Rees Davies facts for kids

Sir Robert Rees Davies was a famous Welsh historian. He was known for studying the history of Wales and the British Isles during the Middle Ages. He helped people understand how different parts of Britain and Ireland interacted long ago, moving away from just focusing on England.

Sir Rees Davies's Life Story

Early Life and Education

Robert Rees Davies was born in Merionethshire, Wales, on August 6, 1938. He grew up speaking both Welsh and English, which was a great skill for a historian of Wales! He went to Bala grammar school.

After school, he studied at University College London. He was a brilliant student and earned a top degree in 1959. He then continued his studies at Merton College, Oxford, focusing on Welsh history in the Middle Ages. Later, in 1963, he returned to University College London to teach.

A Leading Historian

In 1975, Sir Rees Davies became a Professor of History at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. He wrote many important books about history. One of his most famous books, Conquest, Coexistence and Change: Wales 1063–1415, even won a special award called the Wolfson History Prize in 1987!

His work was so respected that in 1992, he became the President of the Royal Historical Society. This is a very important group for historians in the UK.

Later Career and Achievements

In 1995, Sir Rees Davies moved to Oxford to become the Chichele Professor of Medieval History at the University of Oxford. This is a very prestigious job! He also became a fellow at All Souls College.

From 1995 to 2005, he helped protect old buildings and sites in Wales as the Chairman of the Ancient Monuments Board for Wales. For all his amazing work in history, he was made a Knight Bachelor by the Queen in 2005. This meant he could be called "Sir Rees Davies."

His Big Idea

Sir Rees Davies is best known for changing how people studied the history of Britain. Before him, many historians focused mostly on England. But he showed that the histories of Wales, Scotland, and Ireland were just as important and connected. He helped everyone see the bigger picture of the British Isles in the Middle Ages.

Sir Rees Davies passed away in Oxford on May 16, 2005, at the age of 66. He left behind his wife, Carys Lloyd Wynne, and their two children.

His Books

Sir Rees Davies wrote many influential books that helped shape how we understand medieval history in the British Isles. Some of his notable works include:

• Lordship and Society in the March of Wales, 1282–1400 (1978)
• Conquest, Coexistence, and Change: Wales, 1063–1415 (1987)
• Domination and Conquest: the Experience of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, 1100–1300 (1990)
• The Revolt of Owain Glyn Dwr (1995)
• The First English Empire: Power and Identities in the British Isles: 1093–1343 (2000)