Henry Mayr-Harting
Encyclopedia
Professor Henry Maria Robert Egmont Mayr-Harting was Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History
in the University of Oxford
and Lay Canon of Christ Church, Oxford
from 1997 until 2003.
On 6 April 1936 Henry Maria Robert Egmont Mayr-Harting was born in Prague
to a Viennese
couple, Herbert Mayr-Harting and Anna Mayr-Harting, née Münzer, who had a distinguished career as a bacteriologist in Bristol, England.
Mayr-Harting was educated at Douai School
and Merton College, Oxford
(BA
1957, MA
1961, DPhil
1961). He was Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of Liverpool
1960-68. He then returned to Oxford
to become Fellow and Tutor in Medieval History at St Peter's College
from 1968 until 1997, when he was appointed Fellow Emeritus. From 1976 until 1997 he was also Lecturer in Medieval History at Merton College
. He was Slade Professor of Fine Art
for the academic year 1987-88 and in 1993 he was named University Reader
in Medieval History. In 1997 he became the first Catholic and the first layperson to be appointed Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History
in the University of Oxford
and consequently he became the first Lay Canon of Christ Church Cathedral
. He retired from these positions in 2003.
Mayr-Harting was elected Visiting Fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge
in 1983 and Brown Foundation Fellow at Sewanee: The University of the South in 1992. He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy
in the same year and he is a Corresponding Member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. In 2003 he took part in the Spring Lecture Series, Barbarian Europe: The Creation of a Civilization, at the Institute for Medieval Studies, University of New Mexico
.
In 1968 Mayr-Harting married Caroline Mary Humphries. Together they have a son, Felix (born 1969), and a daughter, Ursula (born 1972). Mayr-Harting's daughter, now called Ursula Weekes, is an art historian and has written several books, including Techniques of Drawing (exh. cat., Oxford
: Ashmolean Museum
, 1996), Early Netherlandish Engraving circa 1440-1540 (Oxford
: Ashmolean Museum
, 1997), Techniques of Drawing: from the 15th to the 19th Centuries (Oxford
: Ashmolean Museum
, 1999), and Early Engravers and their Public: the Master of the Berlin Passion and Manuscripts from Convents in the Rhine-Maas Region (London
: Harvey Miller, 2004).
Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History
The Regius Chair of Ecclesiastical History at the University of Oxford was founded by Queen Victoria in 1842. Previous Holders of the Chair include John McManners, Peter Hinchliff and Henry Mayr-Harting....
in 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...
and Lay Canon of Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
from 1997 until 2003.
On 6 April 1936 Henry Maria Robert Egmont Mayr-Harting was born in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
to a Viennese
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
couple, Herbert Mayr-Harting and Anna Mayr-Harting, née Münzer, who had a distinguished career as a bacteriologist in Bristol, England.
Mayr-Harting was educated at Douai School
Douai School
Douai School was the public school that was run by the Douai Abbey Benedictine community at Woolhampton, England, until it closed in 1999.- History :...
and Merton College, Oxford
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
(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...
1957, MA
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
1961, DPhil
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
1961). He was Lecturer in Medieval History at the University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
1960-68. He then returned to 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...
to become Fellow and Tutor in Medieval History at St Peter's College
St Peter's College, Oxford
St Peter's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom, located in New Inn Hall Street. It occupies the site of two of the University's oldest Inns, or medieval hostels - Bishop Trellick's, later New Inn Hall, and Rose Hall - both of which were...
from 1968 until 1997, when he was appointed Fellow Emeritus. From 1976 until 1997 he was also Lecturer in Medieval History at Merton College
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
. He was Slade Professor of Fine Art
Slade Professor of Fine Art
The Slade Professorship of Fine Art is the oldest professorship of art at the universities of Cambridge, Oxford and London.-History:The chairs were founded concurrently in 1869 by a bequest from the art collector and philanthropist Felix Slade, with studentships also created in the University of...
for the academic year 1987-88 and in 1993 he was named University Reader
Reader (academic rank)
The title of Reader in the United Kingdom and some universities in the Commonwealth nations like Australia and New Zealand denotes an appointment for a senior academic with a distinguished international reputation in research or scholarship...
in Medieval History. In 1997 he became the first Catholic and the first layperson to be appointed Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History
Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History
The Regius Chair of Ecclesiastical History at the University of Oxford was founded by Queen Victoria in 1842. Previous Holders of the Chair include John McManners, Peter Hinchliff and Henry Mayr-Harting....
in 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...
and consequently he became the first Lay Canon of Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
. He retired from these positions in 2003.
Mayr-Harting was elected Visiting Fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse, Cambridge
Peterhouse is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the oldest college of the University, having been founded in 1284 by Hugo de Balsham, Bishop of Ely...
in 1983 and Brown Foundation Fellow at Sewanee: The University of the South in 1992. 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...
in the same year and he is a Corresponding Member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. In 2003 he took part in the Spring Lecture Series, Barbarian Europe: The Creation of a Civilization, at the Institute for Medieval Studies, University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
.
In 1968 Mayr-Harting married Caroline Mary Humphries. Together they have a son, Felix (born 1969), and a daughter, Ursula (born 1972). Mayr-Harting's daughter, now called Ursula Weekes, is an art historian and has written several books, including Techniques of Drawing (exh. cat., Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
: Ashmolean Museum
Ashmolean Museum
The Ashmolean Museum on Beaumont Street, Oxford, England, is the world's first university museum...
, 1996), Early Netherlandish Engraving circa 1440-1540 (Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
: Ashmolean Museum
Ashmolean Museum
The Ashmolean Museum on Beaumont Street, Oxford, England, is the world's first university museum...
, 1997), Techniques of Drawing: from the 15th to the 19th Centuries (Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
: Ashmolean Museum
Ashmolean Museum
The Ashmolean Museum on Beaumont Street, Oxford, England, is the world's first university museum...
, 1999), and Early Engravers and their Public: the Master of the Berlin Passion and Manuscripts from Convents in the Rhine-Maas Region (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...
: Harvey Miller, 2004).
Selected publications
- Henry Mayr-Harting, The Bishops of Chichester and the Administration of Their Diocese, 1075-1207: with a Collection of Acta (University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe 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...
DPhil thesisDoctor of PhilosophyDoctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
, 1961)
- Widukind of CorveyWidukind of CorveyWidukind of Corvey was a Saxon historical chronicler, named after the Saxon duke and national hero Widukind who had battled Charlemagne. Widukind the chronicler was born in 925 and died after 973 at the Benedictine abbey of Corvey in East Westphalia...
, Res gestae Saxonicae, tr. Henry Mayr-Harting (typescript 1962, privately bound 1995)
- Henry Mayr-Harting, The Bishops of Chichester, 1075-1207: Biographical Notes and Problems (ChichesterChichesterChichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
: Chichester City Council, 1963)
- Henry Mayr-Harting, ed. and introduction, Diocesis Cicestrensis: The Acta of the Bishops of Chichester, 1075-1207 (Canterbury and York Society Series 56, TorquayTorquayTorquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
: Devonshire Press, 1964)
- Henry Mayr-Harting, The Coming of Christianity to Anglo-Saxon England (LondonLondonLondon 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...
: B. T. BatsfordAnova BooksAnova Books is a UK-based publishing company founded in 2005, with the acquisition of the Chrysalis Books Group from the Chrysalis Group. Since its inception, the firm has acquired or created several other imprints...
, 1972; London: Book Club Associates, 1977; 3rd edn, London: BatsfordAnova BooksAnova Books is a UK-based publishing company founded in 2005, with the acquisition of the Chrysalis Books Group from the Chrysalis Group. Since its inception, the firm has acquired or created several other imprints...
; University Park: Pennsylvania State University PressPennsylvania State UniversityThe Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
, 1991) ISBN 978-0271007694
- Henry Mayr-Harting, 'Functions of a Twelfth-Century Recluse', History 60 (1975), 337-52
- Henry Mayr-Harting, The Venerable Bede, the Rule of St Benedict, and Social Class (Jarrow Lecture 1976, JarrowJarrowJarrow is a town in Tyne and Wear, England, located on the River Tyne, with a population of 27,526. From the middle of the 19th century until 1935, Jarrow was a centre for shipbuilding, and was the starting point of the Jarrow March against unemployment in 1936.-Foundation:The Angles re-occupied...
: Rector of Jarrow, 1976) ISBN 0903495031
- Henry Mayr-Harting and R.I. Moore, eds, Studies in Medieval History Presented to R.H.C. DavisRalph Henry Carless DavisRalph Henry Carless Davis , always known publicly as R. H. C. Davis, was a British historian specialising in the European Middle Ages...
(London: Hambledon Press, 1985)
- Henry Mayr-Harting, Saint Wilfrid (London: Catholic Truth SocietyCatholic Truth SocietyCatholic Truth Society is a body that prints and publishes Catholic literature, including apologetics but also prayerbooks, spiritual reading, lives of saints and so forth...
, 1986)
- Henry Mayr-Harting, ed., St Hugh of Lincoln: Lectures Delivered at Oxford and Lincoln to Celebrate the Eighth Centenary of St Hugh's Consecration as Bishop of Lincoln (OxfordOxfordThe city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
: Clarendon PressOxford University PressOxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, 1987)
- Henry Mayr-Harting, 'The Foundation of Peterhouse, Cambridge (1284) and the Rule of Saint Benedict', English Historical Review 103 (1988), 318
- Henry Mayr-Harting, Ottonian Book Illumination: an Historical Study (2 vols, London: Harvey Miller, 1991; 2nd edn, LondonLondonLondon 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...
: Harvey Miller, 1999) ISBN 978-1872501796
- Henry Mayr-Harting, Two conversions to Christianity: the Bulgarians and the Anglo-Saxons (Stenton Lecture 1993, ReadingReading, BerkshireReading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
: University of ReadingUniversity of ReadingThe University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
, 1994)
- Henry Mayr-Harting, 'Charlemagne, the Saxons, and the Imperial Coronation of 800', English Historical Review 111:444 (November 1996), 1113-33
- Henry Mayr-Harting, Perceptions of Angels in History: an Inaugural Lecture Delivered in the University of Oxford on 14 November 1997 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1998)
- Henry Mayr-Harting, 'Liudprand of Cremona's Account of his Legation to Constantinople (968) and Ottonian Imperial Strategy', English Historical Review 116 (2001) 539
- Richard HarriesRichard Harries, Baron Harries of PentregarthRichard Douglas Harries, Baron Harries of Pentregarth is a retired bishop of the Church of England. He was the 41st Bishop of Oxford from 1987 to 2006. Since 2008 he has been the Gresham Professor of Divinity.-Education and army career:...
and Henry Mayr-Harting, eds, Christianity: Two Thousand Years (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001)
- Henry Mayr-Harting, 'The Uta Codex: Art, Philosophy, and Reform in Eleventh-Century Germany', Catholic Historical Review 88:4 (October 2002), 759-61
- Henry Mayr-Harting, Melbourne Church in its Earliest Historical Surroundings: the Friends First Public Lecture (MelbourneMelbourne, DerbyshireMelbourne is a Georgian market town in South Derbyshire, England. It is about 8 miles south of Derby and 2 miles from the River Trent. In 1837 a then tiny settlement in Australia was named after William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, Queen Victoria's first Prime Minister, and thus indirectly takes...
: Friends of Melbourne Parish Church, 2004)
- Henry Mayr-Harting, Church and Cosmos in Early Ottonian Germany: The View from Cologne (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007) ISBN 978-0199210718
Sources and Further Information
- Henry Mayr-Harting, 'The Relevance of Medieval History', History Faculty Alumni Newsletter 2 (June 2004)
- Henry Mayr-Harting, 'Much more than "ornamental"', Cherwell (16 May 2003)
- Faculty of Modern History
- Austrian Academy of Sciences
- University of New Mexico
- Lawrence University
- Oxford University Gazette (6 March 1997)