Christopher Alan Bayly
Encyclopedia
Sir Christopher Alan Bayly, FBA
, FRSL (born in Tunbridge Wells, England
, in 1945) is a British
historian specializing in Indian, British Imperial, and Global History
. Having obtained his BA
, MA
, and DPhil (1970) degrees from the University of Oxford
, the latter under the supervision of John Andrew Gallagher
, he is currently the Vere Harmsworth Professor of Imperial and Naval History
at the University of Cambridge
and a trustee of the British Museum
. In 1990 he was elected a Fellow of the British Academy
and in 2004 was awarded the prestigious Wolfson History Prize
for his distinguished contributions to the discipline. He was knighted
in the Queen's Birthday Honours List of 2007 for his services to History. Upon being informed of the award he stated: "I regard this not only as a great personal honour but, as an historian of India, as recognition of the growing importance of the history of the non-western world."
In 2007, he succeeded Professor
Sir
John Baker
as President
of St Catharine's College, Cambridge
. More recently, Bayly also became the Director of Cambridge's Centre of South Asian Studies. He is co-editor of The New Cambridge History of India and sits on the editorial board of various academic journals.
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
, FRSL (born in Tunbridge Wells, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in 1945) is a British
United 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...
historian specializing in Indian, British Imperial, and Global History
World History
World History, Global History or Transnational history is a field of historical study that emerged as a distinct academic field in the 1980s. It examines history from a global perspective...
. Having obtained his BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
, and DPhil (1970) degrees from the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, the latter under the supervision of John Andrew Gallagher
John Andrew Gallagher
John "Jack" Andrew Gallagher, FBA was a distinguished historian of the British Empire who between 1963 and 1970 held the Beit Professorship of Commonwealth History at the University of Oxford and from 1971 until his death was the Vere Harmsworth Professor of Imperial and Naval History at the...
, he is currently the Vere Harmsworth Professor of Imperial and Naval History
Vere Harmsworth Professor of Imperial and Naval History
The Vere Harmsworth Professorship of Imperial and Naval History is one of the senior professorships in history at the University of Cambridge. After the Beit Professorship of Colonial History at Oxford and the Rhodes Professorship of Imperial History at King's College London , it is the third...
at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
and a trustee of the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
. In 1990 he was elected a Fellow of the British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
and in 2004 was awarded the prestigious Wolfson History Prize
Wolfson History Prize
The Wolfson History Prizes are literary awards given annually in the United Kingdom to promote and encourage standards of excellence in the writing of history for the general public...
for his distinguished contributions to the discipline. He was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in the Queen's Birthday Honours List of 2007 for his services to History. Upon being informed of the award he stated: "I regard this not only as a great personal honour but, as an historian of India, as recognition of the growing importance of the history of the non-western world."
In 2007, he succeeded Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Sir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
John Baker
John Baker (legal historian)
Sir John Hamilton Baker, QC, FBA, FRHistS, FBS is an English legal historian. He has been the Downing Professor of the Laws of England at the University of Cambridge since 1988.-Biography:...
as President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of St Catharine's College, Cambridge
St Catharine's College, Cambridge
St. Catharine’s College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1473, the college is often referred to informally by the nickname "Catz".-History:...
. More recently, Bayly also became the Director of Cambridge's Centre of South Asian Studies. He is co-editor of The New Cambridge History of India and sits on the editorial board of various academic journals.
Selected bibliography
- The Local Roots of Indian Politics: Allahabad, 1880-1920 (1975)
- Rulers, Townsmen and Bazaars: North Indian Society in the Age of British Expansion, 1780-1870 (1983)
- Indian Society and the Making of the British Empire (1988)
- Imperial Meridian: The British Empire and the World, 1780-1830 (1989)
- Empire and Information: Intelligence Gathering and Social Communication in India, 1780-1870 (1996)
- Origins of Nationality in South Asia: Patriotism and Ethical Government in the Making of Modern India (1997)
- The Birth of the Modern World: Global Connections and Comparisons, 1780-1914 (2004)
- Forgotten Armies: The Fall of British Asia, 1941-45 with Dr Tim Harper (2004)
- Forgotten Wars: Revolution and the End of Empire in British Asia, 1945-55 with Dr Tim Harper (2007)
See also
- British EmpireBritish EmpireThe British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
- British RajBritish RajBritish Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
- Company rule in IndiaCompany rule in IndiaCompany rule in India refers to the rule or dominion of the British East India Company on the Indian subcontinent...
- Indian rebellion of 1857Indian Rebellion of 1857The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
- World HistoryWorld HistoryWorld History, Global History or Transnational history is a field of historical study that emerged as a distinct academic field in the 1980s. It examines history from a global perspective...
- John Andrew GallagherJohn Andrew GallagherJohn "Jack" Andrew Gallagher, FBA was a distinguished historian of the British Empire who between 1963 and 1970 held the Beit Professorship of Commonwealth History at the University of Oxford and from 1971 until his death was the Vere Harmsworth Professor of Imperial and Naval History at the...
- David Kenneth FieldhouseDavid Kenneth FieldhouseDavid Kenneth Fieldhouse, FBA is a prominent historian of the British Empire who between 1981 and 1992 held the Vere Harmsworth Professorship of Imperial and Naval History at the University of Cambridge...
- Eric Thomas StokesEric Thomas StokesEric Thomas Stokes was a historian of South Asia, especially early-modern and colonial India, and of the British Empire. Stokes was the second holder of Smuts Professorship of the History of the British Commonwealth at the University of Cambridge....
- Thomas R. MetcalfThomas R. MetcalfThomas R. Metcalf is a historian of South Asia, especially colonial India, and of British imperialism. Metcalf is the Emeritus Sarah Kailath Professor of India Studies and Professor of History at the University of California, Berkeley...
- Richard DraytonRichard DraytonRichard Drayton FRHistS is a Guyana-born historian and Rhodes Professor of Imperial History at Kings College London. He went to school at Harrison College in Barbados, from which he left as a Barbados Scholar to Harvard University...