HISTORIOGRAPHY

Historiography

Historiography

It is barely essential for us to say that this is an excellent publication excellently translated. The initial work of lecturer Ranke is renowned and esteemed while German publications is studied, and has been discovered interesting even in a most incorrect and deceitful French version. It is, indeed, the work of a mind fitted both for minute researches and for large speculations. It is written furthermore in an admirable spirit, equally remote from levity and bigotry, grave and earnest, yet tolerant and impartial. It is, thus, with the greatest pleasure that we now glimpse this book take its location amidst the English classics. Of the transformation we need only say that it is such as might be anticipated from the ability, the taste, and the scrupulous integrity of the carried out woman who, as an interpreter between the brain of Germany and the brain of Britain, has currently deserved so well of both countries.

The subject of this publication has habitually appeared to us singularly interesting. How it was that Protestantism did so much, yet did no more, how it was that the place of worship of Rome, having lost a large part of Europe, not only ceased to misplace, but actually retrieved almost half of what she had lost, is absolutely a most inquisitive and significant question; and on this inquiry Professor Ranke has hurled far more light than any other individual who has in writing on it.

The German historian Leopold von Ranke was born in Germany in 1795. His first major work, History of the Latin and Teutonic nations, 1494-1535, was published late in 1824. This was based on archival research, viewed by Ranke as the foundation of all historical work, and it established his reputation as an historian.

The most influential part of the work was its appendix in which he assessed previous literature on the basis of the critical analysis of sources. For him, this was scholarly history. It was in the preface to his work that he stated his often quoted dictum.

Due to the success of his work, Ranke was appointed Professor of History at the University of Berlin. Ranke went abroad late in 1827 and remained away for over three years, researching in Vienna, Florence, Rome and Venice. He had several personal connections that he put to good use to secure access to previously closed archives. The following years were marked with publications mainly on the history of the Mediterranean countries and Germany (El Daly, 2004).

During his later years Ranke wrote national histories for each of the major states of Europe, he was granted entry to the hereditary nobility, adding 'von' to his surname in 1865 and he was made an honorary citizen of Berlin in 1885. Ranke's university career concluded in 1871 when he retired from his chair at Berlin. Nonetheless by the time of his death in Berlin in 1886, he had completed nine volumes of his Universal history . Leopold von Ranke endeavored to understand political order within its own historical ...