William Hiseland, sometimes spelt William Hasland or Haseland, was an English soldier and reputed supercentenarian. In 1709, at the purported age of eighty-nine, he fought at the Battle of Malplaquet and was believed to be the oldest soldier on the field. He claimed to become the last survivor of the English Civil Wars, which he said he had served in from 1642 to 1651.
Portrait of Haseland, from the museum of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea
The Royal Hospital, Chelsea
A supercentenarian, sometimes hyphenated as super-centenarian, is a person who is 110 years or older. This age is achieved by about one in 1,000 centenarians. Supercentenarians typically live a life free of significant age-related diseases until shortly before the maximum human lifespan is reached.
Supercentenarian Maria Branyas celebrating her 117th birthday in 2024
Image: Jeanne Calment age 20