Leopold von Ranke

Born in Wiehe, Saxony, on December 21, 1795, Leopold von Ranke became one of the most influential historians of the 19th century. After studying theology and classics at the University of Leipzig, he taught for a time before moving into university life in Berlin, where his lectures and books earned a wide reputation.

Ranke is often remembered for changing historical writing itself. He pushed historians to work closely with archival documents, official records, letters, and other primary sources, rather than relying mainly on retellings or moral lessons. That approach helped establish history as a disciplined form of research, and his name is still closely tied to the ideal of describing the past as faithfully as possible.

Over a long career, he wrote major studies of European states and peoples, including works on the popes, the Reformation, England, France, and Prussia. He was honored in his lifetime and remained active into old age, dying in Berlin on May 23, 1886, while still working on a universal history.