John Julius Norwich facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Viscount Norwich
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| Born | John Julius Cooper 15 September 1929 Marylebone, London, England |
| Died | 1 June 2018 (aged 88) Maida Vale, London, England |
| Pen name | John Julius Norwich |
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| Children | Artemis Cooper Jason Cooper, 3rd Viscount Norwich Allegra Huston |
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| Member of the House of Lords | |
| In office 1 January 1954 – 11 November 1999 Hereditary peerage |
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| Preceded by | The 1st Viscount Norwich |
| Succeeded by | House of Lords Act 1999 |
John Julius Cooper, 2nd Viscount Norwich (15 September 1929 – 1 June 2018), known as John Julius Norwich, was a famous English historian, travel writer, and TV personality. He was known for making history interesting and easy to understand for everyone.
Contents
The Early Life of John Julius Norwich
John Julius Norwich was born in London, England, on 15 September 1929. His father was Duff Cooper, a politician and diplomat. His mother was Lady Diana Cooper, who was a well-known actress and socialite. He was given the name "Julius" because he was born by caesarean section. His mother was so famous that many people gathered outside the nursing home when he was born.
His Education and Wartime Experience
John Julius Norwich went to Egerton House School in London. When World War II started, his parents worried about his safety. His father was an important government official, and they feared a German invasion. In 1940, he was sent to Canada with other children to keep him safe. He attended Upper Canada College in Toronto. During his school holidays, he stayed with a family in New York.
In 1942, he returned to Britain and went to Eton College. After the war, he studied at the University of Strasbourg in France. This was while his father was working as an ambassador there. He then served in the Royal Navy as part of his national service. Later, he studied French and Russian at New College, Oxford.
Becoming a Writer and TV Star
After finishing his studies, John Julius Cooper joined the British Foreign Service. He worked in countries like Yugoslavia and Lebanon. He also helped with a disarmament conference in Geneva.
In 1954, his father passed away. John Julius inherited the title of Viscount Norwich. This meant he had the right to be a member of the House of Lords. However, he lost this right in 1999 due to a new law.
A New Career in Writing
In 1964, John Julius Norwich decided to leave his diplomatic job. He wanted to become a full-time writer. He wrote many history books that were popular with readers.
His books covered fascinating topics like:
- The history of Sicily under the Normans
- The city of Venice
- The Byzantine Empire
- The history of the Mediterranean Sea
- The history of the Papacy
He also edited several book series. These included Great Architecture of the World and The Italian World.
Working in Radio and Television
John Julius Norwich was also very active in radio and television. He hosted the BBC radio game show My Word! for four years. He also appeared on Round Britain Quiz.
He wrote and presented about 30 TV documentaries. Some of these documentaries explored:
- The Fall of Constantinople
- Napoleon's Hundred Days
- The story of Cortés and Montezuma
- The history of the Knights of Malta
Helping Others
Beyond his writing and TV work, John Julius Norwich supported many charities. He was the chairman of the Venice in Peril Fund. This fund helps protect the historic city of Venice. He also worked with the World Monuments Fund and Save Venice Inc.. He was a member of the National Trust, which looks after historic places in England. He also supported SHARE Community, which helps disabled people learn new skills.
Christmas Crackers
One of John Julius Norwich's unique projects was his series of Christmas Crackers. These were collections of interesting and funny facts, quotes, and stories. He found these tidbits in letters, diaries, gravestones, and poems. They included word games, old reviews, and sometimes text in other languages.
He published 49 Christmas Crackers in total. He was working on the very last one in early 2018. He even corrected the final copies from his hospital bed before he passed away.
His Family Life
John Julius Norwich was married twice. His first wife was Anne Frances May Clifford. They had a daughter, Artemis Cooper, who is also a historian. They also had a son, Jason Charles Duff Bede Cooper, who is an architect.
Later, John Julius Norwich married Mary Makins Philipps. He also had another daughter, Allegra Huston.
He lived for many years in a large house in Maida Vale, London. This area is known as Little Venice because of its canals. John Julius Norwich died on 1 June 2018, at the age of 88.
Titles and Honours
- 1929–1952: John Julius Cooper
- 1952–1954: The Honourable John Julius Cooper
- 1954–2018: The Right Honourable The Viscount Norwich
In 1992, Elizabeth II made him a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. This was to celebrate her 40th year as queen.
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His Books
- Mount Athos (1966)
- The Normans in the South, 1016–1130 (1967)
- Sahara (1968)
- The Kingdom in the Sun, 1130–1194 (1970)
- Great Architecture of the World (1975)
- Venice: The Rise to Empire (1977)
- Venice: The Greatness and Fall (1981)
- A History of Venice (1982)
- Britain's Heritage (editor) (1983)
- The Italian World: History, Art and the Genius of a People (editor) (1983)
- The Architecture of Southern England (1985)
- Fifty Years of Glyndebourne (1985)
- A Taste for Travel (1985)
- Byzantium: The Early Centuries (1988)
- Venice: a Traveller's Companion (1990)
- Oxford Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Art (editor) (1990)
- The Normans in Sicily (1992)
- Byzantium; v. 2: The Apogee (1992)
- Byzantium; v. 3: The Decline and Fall (1995)
- A Short History of Byzantium (1997)
- The Twelve Days of Christmas (Correspondence) (1998)
- Shakespeare's Kings: the Great Plays and the History of England in the Middle Ages: 1337–1485 (2000)
- Treasures of Britain (editor) (2002)
- Paradise of Cities, Venice and its Nineteenth-century Visitors (2003)
- The Duff Cooper Diaries (editor) (2006)
- The Middle Sea: A History of the Mediterranean (2006)
- Trying to Please (autobiography) (2008)
- Christmas Crackers (various editions)
- The Big Bang: Christmas Crackers, 2000–2009 (2010)
- The Great Cities in History (editor) (2009)
- Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy (2011)
- The Popes: A History (2011)
- A History of England in 100 Places: From Stonehenge to the Gherkin (2012)
- Darling Monster: The Letters of Lady Diana Cooper to Her Son John Julius Norwich (editor) (2013)
- Cities That Shaped the Ancient World (editor) (2014)
- Sicily: An Island at the Crossroads of History (2015)
- Four Princes: Henry VIII, Francis I, Charles V, Suleiman the Magnificent and the Obsessions that Forged Modern Europe (2016)
- France: A History: from Gaul to de Gaulle (2018)
- A History of France (2018)
- A Christmas Cracker being a commonplace selection (2018)
See also
In Spanish: John Julius Norwich para niños
