Michael Aris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Aris
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| Born |
Michael Vaillancourt Aris
27 March 1946 Havana, Cuba
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| Died | 27 March 1999 (aged 53) Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
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| Resting place | St. Mary and St. Peter Churchyard, Weedon Lois, South Northamptonshire, England |
| Nationality | British |
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| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2, including Alexander Aris |
| Scientific career | |
| Thesis | A Study on the Historical Foundations of Bhutan, with a Critical Edition and Translation of Certain Bhutanese Texts in Tibetan (1978) |
| Doctoral advisor | David Snellgrove |
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Michael Vaillancourt Aris (born March 27, 1946 – died March 27, 1999) was a British historian. He was an expert on the culture and history of Bhutan, Tibet, and the Himalayas. He was married to Aung San Suu Kyi, who later became a very important leader in Myanmar (formerly Burma).
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Michael Aris's Early Life and Studies
Michael Aris was born in Havana, Cuba. His father worked for the British Council, and his mother was the daughter of the Canadian Ambassador to Cuba.
He went to Worth School in England. Then, he studied modern history at Durham University. After finishing university in 1967, he spent six years in Bhutan. There, he was a private teacher for the children of the Bhutanese royal family.
Becoming a Himalayan Expert
In 1976, Michael Aris moved to the University of Oxford. He became a researcher at St John's College. In 1978, he earned his Ph.D. in Tibetan literature from SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies).
Later, at St Antony's College, Oxford, he became a senior researcher. He focused on Asian Studies. In his last years, he helped create a special center at Oxford for studying Tibetan and Himalayan cultures.
Michael Aris had an identical twin brother named Anthony Aris. Anthony also became a scholar of Tibetan studies. He started a company called Serindia Publications to share Tibetan history and culture with more people.
Michael Aris and Aung San Suu Kyi
Michael Aris and Aung San Suu Kyi met at university. They got married in 1972 in a Buddhist ceremony. After living in Bhutan for a year, they moved to North Oxford in England. They raised their two sons, Alexander Aris and Kim Aris, there.
While living in Oxford, Michael Aris continued his studies. He earned his Ph.D. in Tibetan literature in 1978. In 1988, Aung San Suu Kyi went back to Burma (now Myanmar). She first went to care for her mother. But then, she became a leader in the country's movement for democracy.
Challenges and Separation
Because of Aung San Suu Kyi's work for democracy, she faced many challenges. She was often kept under house arrest by the government. This made it very hard for her and Michael to see each other.
In 1997, Michael Aris became very ill with prostate cancer. Many people and groups, including the United States government and the United Nations, asked the Burmese government to let him visit his wife. However, the government refused. They told Aung San Suu Kyi to leave the country to see him instead.
Aung San Suu Kyi was worried that if she left, she would not be allowed back into her country. So, she chose to stay. In the ten years after she was first put under house arrest, Michael Aris only saw his wife five more times. Their last meeting was in Christmas 1995.
Michael Aris's Death
Michael Aris passed away from prostate cancer on his 53rd birthday in 1999. He died in Oxford, England.
