popularity is his Tales of a Barber-Surgeon, episodes of historical fiction from the days of Gustavus II. Adolphus to those of Gustavus III., treated in the manner of Sir Walter Scott; the five volumes of this work appeared at intervals between 1853 and 1867. Topelius attempted the drama also, with most success in his tragedy of Regina van Emmeritz (1854). Topelius aimed, with eminent but perhaps pathetic success, at the cultivation of a strong passion of patriotism in Finland. 1845 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1854 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1850 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... take you to calendar). ... 1860 is the leap year starting on Sunday. ... 1878 (MDCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Verse is a writing that uses meter as its primary organisational mode, as opposed to prose, which uses grammatical and discoursal units like sentences and paragraphs. ... Gustav II Adolph Gustav II Adolph (December 9, 1594 - November 6, 1632) (also known as Gustav Adolph the Great, under the Latin name Gustavus Adolphus or the Swedish form Gustav II Adolf) was a King of Sweden. ... Gustav III (13 January 1746 (O.S.) (24 January 1746 (N.S.))–March 29, 1792) was the King of Sweden from February 12, 1771 until his death. ... For the first Premier of Saskatchewan see Thomas Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott (August 14, 1771 - September 21, 1832) was a prolific Scottish historical novelist and poet popular throughout Europe. ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1867 (MDCCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into theatre. ... Defense of the homeland is a commonplace of military patriotism: The statue in the École polytechnique, Paris, commemorating the students involvement in defending France against the 1814 invasion of the Coalition. ...

Together with the composer Friedrich Pacius he wrote the libretto (in the style of Romantic nationalism) to the first Finnish opera: Kung Karls jakt. Topelius initially thought of writing a trivial entertainment, but having heard extracts from the opera project at a concert in 1851, he realized that Pacius was writing a grand opera on the theme of salvation, following the early Romantic style of Carl Maria von Weber's Der Freischütz (1821) and Oberon (1826). Topelius wrote the libretto in Swedish, but its subject is emphatically Finnish. The libretto was translated to Finnish, and is mostly performed as Kaarle-kuninkaan metsästys, however neither the libretto nor the music manages to cover the weakness of the other. Fredrik Pacius (or Friedrich Pacius) (1809-1891) was a Hamburg-born German composer and conductor who lived most of his life in Finland. ... A libretto is the complete body of words used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, sacred or secular oratorio and cantata, musical, and ballet. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... 1851 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Carl Maria von Weber Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber (born November 18 or November 19, 1786, in Eutin near Lübeck, Germany; died June 5, 1826, of tuberculosis, in London, England) was a German composer. ... Der Freischütz (English: The Freeshooter) is an opera in three acts by Carl Maria von Weber to a libretto by Friedrich Kind. ... The coronation banquet for George IV 1821 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Oberon, or The Elf Kings Oath is a romantic opera in three acts by Carl Maria von Weber to a English libretto by James Robinson Planche, after a poem by Christoph Martin Wieland. ... The oldest surviving photograph, Nicéphore Niépce, circa 1826 1826 (MDCCCXXVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
• Nordisk familjebok, vol. 29, col. 352ff

Encyclopædia Britannica, the 11th edition The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911) is perhaps the most famous edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ... The Owl Edition Nordisk familjebok is a Swedish encyclopedia, published between 1876 and 1957. ...

Books

• Boken om vårt land, 1875 (Maamme-kirja, Book of Our Land)
• Talvi-iltain tarinoita
• Välskärin kertomukset
• Lukemisia lapsille

External links

• http://kirjasto.sci.fi/topelius.htm
• http://www.helsinki.fi/kasv/nokol/topelius.html
• Works by Zacharias Topelius at Projekt Runeberg (Swedish)
• Works by Zacharias Topelius at Project Gutenberg