Alexander Cunningham (historian) facts for kids

Alexander Cunningham (born in 1655, died in 1737) was a clever Scottish diplomat and historian. He was known for his important work in government and for writing about history.

A Life of Travel and Diplomacy

Not much is known for sure about Alexander Cunningham's early life. We know he was related to Henry Cunningham, who was a governor in Jamaica. From 1692 to 1695, he worked as a traveling tutor for a young nobleman named James Carmichael.

In 1700, Cunningham visited Rome. The next year, he was sent to Paris as an agent. His official job was to help create a trade agreement between France and Scotland. But secretly, he was working as a spy. He gathered information for King William III of England about France's military plans.

After King William's death, Cunningham continued to work for the Whig party. The Whigs were a major political group in Britain at the time. In 1703, he visited Hanover in Germany with a famous writer named Joseph Addison. There, he met important people like Electress Sophia and her son, George I Louis, who would later become King of Great Britain.

Cunningham was often asked for advice by those who were planning the union between England and Scotland. This big event joined the two countries into Great Britain. He also knew famous people like Sir Isaac Newton, who discovered gravity. When the Whig party lost power in 1710, Cunningham went back to tutoring. In 1711, he traveled to Italy with another young nobleman, Lord Lonsdale.

When George I became king in 1715, Cunningham was given an important job. He became the British envoy, or official representative, in Venice, Italy. He stayed there until 1720, when he retired with a pension. He then moved back to London. Alexander Cunningham passed away in 1737 and was buried in a church called St. Martin-in-the-Fields. He left behind a large fortune of £12,000.

His Historical Work

Alexander Cunningham wrote a history book in Latin. After he died, the book was found by a relative. This relative gave it to a writer named William Thomson. In 1787, Thomson published a detailed translation of it in two volumes. The book was called The History of Great Britain from the Revolution in 1688 to the accession of George I.

This history book has been very helpful for understanding many events from that time. However, it's important to know that it was written from a Whig point of view. This means it showed the Whig political party in a positive light.