Bunsen, Christian Karl Josias, Freiherr von

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Christian Karl Josias Bunsen, Freiherr von (krĬs´tyän kärl yōzē´äs frī´hĕr fən bŏŏn´zən), 1791–1860, Prussian diplomat and scholar. He studied theology at the Univ. of Göttingen. He was a friend of King Frederick William IV and urged him to accept liberal ideas. Bunsen was minister to the papal court at Rome (1824–38) and ambassador to Bern (1839–41) and to London (1842–54), but he was recalled from London because he supported alliance with the Western powers in the Crimean War. A scholar of note, Bunsen wrote on religion, language, literature, history, and law.