David Smith (historian)
Encyclopedia
David L. Smith, born in London on 3 December 1963, is a noted historian of the Early Modern period
of British history, particularly political, constitutional, legal and religious history in the Stuart
period. He is the author or co-author of eight books, and the editor or co-editor of five others (see list of chief publications below). He was educated at Eastbourne College
(1972-81) and then went up to Selwyn College, Cambridge
, as a Scholar in October 1982. At Selwyn he took his BA with First Class honours in 1985, his PGCE with Distinction in 1986, his MA in 1989, and his PhD in 1990. In 1991 he won the Royal Historical Society
's Alexander Prize, and Cambridge University's Thirlwall Prize for historical research.
He has been a Fellow
of Selwyn College since 1988. He has also served as a Director of Studies in History since 1992, and as a Graduate Tutor since 2004. For nearly twelve years (1992-2003) he was Admissions Tutor at Selwyn, a period during which the College's academic performance improved markedly. From 1994 until 2006 he was also the College's Praelector
.
He has been an Affiliated Lecturer in the Faculty of History at Cambridge since 1995, and he served as Convenor of the Directors of Studies in History from 2006 to 2010. He also teaches regular weekend, day-school and summer school courses for Cambridge's Institute of Continuing Education. He was a member of the Institute's Management Board from 2005 to 2008, and he has been Programme Director of the Institute's annual History Summer School since 2005.
He was an Associate Editor and Research Associate for the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004), to which he also contributed 23 articles. From 1993 to 2003 he was co-editor of the Cambridge University Press A-level History series Cambridge Perspectives in History, in which 30 books were published.
He has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Chicago
(1991), and at Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea (2004). He became a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in 1992, and he has been President of the Cambridge History Forum since 1997. He is a Governor of Eastbourne College (since 1993), and a Trustee of Oakham School
(since 2000). He was a member of the Cambridgeshire Records Society Committee from 1998 to 2009, and he has served on the Management Committee of the Cromwell Museum in Huntingdon since 2010.
Early modern period
In history, the early modern period of modern history follows the late Middle Ages. Although the chronological limits of the period are open to debate, the timeframe spans the period after the late portion of the Middle Ages through the beginning of the Age of Revolutions...
of British history, particularly political, constitutional, legal and religious history in the Stuart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
period. He is the author or co-author of eight books, and the editor or co-editor of five others (see list of chief publications below). He was educated at Eastbourne College
Eastbourne College
Eastbourne College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils aged 13–18, situated on the south coast of England, included in the Tatler list of top public schools. The College's current headmaster is Simon Davies. The College was founded by the Duke of Devonshire...
(1972-81) and then went up to Selwyn College, Cambridge
Selwyn College, Cambridge
Selwyn College is a constituent college in the University of Cambridge in England, United Kingdom.The college was founded by the Selwyn Memorial Committee in memory of the Rt Reverend George Selwyn , who rowed on the Cambridge crew in the first Varsity Boat Race in 1829, and went on to become the...
, as a Scholar in October 1982. At Selwyn he took his BA with First Class honours in 1985, his PGCE with Distinction in 1986, his MA in 1989, and his PhD in 1990. In 1991 he won the Royal Historical Society
Royal Historical Society
The Royal Historical Society was founded in 1868. The premier society in the United Kingdom which promotes and defends the scholarly study of the past, it is based at University College London...
's Alexander Prize, and Cambridge University's Thirlwall Prize for historical research.
He has been a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of Selwyn College since 1988. He has also served as a Director of Studies in History since 1992, and as a Graduate Tutor since 2004. For nearly twelve years (1992-2003) he was Admissions Tutor at Selwyn, a period during which the College's academic performance improved markedly. From 1994 until 2006 he was also the College's Praelector
Praelector
A praelector is a traditional role at the colleges of the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford. The role differs between the two universities.At Cambridge, a praelector is a fellow of a college...
.
He has been an Affiliated Lecturer in the Faculty of History at Cambridge since 1995, and he served as Convenor of the Directors of Studies in History from 2006 to 2010. He also teaches regular weekend, day-school and summer school courses for Cambridge's Institute of Continuing Education. He was a member of the Institute's Management Board from 2005 to 2008, and he has been Programme Director of the Institute's annual History Summer School since 2005.
He was an Associate Editor and Research Associate for the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004), to which he also contributed 23 articles. From 1993 to 2003 he was co-editor of the Cambridge University Press A-level History series Cambridge Perspectives in History, in which 30 books were published.
He has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
(1991), and at Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea (2004). He became a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in 1992, and he has been President of the Cambridge History Forum since 1997. He is a Governor of Eastbourne College (since 1993), and a Trustee of Oakham School
Oakham School
Oakham School is a British co-educational independent school in the historic market town of Oakham in Rutland, accepting around 1,000 pupils, aged from 10 to 18, both male and female, as boarders and day pupils . The Good Schools Guide called the school "a privileged but unpretentious and...
(since 2000). He was a member of the Cambridgeshire Records Society Committee from 1998 to 2009, and he has served on the Management Committee of the Cromwell Museum in Huntingdon since 2010.
Chief publications
- Oliver Cromwell: Politics and Religion in the English Revolution, 1640-1658 (Cambridge University Press, 1991)
- Louis XIV (Cambridge University Press, 1992)
- Constitutional Royalism and the Search for Settlement, c. 1640-1649 (Cambridge University Press, 1994)
- (co-edited with Richard Strier and David Bevington) The Theatrical City: Culture, Theatre and Politics in London, 1576-1649 (Cambridge University Press, 1995)
- A History of the Modern British Isles, 1603-1707: The Double Crown (Blackwell, 1998)
- The Stuart Parliaments, 1603-1689 (Edward Arnold, 1999)
- (with Graham E. Seel) The Early Stuart Kings, 1603-1642 (Routledge, 2001)
- (with Graham E. Seel) Crown and Parliaments, 1558-1689 (Cambridge University Press, 2001)
- (edited) Cromwell and the Interregnum (Blackwell, 2003)
- Twenty-three articles in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004)
- (co-edited with Jason McElligott) Royalists and Royalism during the English Civil Wars (Cambridge University Press, 2007)
- (with Patrick Little) Parliaments and Politics during the Cromwellian Protectorate (Cambridge University Press, 2007)
- (co-edited with Jason McElligott) Royalists and Royalism during the Interregnum (Manchester University Press, 2010)
- (co-edited with Michael J. Braddick) The Experience of Revolution in Stuart Britain and Ireland: Essays for John Morrill (Cambridge University Press, 2011)