Portrait of John Emerich Edward Dalberg, Lord Acton

John Emerich Edward Dalberg, Lord Acton

1834 – 1902

Lord Acton (1834-1902) was one of the great historians of the Victorian period and one of the greatest classical liberal historians of all time. His theme was “the history of liberty” and even though he was never able to complete his magnum opus of that name he did write numerous essays, book reviews, and lectures. He also was the inspiration behind the multi-volume Cambridge Modern History.

Show more

See also our collection of extracts, essays, and study guides about Lord Acton.

Acton featured as the January 2023 OLL Birthday. Read it here

Notable People