Angus Konstam
Encyclopedia
Angus Konstam is a Scottish
author and historian. Born in Aberdeen
, Scotland
and raised on the Orkney Islands
, he now resides in Edinburgh
. He has written more than 60 books on Maritime History
, Naval History
, Historical Atlases
, and other historical non-fiction.
, Scotland
, he was raised on the Orkney Islands
. In 1978 at the age of 18 he left to join the Royal Navy
. He received a scholarship to the Royal Navy College
in Dartmouth
, and went on to study history at Aberdeen University. After receiving a degree, he returned to the Royal Navy and spent a year at sea, during which, he visited many places that would later be written about in his naval books including the Caribbean
. He also gained important knowledge of military service, customs, seamanship and navigation during this time. He then studied for a Master's Degree at the University of St. Andrews. During this time he explored the new field of maritime archaeology
and wrote his thesis
on early naval artillery
. Two decades later this formed the basis for Sovereigns of the Sea, his history of Renaissance
warships.
in Maritime Studies at St. Andrews University, a course which combined history with maritime archaeology. After completing his Masters thesis on Renaissance Naval Artillery, he found a job in 1985 as a supervisor on an excavation in the River Thames
near the Tower of London
, paid for by the Royal Armouries
. While he was working in the Royal Armouries, The Tower and the Kremlin decided to swap exhibits – a “Treasures of the Tower” being shown in Moscow while “Treasures of the Kremlin” came to London
. At the same time the curators of both museums were encouraged to exchange information, and to examine each others’ collections. This ended up with Konstam studying the 18th century Russian military. A mutual colleague introduced him to a historian working for Osprey Publishing
, who turned out to want someone to write a book about Peter the Great’s Army. The result was two small (15,000 word) books which first appeared in 1993 – the first easily-accessible account of the foundation of the Russian army to appear in English.
, Florida
in 1995 and became the Chief Curator
in the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum
. Mel Fisher
was a treasure hunter who found the wreck of the Spanish treasure galleon
Nuestra Señora de Atocha
off the Florida Keys. One of his jobs during this time was to create traveling exhibits which toured the United States
. During the research for a pirate exhibition, he gained an increasing interest in the subject of 18th century piracy
. He spent six years in Key West and wrote several more books, including The History of Pirates (2002), which went on to sell over 70,000 copies. As he gained more information through his research, he produced Piracy: The Complete History (2008), and then, to reach a wider audience, The World Atlas of Pirates (2009).
in early 2001, and now resides in Edinburgh, Scotland. He continues to write about naval and general history subjects. His favorite subject is the historical period of the 16th and 17th centuries. He currently has over 60 books in print and is on the board of The Society of Authors
in Scotland and board of Publishing Scotland. Konstam has also been a "talking head" on many cable TV
shows.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
author and historian. Born in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and raised on the Orkney Islands
Orkney Islands
Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands , is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated north of the coast of Caithness...
, he now resides in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. He has written more than 60 books on Maritime History
Maritime history
Maritime history is the study of human activity at sea. It covers a broad thematic element of history that often uses a global approach, although national and regional histories remain predominant...
, Naval History
Naval History
Naval History is a bi-monthly magazine published by the United States Naval Institute since 1987. The 72-page publication not only includes feature articles spanning the course of Naval History written by significant scholars of their subject, but also has standing features including: "Looking...
, Historical Atlases
Historical atlas
A historical atlas is an atlas that includes historical maps and charts depicting the evolving geopolitical landscape. They are helpful in understanding historical context, the scope and scale of historical events and historical subjects , and macro-history...
, and other historical non-fiction.
Early life
Although born in AberdeenAberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, he was raised on the Orkney Islands
Orkney Islands
Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands , is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated north of the coast of Caithness...
. In 1978 at the age of 18 he left to join the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. He received a scholarship to the Royal Navy College
Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, England. While Royal Naval officer training has taken place in the town since 1863, the buildings which are seen today were only finished in 1905, and...
in Dartmouth
Dartmouth, Devon
Dartmouth is a town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes...
, and went on to study history at Aberdeen University. After receiving a degree, he returned to the Royal Navy and spent a year at sea, during which, he visited many places that would later be written about in his naval books including the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. He also gained important knowledge of military service, customs, seamanship and navigation during this time. He then studied for a Master's Degree at the University of St. Andrews. During this time he explored the new field of maritime archaeology
Maritime archaeology
Maritime archaeology is a discipline within archaeology as a whole that specifically studies human interaction with the sea, lakes and rivers through the study of associated physical remains, be they vessels, shore side facilities, port-related structures, cargoes, human remains and submerged...
and wrote his thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
on early naval artillery
Naval artillery
Naval artillery, or naval riflery, is artillery mounted on a warship for use in naval warfare. Naval artillery has historically been used to engage either other ships, or targets on land; in the latter role it is currently termed naval gunfire fire support...
. Two decades later this formed the basis for Sovereigns of the Sea, his history of Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
warships.
England
He left the navy in 1983, and the following year he began a Master of LettersMaster of Letters
The Master of Letters is a postgraduate degree.- United Kingdom :The MLitt is a postgraduate degree awarded by a select few British and Irish universities, predominantly within the ancient English and Scottish universities.- England :Within the English University system MLitts are not universally...
in Maritime Studies at St. Andrews University, a course which combined history with maritime archaeology. After completing his Masters thesis on Renaissance Naval Artillery, he found a job in 1985 as a supervisor on an excavation in the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
near the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, paid for by the Royal Armouries
Royal Armouries
The Royal Armouries is the United Kingdom's National Museum of Arms and Armour. It is the United Kingdom's oldest museum, and one of the oldest museums in the world. It is also one of the largest collections of arms and armour in the world, comprising the UK's National Collection of Arms and...
. While he was working in the Royal Armouries, The Tower and the Kremlin decided to swap exhibits – a “Treasures of the Tower” being shown in Moscow while “Treasures of the Kremlin” came to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. At the same time the curators of both museums were encouraged to exchange information, and to examine each others’ collections. This ended up with Konstam studying the 18th century Russian military. A mutual colleague introduced him to a historian working for Osprey Publishing
Osprey Publishing
Osprey Publishing is an Oxford-based publishing company specializing in military history. Predominantly an illustrated publisher, many of their books contain full-colour artwork plates, maps and photographs, and the company produces over a dozen ongoing series, each focusing on a specific aspect of...
, who turned out to want someone to write a book about Peter the Great’s Army. The result was two small (15,000 word) books which first appeared in 1993 – the first easily-accessible account of the foundation of the Russian army to appear in English.
United States
Konstam moved to Key WestKey West
Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida on the North American continent at the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys. Key West is home to the southernmost point in the Continental United States; the island is about from Cuba....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in 1995 and became the Chief Curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
in the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum
Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum
The Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum is located at 200 Greene Street, Key West, Florida. The museum contains an extensive collection of artifacts from 17th century shipwrecks, such as the Henrietta Marie, Nuestra Señora de Atocha and Santa Margarita...
. Mel Fisher
Mel Fisher
Mel Fisher was an American treasure hunter best known for finding the 1622 wreck of the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha named after a shrine in Madrid for protection. He discovered the wreck July 20, 1985...
was a treasure hunter who found the wreck of the Spanish treasure galleon
Galleon
A galleon was a large, multi-decked sailing ship used primarily by European states from the 16th to 18th centuries. Whether used for war or commerce, they were generally armed with the demi-culverin type of cannon.-Etymology:...
Nuestra Señora de Atocha
Nuestra Señora de Atocha
Nuestra Señora de Atocha was the most famous of a fleet of Spanish ships that sank in 1622 off the Florida Keys while carrying copper, silver, gold, tobacco, gems, jewels, jewelry and indigo from Spanish ports at Cartagena, Colombia, Porto Bello in New Granada and Havana bound for Spain...
off the Florida Keys. One of his jobs during this time was to create traveling exhibits which toured the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. During the research for a pirate exhibition, he gained an increasing interest in the subject of 18th century piracy
Piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
. He spent six years in Key West and wrote several more books, including The History of Pirates (2002), which went on to sell over 70,000 copies. As he gained more information through his research, he produced Piracy: The Complete History (2008), and then, to reach a wider audience, The World Atlas of Pirates (2009).
Present
He returned to BritainUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in early 2001, and now resides in Edinburgh, Scotland. He continues to write about naval and general history subjects. His favorite subject is the historical period of the 16th and 17th centuries. He currently has over 60 books in print and is on the board of The Society of Authors
Society of Authors
The Society of Authors is a trade union for professional writers that was founded in 1884 to protect the rights of writers and fight to retain those rights .It has counted amongst its members and presidents numerous notable writers and poets including Tennyson The Society of Authors (UK) is a...
in Scotland and board of Publishing Scotland. Konstam has also been a "talking head" on many cable TV
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
shows.
General
- The History of Pirates (1999)
- The History of Shipwrecks (1999)
- British Battlecruisers, 1939-45 (2003)
- Warships: From the Galley to the Present Day (2001)
- The Civil War: A Visual Encyclopaedia (2002)
- Hunt the Bismarck (2003)
- 7th U-Boat Flotilla: Dönitz’s Atlantic Wolves (2003)
- The Pocket Book of Civil War Battle Sites (2004)
- The Pocket Book of Civil War Weapons (2004)
- PT-boats:US Navy Torpedo Boats (2005)
- Civil War Ghost Stories (2005)
- Americas Most Notable Pirate: Blackbeard (2006)
- Salerno 1943: The Allied Invasion of Italy (2007)
- Rome: A Photographic Journey (2008)
- Ancient World Commanders (2008)
- Piracy: the Complete History (2008)
- Sovereigns of the Sea: The Quest to Build the Perfect Renaissance Battleship (2008)
- The Battle of the North Cape (2009)
- There was a Soldier: First Hand Accounts of the Scottish Soldier from 1707 to the Present Day (2009)
Historical Atlas
- Historical Atlas of Exploration (2000)
- Atlas of Medieval Europe (2000)
- Historical Atlas of the Celtic World (2001)
- Historical Atlas of the Viking World (2002)
- Historical Atlas of the Crusades (2002)
- Historical Atlas of Ancient Rome (2003)
- Historical Atlas of Napoleonic Era (2003)
- Historical Atlas of Ancient Greece (2003)
- Historical Atlas of the Renaissance (2004)