however, where he remained for forty years, that he acquired his fame as an academical teacher. In addition to his lecturing, Leo found time for much literary and political work. As a critic of independent Views he won the approval of Goethe; on the other hand, he fell into violent controversy with Ranke about questions connected with Italian history. Up to the revolutionary year 1830 his religious views had remained strongly tinged with rationalism, Hegel remaining his guide in religion as in practical politics and the treatment of history. It was not until 1838 that Leo's polemical work Die Hegelingen proclaimed his breach with the radical developments of the philosopher's later disciples; a breach which developed into opposition to the philosopher himself. Under the impression of the July revolution in Paris and of the orthodox and pietistic influences at Halle, Leo's political convictions were henceforth dominated by reactionary principles. As a friend of the Prussian Camarilla and of King Frederick William IV of Prussia, he collaborated especially in the high conservative Politisches Wochenblatt, which first appeared in 1831, as well as in the Evangelische Kirchenzeitung, the Kreuzzeitung and the Volksblatt für Stadt und Land. In all this his critics scented an inclination towards Catholicism; and Leo did actually glorify the counter-Reformation, e.g. in his History of the Netherlands (2 vols. 1832-1835). His other historical works also, notably his Universal Geschichte (6 vols., 1835-1844), display a very onesided point of view. When, however, in connection with the quarrel about the archbishopric of Cologne (1837), political Catholicism raised its head, Leo turned against it with extreme violence in his open letter (1838) to Goerres, its foremost champion. On the other hand, he took a lively part in the politico-religious controversies within the fold of Prussian Protestantism. Later in life he became much less extreme in his religious and political views and participated in the Ut Omnes Unum movement started by Julie von Massow, which aimed at the unification of Protestantism and Catholicism. During the last year of his life his mind suffered rapid decay, of which signs had been apparent so early as 1868. He died at Halle on 24 April 1878. In addition to the works already mentioned, he left behind an account of his early life; Meine Jugendzeit. References External links 1799 births 1878 deaths 19th-century German historians People from Rudolstadt People from Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt Members of the Prussian House of