Thomas, James. 1700-48. British poet. Seasons. Rule Britannia.

Valdemar IV. Atterdag. 1320-75. Danish king 1340-. Re-united Denmark. Opposed Hanseatic League. Sold Estonia to Teutonic Knights.

Vaughan Williams, Ralph. 1872-1958. English Nationalist composer of symphonies, ballads, songs. Combined folk idiom with 16C polyphony. Sea 1910. Pastoral Symphony 1922.

Verne, Jules. 1828-1905. French Science Fiction fantasy writer. Voyage to the Centre of the Earth 864. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 1870. Round the World in 80 Days 1873.

Virchow, Rudolf. 1821-1902. German pathologist, anthropologist. Applied microscope to medical research. Cellular pathology 1858.

Vivaldi, Antonio. 1678-1741. Venetian violinist, Baroque composer. Standard concerto pattern; more than 500 concertos. Four Seasons 1725.

V-1, V-2. 1944. WWII German missiles vs Britain, Belgium. V=Vergeltung(Revenge). 8,000 V-1s. 1300 V-2s. Basis for future space research.

Alvarez, Luis. 1911-88. US physicist. Linear accelerator, bubble chamber.