Alexander the Great

Name: Alexander the Great
Author: Jacob Abbott

A complete biography of the ancient Macedonian king and one of history’s greatest military leaders.

Alexander the Great, son of King Philip II of Macedonia, and his fourth wife, Olympias, seemed destined for success. He had Aristotle for a tutor until he was sixteen. He took interest in his father’s military efforts abroad, and worried there would be nothing left to conquer when he became king. When ambassadors from Persia arrived in Macedonia, they tried to entertain young Alexander with colorful stories of their home, but the future leader was more interested in their armies and war tactics. It should be no surprise that Alexander became one of ancient history’s greatest and most successful military leaders.

In this biography, author Jacob Abbott recounts the life and times of Alexander the Great. He takes readers through the king’s early years, including his youth and education, as well as his relationship with his parents. The history continues with Alexander’s ascension to the throne at the age of twenty and details all the drama and military victories over the next ten years of the monarch’s reign as he expanded his empire from Macedonia and Egypt to northwest India. Unfortunately, Alexander’s demise soon followed, but not before he left his mark on the world.

Nineteenth-century American author Jacob Abbott wrote many books over the course of his own life from juvenile fiction to history. He wrote numerous biographies on such monumental individuals as Alfred the Great, Queen Elizabeth I, Genghis Khan, Julius Caesar, and Peter the Great.

Jacob Abbott

Jacob Abbott was born at Hallowell, Maine, to Jacob and Betsey Abbott. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1820 and studied at Andover Theological Seminary afterward. From 1825 to 1829 he was professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Amherst College. He founded the Mount Vernon School for Young Ladies in Boston in 1829, and was its principal from 1829–1833. Later, he was a principal of Abbott’s Institute, and then the Mount Vernon School for Boys in New York City. He was a prolific author and wrote juvenile fiction, brief histories, biographies, religious books for the general reader, and a few works in popular science. He is best-known for his Rollo series.