Sir
Richard William Southern (1912–2001), who published under the name
R. W. Southern, was a noted English medieval
historianAn historian is an individual who studies and writes about history, and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all events in time...
, based at the
University of OxfordThe University of Oxford , located in the UK city of Oxford, is the oldest surviving university in the English-speaking world and is regarded as one of the world's leading academic institutions. Although the exact date of foundation remains unclear, there is evidence of teaching there as far back...
.
Southern was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and educated at the
Royal Grammar School, NewcastleRoyal Grammar School Newcastle upon Tyne, known locally and often abbreviated as RGS, is a long-established co-educational, independent school in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It gained its Royal Charter under Queen Elizabeth I...
, and at
Balliol College, OxfordBalliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England.Traditionally, the undergraduates are amongst the most politically active in the university, and the college's alumni include three former prime ministers. H. H...
, where he graduated with a first-class honours degree in history. At Oxford, Southern's mentors were Sir Maurice Powicke and
Vivian Hunter GalbraithVivian Hunter H. Galbraith, FBA was an English historian, Fellow of the British Academy and Oxford Regius Professor of Modern History.- Early career:...
. He was a Fellow of Balliol from 1937 to 1961 (where he lectured alongside Christopher Hill),
Chichele Professor of Modern HistoryThe Chichele Professorship of Modern History is one of the several Chichele Professorships established from the mid-19th century onwards at All Souls College, Oxford University.-List of Professors:...
at Oxford from 1961 to 1969, and President of
St John's College, Oxford__FORCETOC__St John's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel...
, from 1969 to 1981.
Sir
Richard William Southern (1912–2001), who published under the name
R. W. Southern, was a noted English medieval
historianAn historian is an individual who studies and writes about history, and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all events in time...
, based at the
University of OxfordThe University of Oxford , located in the UK city of Oxford, is the oldest surviving university in the English-speaking world and is regarded as one of the world's leading academic institutions. Although the exact date of foundation remains unclear, there is evidence of teaching there as far back...
.
Southern was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and educated at the
Royal Grammar School, NewcastleRoyal Grammar School Newcastle upon Tyne, known locally and often abbreviated as RGS, is a long-established co-educational, independent school in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It gained its Royal Charter under Queen Elizabeth I...
, and at
Balliol College, OxfordBalliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England.Traditionally, the undergraduates are amongst the most politically active in the university, and the college's alumni include three former prime ministers. H. H...
, where he graduated with a first-class honours degree in history. At Oxford, Southern's mentors were Sir Maurice Powicke and
Vivian Hunter GalbraithVivian Hunter H. Galbraith, FBA was an English historian, Fellow of the British Academy and Oxford Regius Professor of Modern History.- Early career:...
. He was a Fellow of Balliol from 1937 to 1961 (where he lectured alongside Christopher Hill),
Chichele Professor of Modern HistoryThe Chichele Professorship of Modern History is one of the several Chichele Professorships established from the mid-19th century onwards at All Souls College, Oxford University.-List of Professors:...
at Oxford from 1961 to 1969, and President of
St John's College, Oxford__FORCETOC__St John's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel...
, from 1969 to 1981. He was awarded the
Balzan PrizeThe International Balzan Prize Foundation awards four annual monetary prizes to people or organisations who have made outstanding achievements in the fields of humanities, natural sciences, culture, as well as for endeavours for peace and the brotherhood of man....
in 1987 for Medieval History. He was knighted in 1974. He died in Oxford.
Southern's
Making of the Middle Ages (1953) established his reputation as a
medievalist-Development:The term was adopted by academics in the opening decades of the twentieth century, initially in the titles of books, like G. G. Coulton's, Ten Medieval Studies , perhaps to distinguish them from more romantically inclined medievalists...
. This pioneering work opened up new vistas in medieval history, and it has been translated into many languages. Southern's studies of
St AnselmAnselm of Canterbury was a Benedictine monk, an Italian medieval philosopher, theologian, and church official who held the office of Archbishop of Canterbury from 1093 to 1109. Called the founder of scholasticism, he is famous in the West as the originator of the ontological argument for the...
and
Robert GrossetesteRobert Grosseteste , English statesman, scholastic philosopher, theologian and Bishop of Lincoln, was born of humble parents at Stradbroke in Suffolk. A.C...
have redefined their historiography.
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