Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03

John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton Biography and Timeline

Follow John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton through 12 dated historical records for Great Britain.

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John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, historical timeline

A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.

12Distinct records

1 of 1Page

1834–1902Years on this page

1834

10 January 1834

Birth of John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton

Baron · Editor of Rambler · Media / Media

Birth of John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton

1859

Editor

Baron · Editor of Rambler · Media / Media

Acton is appointed Editor of the Roman Catholic monthly paper, The Rambler, in 1859, on John Henry (later Cardinal) Newmans retirement from the editorship

Role range: 1859-1864

1859

The Rambler

Baron · Editor of Rambler · Media / Media

Acton is appointed Editor of the Roman Catholic monthly paper, The Rambler, in 1859, on John Henry (later Cardinal) Newmans retirement from the editorship

Role range: 1859-1864

1859

Member of Parliament

Baron · Member of Parliament · Carlow · Media / Media

Elected Parliamentary member of the Irish Borough of Carlow and becomes a devoted admirer and adherent of Gladstone

1862

Home and Foreign Review

Baron · Editor of Rambler · Media / Media

Merges The Rambler into the Home and Foreign Review

Role range: 1859-1864

1862

The Rambler

Baron · Editor of Rambler · Media / Media

Merges The Rambler into the Home and Foreign Review

Role range: 1859-1864

1869

Peerage

Baron · Editor of Rambler · Media / Media

Created Baron Acton, 1st

Role range: 1859-1864

1887

Quote

Baron · Media / Media

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely"

1890

Fellow

Baron · Oxford · Media / Media

Made a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford

1895

Cambridge University

Baron · Professor of History · Humanities / Social Science

Appointed Professor of Modern History at Cambridge University

Role range: 1895-1902

1895

Professor

Baron · Professor of History · Humanities / Social Science

Appointed Professor of Modern History at Cambridge University

Role range: 1895-1902

1902

19 June 1902

Death of John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton

Baron · Editor of Rambler · Media / Media

Death of John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton

Records, sources and methodology

These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.