Ole Jørgen Benedictow
Encyclopedia
Ole Jørgen Benedictow is a Norwegian historian. Having spent his entire professional career at the University of Oslo
, he is especially known for his work on plagues, especially the Black Death
.
. He graduated from the University of Oslo
with a cand.philol. degree in history in 1968, and was immediately hired as a research fellow. From early on he concentrated on the Late Middle Ages
. In 1977 he published Fra rike til provins 1448-1536, volume five of the work Cappelens Norgeshistorie, on Norwegian history
. He was promoted to associate professor, and from 1990 to 1992 he worked as manager of the Department of Archeology, Conservation and Historical Studies. In 1992 he took the dr.philos. degree with the thesis
Plague in the late Medieval Nordic Countries. He followed in 1993 with The Medieval Demographic System of the Nordic Countries, and was promoted to professor in medieval history in the same year. He is currently a professor emeritus. In 2002 he published Svartedauen og senere pestepidemier i Norge: pestepidemiens historie i Norge 1348-1654, on the history of plague in Norway.
His main works having revolved mainly around Norway and the Nordic countries
, Benedictow's book The Black Death 1346-1353: The Complete History, from 2004, is an extensive study of the impact of the Black Death, drawing on material from all over Europe
. Here he makes the claim that the Black Death caused the death of as much as 60% of the population of Europe. Such a high death rate was previously unheard of in the historiography
of the field. The assertion has not been universally accepted in the historical community.
In addition to his academic work, Benedictow is known for prolific writing in print media, as well as giving lectures outside of the university.
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
, he is especially known for his work on plagues, especially the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
.
Career
He was born in OsloOslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. He graduated from the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
with a cand.philol. degree in history in 1968, and was immediately hired as a research fellow. From early on he concentrated on the Late Middle Ages
Late Middle Ages
The Late Middle Ages was the period of European history generally comprising the 14th to the 16th century . The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern era ....
. In 1977 he published Fra rike til provins 1448-1536, volume five of the work Cappelens Norgeshistorie, on Norwegian history
History of Norway
The history of human settlement in what is present day Norway goes back at least 11,000 years, to the late Paleolithic. Archaeological finds in the county of Møre og Romsdal have been dated to 9,200 BC and are probably the remains of settlers from Doggerland, an area now submerged in the North Sea,...
. He was promoted to associate professor, and from 1990 to 1992 he worked as manager of the Department of Archeology, Conservation and Historical Studies. In 1992 he took the dr.philos. degree with the thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
Plague in the late Medieval Nordic Countries. He followed in 1993 with The Medieval Demographic System of the Nordic Countries, and was promoted to professor in medieval history in the same year. He is currently a professor emeritus. In 2002 he published Svartedauen og senere pestepidemier i Norge: pestepidemiens historie i Norge 1348-1654, on the history of plague in Norway.
His main works having revolved mainly around Norway and the Nordic countries
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
, Benedictow's book The Black Death 1346-1353: The Complete History, from 2004, is an extensive study of the impact of the Black Death, drawing on material from all over Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Here he makes the claim that the Black Death caused the death of as much as 60% of the population of Europe. Such a high death rate was previously unheard of in the historiography
Historiography
Historiography refers either to the study of the history and methodology of history as a discipline, or to a body of historical work on a specialized topic...
of the field. The assertion has not been universally accepted in the historical community.
In addition to his academic work, Benedictow is known for prolific writing in print media, as well as giving lectures outside of the university.