RANKE, LEOPOLD, one of the most distinguished modern historians of Germany, was b. at Wiehe, in Thurffigia, Dec. 21, 1795, and educated for a school-master. In 1S18 he was appointed rector of the gymnasium at Frankfort-on-the-Oder; and in 1824 pub lished at Berlin his first work, Geschichte der Roman. and German. Valkerkhaften von 1494-1533., It a;tracted considerable notice; and in the following year he was called to Berlin as extraordinary prof. of history at the university, where his lectures soon began to be numerously attended. About this time his attention was directed to the historical value of the reports sent home by the Venetian ambassadors at the different European courfs during the 16th and 17th centuries, and the result of his studies and investigations among these was his Pa•sten and Volker von 'Sudeuropaim 16 end 17 Jahrh. (Bed. 1827), in which the 'affairs of Turkey and Spain are especially handled. Immediately after the publication of this work he commenced a four years' tour through Europe, for tile pur pose of examining, the archives of the different nations. The fruit of his varied researches partly appeared in his Serbische Resolutin (Bed. 1829); Ve•schworeng gegen Venedig ins J. 1688 (Berl. 1831), and Vorlesungen•Geschichte dental. Poesie (Bed. 1837); but a much greater and more'valnabla performance than any of these was Die Rom. Pdpste, ihre ifirche and ih,r Staat ins 16 stud 17 Jahrh.. (3 vols., Berl. 1834-36; 3 ed., Bed. 1844-45), a work which, on account of its important conclusions regarding the character and policy of the papacy, many of which it may be said to have almost placed beyond controversy, was not only received with unbounded applause in Germany, but was translated again and again in Holland, England, France, and America, and may be regarded as one of the most widely-circulated and influential histories of modern times. It was followed up by his Deutsche Geschichte ins Zeitalter der Reformation (0 vols. Bed.
1839-47), considered in Germany his most finished and thorough production, and in the composition of which-he was enabled to avail himself of many documents never before published or made use of. In a still higher degree than in his earlier writings, we find displayed here his skill in grouping events together in a vivid and intelligent manner, placing them before the eye of the reader in their whole significance, with all their causes, relations, and consequences. Ranke's next effort, Neuss Bache?. Preuss. Geschich ten (1847-48), remodeled and re-issued in 1875 under the title Genesis des Preessischen Staates, may be regarded as continuing his history of Protestantism, and was worked up from the Prussian historical archives, opened to literature- for the first time. The stormy period of 1848 found him in the Frankfort parliament; but he did not acquire any distinction in that arena of babbling, and incompetent patriots, and soon betook himself again to more familiar and more valuable labors. His Franz. Geschichte vornehmlich im 16 /tad 17 Jah•h. (1852-57) is an admirable work, full of new information and enlightened views; and his expose of the reign of Louis XIV. is put, even by French critics, on a level with that of Voltaire. Still later are his Englische Geschichte rornehm im 16 end 17 Jahr& (1859-67, Eng. trans. 1875); Die Deetschen Machte end der Furs tenbund; and his memoir of Hardenberg (1877). A collected edition of his works was begun in 1874. Ranks became ordinary prof. in 1834, and was ennobled iu 1866. He has trained a numerous body of historical students.—Ranke has three brothers, FRIEDRICH HELNRICF1 RANKE (born 1797), KARL FRIEDRICH RANKE (born 1802), and ERNEST RANKE (born 1814), who have also risen to eminence as churchmen and scholars.