Jacob Abbott

Discover the Courageous Tale of King Alfred! Embark on a thrilling journey through the pages of history with "King Alfred of England" - a captivating juvenile biography that brings the legendary monarch to life for young readers. Join us as we explore the medieval landscapes of England, where a young prince named Alfred rises to become a symbol of resilience and leadership. Follow the footsteps of King Alfred as he navigates the challenges of the...

Abbott was born at Hallowell, Maine to Jacob and Betsey Abbott. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1820; He was a prolific author, writing juvenile fiction, brief histories, biographies, religious books for the general reader, and a few works in popular science. He died in Farmington, Maine, where he had spent part of his time after 1839, and where his brother, Samuel Phillips Abbott, founded the Abbott School. This book serves as an excellent introduction...

Follow the life and rule of Alfred the Great, King of Wessex circa 871 to 899. Before he was king, Alfred fought in battle against the invading Danes. When his older brother, and current king, was killed during battle, the throne went to Alfred. Coronated at the young age of twenty-one, Alfred the Great inherited the Anglo-Saxon throne in a time of ongoing war. By the time he assumed the throne, the Danes had been actively invading and overthrowing...

From humble Caribbean roots to the pinnacle of imperial power, Josephine's life traced the arc of triumph and tragedy writ large across the canvas of history. As an innocent island girl, she witnessed the horrors of the slave trade before a tempestuous arranged marriage brought the young Creole beauty to Parisian high society. There her grace and charm catapulted Josephine to fame in the salons and court of Louis XVI. But as the guillotine's shadow...

PYRRHUS, King of Epirus, entered at the very beginning of his life upon the extraordinary series of romantic adventures, which so strikingly marked his career. He became an exile and a fugitive from his father's house when he was only two years old, having been suddenly borne away at that period by the attendants of the household, to avoid a most imminent personal danger that threatened him. The circumstances which gave occasion for this extraordinary...

A fascinating biography of Peter I of Russia, otherwise known as Peter the Great.

Richard II was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Born in 1367, Richard was the son of Edward the Black Prince and grandson of King Edward III. He ascended the throne at the young age of 10 after his grandfather's death. Richard's early reign was largely controlled by his uncles. He assumed full power in 1389 at age 22. Considered intelligent and cultured, Richard promoted architecture, the arts and education. He was also very...

Xerxes, an important king of ancient Persia, stepped into power after his father, Darius the Great, ruling over an enormous empire that sprawled across vast lands. His reign was marked by grand ambitions and remarkable endeavors. One of the most captivating chapters of Xerxes' rule was his fervent desire to expand the Persian Empire by conquering Greece. This ambition led him to mobilize a colossal army and embark on a monumental campaign. The battles...

Hannibal, an ancient warrior who almost conquered Rome, was one of the greatest generals in history. His story of adventure, courage, and cunning began in Carthage, a powerful city-state in North Africa, around 247 BC. Hannibal's father, Hamilcar, was also a famous general who fought against Rome in the First Punic War. Hannibal inherited his father's hatred of Rome, and swore to never be its friend or ally. When he was only nine years old, he accompanied...

THE mother of King Richard the Third was a beautiful, and, in many respects, a noble-minded woman, though she lived in very rude, turbulent, and trying times. She was born, so to speak, into one of the most widely-extended, the most bitter, and the most fatal of the family quarrels which have darkened the annals of the great in the whole history of mankind, namely, that long-protracted and bitter contest which was waged for so many years between the...