Teutonic mythology (Volume I)

Jacob Ludwig Carl Grimm (1785 - 1863) also known as Ludwig Karl, was a German philologist, jurist and mythologist. He is known as the discoverer of Grimm's law (linguistics), the co-author with his brother Wilhelm of the monumental Deutsches Wörterbuch, the author of Deutsche Mythologie and, more popularly, as the elder of the Brothers Grimm and the editor of Grimm's Fairy Tales. Jacob Grimm was born in Hanau, in Hesse-Kassel. His father, Philipp Grimm, was a lawyer, but he died while Jacob was a child and his mother was left with very small means. His mother's sister was lady of the chamber to the Landgravine of Hesse and she helped to support and educate her numerous family members. Jacob was sent to the public school at Kassel in 1798 with his younger brother Wilhelm (born on 24 February 1786).

In 1802, he proceeded to the University of Marburg where he studied law, a profession for which he had been destined by his father. His brother joined him at Marburg a year later, having just recovered from a long and severe illness and likewise began the study of law.