Donald Nicol
Encyclopedia
Donald MacGillivray Nicol FBA, MRIA
(Portsmouth
, 4 February 1923 – Cambridge
, 25 September 2003) was a British Byzantinist.
minister, and received a classical education at King Edward VII School
in Sheffield
and St Paul's School in London
. Registering as a conscientious objector
in 1941, he served in 1942–1946 in the Friends' Ambulance Unit
, with which he first visited wartime Greece
in 1944–1945, visiting Ioannina
and the Meteora
monasteries. After earning his first Classics degree in Cambridge, he returned to Greece in 1949–1950 as a member of the British School at Athens
. During this time, he also visited Mount Athos
, spending Easter
1949 at the Hilandar Monastery, and revisited Meteora. In 1950, Nicol married Joan Mary Campbell, with whom he had three sons. He completed his doctoral thesis for Pembroke College, Cambridge
, in 1952. The thesis, on the medieval Despotate of Epirus
, led to his first book, The Despotate of Epiros. His thesis supervisor was Steven Runciman
, with whom Nicol formed a life-long friendship, nurtured in the Athenaeum Club
.
After completion of his doctorate, Nicol's first academic posting was as Lecturer in Classics at the University College Dublin
from 1952 to 1964. He spent 1964–1966 as Visiting Fellow at Dumbarton Oaks
, and was then Senior Lecturer and Reader in Byzantine History, Edinburgh University (1966–1970). In 1970 he was named to the historic chair of Koraës Professor of Modern Greek and Byzantine History, Language and Literature at the King's College London
, a post he held until 1988. In 1977–1980 he was Assistant Principal of the King's College, and Vice-Principal in 1980–1981. From 1973 to 1983, he was the editor of the Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies
journal, and served as president of the Ecclesiastical History Society in 1975–1976. In 1989–1992, he was director of the Gennadius Library (Γεννάδειος Βιβλιοθήκη) in Athens
.
Nicol became a member of the Royal Irish Academy
in 1960, and a Fellow of the British Academy
in 1981. For his contributions to the history of medieval Epirus
, the city of Arta
made him an honorary citizen in 1990, and he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Ioannina
in 1997.
Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
(Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
, 4 February 1923 – Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, 25 September 2003) was a British Byzantinist.
Life
Nicol was born to a Church of ScotlandChurch of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
minister, and received a classical education at King Edward VII School
King Edward VII School (Sheffield)
King Edward VII School is a secondary school and language college located in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. KES, named after the reigning monarch, was formed in 1905 when Wesley College was merged with Sheffield Royal Grammar School on the site of the former on Glossop Road...
in Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
and St Paul's School in 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...
. Registering as a conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
in 1941, he served in 1942–1946 in the Friends' Ambulance Unit
Friends' Ambulance Unit
The Friends' Ambulance Unit was a volunteer ambulance service, founded by individual members of the British Religious Society of Friends , in line with their Peace Testimony. The FAU operated from 1914–1919, 1939–1946 and 1946-1959 in 25 different countries around the world...
, with which he first visited wartime Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
in 1944–1945, visiting Ioannina
Ioannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
and the Meteora
Meteora
The Metéora is one of the largest and most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Greece, second only to Mount Athos. The six monasteries are built on natural sandstone rock pillars, at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios river and Pindus Mountains, in...
monasteries. After earning his first Classics degree in Cambridge, he returned to Greece in 1949–1950 as a member of the British School at Athens
British School at Athens
The British School at Athens is one of the 17 Foreign Archaeological Institutes in Athens, Greece.-General information:The School was founded in 1886 as the fourth such institution in Greece...
. During this time, he also visited Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
, spending Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
1949 at the Hilandar Monastery, and revisited Meteora. In 1950, Nicol married Joan Mary Campbell, with whom he had three sons. He completed his doctoral thesis for Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
, in 1952. The thesis, on the medieval Despotate of Epirus
Despotate of Epirus
The Despotate or Principality of Epirus was one of the Byzantine Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire that emerged in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Byzantine Empire, along with the Empire of Nicaea, and the Empire of Trebizond...
, led to his first book, The Despotate of Epiros. His thesis supervisor was Steven Runciman
Steven Runciman
The Hon. Sir James Cochran Stevenson Runciman CH — known as Steven Runciman — was a British historian known for his work on the Middle Ages...
, with whom Nicol formed a life-long friendship, nurtured in the Athenaeum Club
Athenaeum Club, London
The Athenaeum Club, usually just referred to as the Athenaeum, is a notable London club with its Clubhouse located at 107 Pall Mall, London, England, at the corner of Waterloo Place....
.
After completion of his doctorate, Nicol's first academic posting was as Lecturer in Classics at the University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
from 1952 to 1964. He spent 1964–1966 as Visiting Fellow at Dumbarton Oaks
Dumbarton Oaks
Dumbarton Oaks is the conventional name for the Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, situated on a historic property in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The institution is administered by the Trustees for Harvard University. Its founders, Robert Woods Bliss and his wife...
, and was then Senior Lecturer and Reader in Byzantine History, Edinburgh University (1966–1970). In 1970 he was named to the historic chair of Koraës Professor of Modern Greek and Byzantine History, Language and Literature at the King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, a post he held until 1988. In 1977–1980 he was Assistant Principal of the King's College, and Vice-Principal in 1980–1981. From 1973 to 1983, he was the editor of the Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies
Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies
Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies or BMGS is a peer reviewed British journal which contains articles that pertain to both Byzantine Studies and Modern Greek studies, i.e. the language, literature, history and archaeology of the post-classical Greek world, from Late Antiquity to the present day,...
journal, and served as president of the Ecclesiastical History Society in 1975–1976. In 1989–1992, he was director of the Gennadius Library (Γεννάδειος Βιβλιοθήκη) in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
.
Nicol became a member of the Royal Irish Academy
Royal Irish Academy
The Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
in 1960, and 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...
in 1981. For his contributions to the history of medieval Epirus
Epirus
The name Epirus, from the Greek "Ήπειρος" meaning continent may refer to:-Geographical:* Epirus - a historical and geographical region of the southwestern Balkans, straddling modern Greece and Albania...
, the city of Arta
Arta, Greece
Arta is a city with a rich history in northwestern Greece, capital of the peripheral unit of Arta, which is part of Epirus region. The city was known in ancient times as Ambracia . Arta is famous for its old bridge located over the Arachthos River, situated west of downtown...
made him an honorary citizen in 1990, and he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Ioannina
University of Ioannina
The University of Ioannina is a university lying in the plains 5 km southwest of Ioannina, Greece. The campus is linked to the town by Greek National Road 5. It now hosts over 20,000 students in 17 faculties...
in 1997.