author
Sophus Ruge
1831–1903
A German geographer and historian, he became known for writing about the Age of Discovery and for bringing fresh attention to Portuguese exploration. He also helped shape geography as a field in Dresden through teaching, scholarship, and learned societies.
2 Audiobooks
Geschichte des Zeitalters der Entdeckungen
by Sophus Ruge
Dresden und die Sächsische Schweiz
by Sophus Ruge
About the author
Born in Dorum on March 26, 1831, Sophus Ruge studied at Göttingen and Halle before building his career as a teacher and scholar. After moving to Dresden, he taught in local schools and went on to earn a doctorate at the University of Leipzig.
Ruge became a leading figure in geography in Dresden. He was active in the Verein für Erdkunde zu Dresden and later taught geography and ethnography at the Polytechnic in Dresden, where he became a professor. Alongside his academic work, he edited and revised important geographical reference works, helping make the subject more accessible to students and readers.
He is especially remembered for his studies of European exploration, above all the Portuguese discoveries. His books on the Age of Discovery gave readers a broad historical view of voyages, maps, and expanding knowledge of the world. Ruge died in Klotzsche near Dresden on December 23, 1903.