Jonathan Riley-Smith facts for kids

Jonathan Riley-Smith (born June 27, 1938 – died September 13, 2016) was a very important historian. He spent his life studying the Crusades. These were a series of religious wars that happened a long time ago. From 1994 to 2005, he was a special professor at the University of Cambridge in England. He was known for his deep knowledge of the Crusades.

Early Life and Education

Jonathan Riley-Smith was born in Harrogate, England, in 1938. He was the oldest of four children. His family was quite well-off because they owned a brewery. A brewery is a place where beer is made. His grandfather, John Craik-Henderson, was a politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) in the UK. Jonathan later dedicated one of his books to his grandfather.

Jonathan went to a famous school called Eton College. After that, he studied at Trinity College, Cambridge. He earned several degrees there. These included his first degree (BA) in 1960 and his PhD in 1964. A PhD is the highest university degree.

His Work as a Historian

Teaching and Research

Jonathan Riley-Smith taught history at several universities. He worked at the University of St Andrews from 1964 to 1972. Then he taught at Queens' College, Cambridge and Royal Holloway College, London. Finally, he taught at Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

He became a professor at Cambridge in 1994. He was known as the Dixie Professor of Ecclesiastical History. This means he studied the history of the Christian Church.

Understanding the Crusades

Jonathan Riley-Smith wrote many important books and articles. His work focused on the Crusades. He studied why people joined the Crusades. He also looked at how the Crusades began. His ideas changed how many historians understood these events.

One expert said he was "quite simply the leading historian of the crusades anywhere in the world." This shows how much he was respected.

Media Appearances

Jonathan Riley-Smith appeared in a TV show called Crusades in 1995. He was there to share his historical knowledge. However, the show's creators used older ideas about the Crusades. These ideas were not what Jonathan and other experts believed.

The producers edited the interviews. This made it seem like the historians agreed with the old ideas. Jonathan Riley-Smith was not happy about this. He said, "they made me appear to say things that I do not believe!"

In 2006, he gave a series of important talks. These were called the Gifford Lectures. He spoke about "The Crusades and Christianity" at the University of Edinburgh.

Family Life

Jonathan Riley-Smith became a Catholic. In 1968, he married Louise Field. She was a portrait artist. They had three children together. One of their children is the singer and songwriter Polly Paulusma.

Jonathan Riley-Smith passed away on September 13, 2016.