Edmund Richardson Wins Baillie Gifford Prize for Alexander Biography

British historian Edmund Richardson has won the 2026 Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction for his book Alexander: God, King, Man, GreekReporter.com and The Guardian reported. GreekReporter.com and The Guardian both reported that the award carries a prize of 50,000 pounds, which is equal to approximately 67,200 dollars. The ceremony took place in London on Wednesday, according to GreekReporter.com. [1][8]

The win marks the first time that a book covering ancient history has received the Baillie Gifford Prize, GreekReporter.com reported. GreekReporter.com added that the work was selected from more than 350 eligible books by a six-member judging panel led by broadcaster Kirsty Lang. The judges praised the detailed research and narrative of the book, which traces Alexander from a young ruler to the conqueror of the Persian Empire. [1]

Richardson serves as a professor of Classics and Ancient History at Durham University, GreekReporter.com and Durham University reported. The victory marks the first major literary prize for the professor, according to GreekReporter.com. As FTMQ Books reported earlier, the award-winning title is published by Bloomsbury. [1][4][15]

Alexander the Great ruled the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon from 336 BC until his death after ascending the throne at age 20. He conducted extensive military campaigns across Asia and Egypt, establishing an empire that reached from Greece to northwestern India by the time he was 30 years old. [14]