Britannica Sources used in this answer

Which five prize categories did Alfred Nobel establish in his will?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

In his 1895 will, Alfred Nobel directed that the majority of his fortune be used to establish five annual prizes to honor those who have conferred the "greatest benefit on mankind." These original categories are:

While a sixth award, the Prize in Economic Sciences, is often associated with the Nobel Prizes, it was established later in 1968 by the Bank of Sweden and was not part of Nobel's original will.1