Famous French author Victor Hugo at one time described this gentleman with 355 patents as "Europe's richest vagabond" as he never married and was constantly on the move. When this Swedish businessman and inventor, Alfred Nobel, died in 1895, he left behind one of the world’s largest private fortunes. Born in Stockholm, Sweden, on October 21, 1833, Alfred Nobel's life was full of ups and downs. The Nobel family was primarily associated with the war industry. His father, Immanuel Nobel, was also a prominent arms manufacturer. While in Paris, Alfred Nobel met Ascanio Sobrero, an Italian chemist who had invented …
