author
Leopold von Ranke
1795–1886
Widely seen as one of the founders of modern history writing, he helped shape the idea that historians should work closely with original documents and archival sources. His books and teaching changed how history was studied across Europe and beyond.
3 Audiobooks
A history of England principally in the seventeenth century, Volume 2 (of 6)
by Leopold von Ranke
Die großen Mächte
by Leopold von Ranke
A history of England principally in the seventeenth century, Volume 1 (of 6)
by Leopold von Ranke
About the author
Born in Wiehe in 1795 and later based in Berlin, Leopold von Ranke became one of the most influential historians of the nineteenth century. Sources such as Encyclopaedia Britannica and Wikipedia describe him as a leading German historian who helped establish modern, source-based history and introduced the seminar method as a serious way of teaching the subject.
Ranke is especially remembered for insisting that history should be grounded in careful study of primary documents. That approach made him enormously important to later historians, even when they disagreed with parts of his idea of historical objectivity. His work ranged widely across European history, including studies of the Reformation, the papacy, and major states and nations.
He died in Berlin in 1886, but his influence lasted far beyond his lifetime. For many readers, Ranke remains a key figure in the story of how history became a professional discipline built on archives, close reading, and disciplined research.