Alexander William Kinglake
Alexander William Kinglake was an English writer and barrister, born in 1809 near Taunton, Somerset. As the eldest son of a banker, he received a prestigious education, attending Eton College and later Cambridge University, where he studied law. His literary career began with the publication of "Eothen" in 1844, a travel narrative documenting his adventurous journey through the Ottoman Empire, which garnered significant acclaim and inspired other writers in the genre. Despite his literary successes, Kinglake also pursued a career in law and became a barrister in London. His interest in military affairs led him to travel to war-torn regions, including the Crimea, where he interacted with notable figures such as Lord Raglan. This experience culminated in his monumental eight-volume work, "The Invasion of the Crimea," which he worked on for over thirty years. Kinglake also served in Parliament for almost eleven years, though his political career was marred by a bribery scandal in 1868, leading to his ban from the House of Commons. He continued to focus on his historical writings until his death.
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Alexander William Kinglake
- Born: August 5, 1809
- Birthplace: Near Taunton, Somerset, England
- Died: January 2, 1891
Biography
Alexander William Kinglake was born in 1809, near Taunton, Somerset, England, the eldest child of a banker. Due to his family’s comfortable financial status, Kinglake was provided with an excellent education, attending a prestigious private grammar school and receiving his secondary school studies at Eton College. In 1828, Kinglake enrolled at Cambridge University, where he prepared to study law. He graduated in 1832, and then moved to London to study with lawyer and poet Bryan Waller Proctor. Kinglake was exposed to many literary luminaries who socialized with Proctor, including authors Charles Dickens and Thomas Carlyle.
In 1834, Kinglake left England for a fifteen-month journey through the Ottoman Empire with his friend, adventurer Lord John Savile. Kinglake’s first book, Eothen, provides an acount of his journey from the Balkans to Egypt. Published in 1844, the book inspired others to write adventurous travel narratives.
Following his foray into literature, Kinglake turned his attention to law, working as a London barrister. However, Kinglake still desired adventure and was fascinated by combat, and he made several trips to countries engaged in war. One of these journeys was to the Crimea, where Kinglake met Lord Raglan, a commander in the Crimean army. This association led Kinglake to compose the eight-volume series The Invasion of the Crimea: Its Origin, and an Account of Its Progress down to the Death of Lord Raglan, an undertaking that took more than thirty years to complete.
After Kinglake began writing his book chronicling the Crimean War, he ran for Parliament, and in 1857 was elected as a representative for Bridgeport, Somerset. He served in Parliament for almost eleven years. However, in 1868 he was involved in a bribery scandal; although he was cleared of any wrongdoing, he was banned from Parliament. Kinglake devoted the rest of his life to completing his study of the Crimean War, which was published between 1863 and 1887.