Editing Jacob Aall (section)

==Career==
In 1791, Aall began attending a school in [[Copenhagen]], [[Denmark]] where he earned a [[Academic degree|degree]] in [[theology]] in 1795. After graduating, he returned to Norway where he tried working as a [[cleric]], but he felt that his abilities were not well at use and decided to take up other studies. In 1796, he returned to Copenhagen, where he began studying [[natural science]]. In 1797, he journeyed to [[Germany]], touring the scientific schools of [[Leipzig]], [[Kiel]] and [[Göttingen]]. In Germany he became acquainted with the [[geologist]] [[Abraham Gottlob Werner]].

In 1799, after spending the winter at the academy of mines in [[Freiberg]], Aall returned to Norway. Following his father's death, he invested his [[Property|patrimony]] in the purchase of the immense [[Næs jernverk|Nes Iron-works]] in the [[Arendal]] ore region. After purchasing the iron-works, the operation became more efficient, but was placed in a difficult position at the outbreak of the [[English Wars (Scandinavia)|English Wars]] in 1801. However, the business persevered.

In 1814 he took a prominent part in the framing of the free [[Constitution of Norway]], and for fourteen years (1816-1830), he was a leading member of the [[Storting]], the Norwegian National Assembly.

As a writer, he translated and published [[Snorri Sturluson|Snorri Sturluson's]] ''[[Heimskringla]]''. His ''Reminisciences'' (1844-1845) is a repository of data concerning the contemporaneous history of the [[Scandinavian Peninsula|Scandinavian peninsula]].

In his later years, Aall increasingly withdrew from public life, and left most of the work at the iron-works to his son.