Prof. Richard Abels
Department of History,
The
(410) 293-6250
Courses (and sample syllabi):
HH215:
Western Civilization in Global Context to 1750
HH315:
The Ages of Chivalry and Faith: Europe in the High Middle Ages
HH485:
Intercultural Warfare in the Middle Ages
Web Articles for Teaching
(Some of these are short pieces I wrote for use in my
classes; others are documents that I edited and annotated. Feel free to use
them but please give appropriate credit):
Alfred,
Charles the Bald, and Vikings
William Marshal:
a chronology of his life in historical context
Practical
Chivalry in the Twelfth Century: William Marshal
Annotated
Excerpts from Magna Carta
The Giroie
(from Orderic Vitalis, Ecclesiastical History of the Normans)
The
"Church" and the Lay Aristocracy ca. 950: the Case of St. Udalrich of
Augsburg
The
Gregorian Reform and the Investiture Controversy
Development of
Christianity within the Roman Empire
Roman
Military and the Fall of the Republic
Late
Roman and Barbarian Military Organizations
A
Chronology of the Middle Ages, c. 950-1350
Research Interests:
My research has focused on
military and political institutions of Anglo-Saxon England, although I have
also written about medieval heresy. I am currently writing a book on the
influence of culture on the practice and representation of warfare in the
medieval West, 500-1500.
Curriculum Vitae
EDUCATION
Ph.D. awarded February, 1982
(J.M.W. Bean, Sponsor; John Mundy, Second Reader)
Dissertation: "Lordship and
Military Obligation in Anglo-Saxon
M.Phil. awarded May, 1976
Orals: February, 1976. 'Excellent' in Medieval History (major field) and Early Modern Europe (minor field)
Examiners: Profs. J.M.W. Bean, John Mundy, J.W. Smit, and N. Garsoian
M.A. awarded January, 1976
Master's Thesis: "The effects of the Norman Conquest on the English thegnage"
B.A. awarded magna cum laude May, 1973
Major: history
EMPLOYMENT
Chair, History Dept, The United
States Naval Academy,
Professor of History, The United
States Naval Academy,
Associate Professor of History, The
Assistant Professor of History, The
Assistant Professor of History
(Visiting), Cornell College,
Instructor in History,
Preceptor in History,
HONORS
AND AWARD
Member of the School of Historical Studies, Institute for Advanced Study,
The U.S. Naval Academy’s Service Excellence Award (2008)
The
The U.S. Naval Academy’s Excellence in Teaching Award (1991)
National Endowment for the Humanities Grant: "Teaching Ethics in the Humanities Core at USNA" (1993-1994)
Dept. of the Navy Superior Civil Service Medal (2003)
Dept. of the Navy Meritorious Civil Service Medal (1991, 2008)
Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (elected 1990)
Chamberlain Fellow, Columbia University, 1980-81
President's Fellow, Columbia University, 1974-77
Harry J. Carman Fellow, Columbia University, 1973-74
B.A. magna cum laude
Phi Beta Kappa (May, 1973)
PUBLICATIONS
Books
Alfred the
Great: War, Kingship and Culture in Anglo-Saxon
Raoul of Cambrai: An Old French Epic, trans. J. Crosland (1926). Revised translation with introduction by R. Abels. American
Heritage
CP, 1994.
Lordship and
Military Obligation in Anglo-Saxon
The Normans and their
Adversaries: Essays in Memory of C. Warren Hollister. Co-edited with
Bernard Bachrach.
Articles
and Chapters in Books
“The Evolution of Civil Defense in Anglo-Saxon
Comparative Perspectives. Brepols in the Studies in the Early Middle Ages 28 (forthcoming).
“What has Weland to do with Christ?
The Franks Casket and the Acculturation of Christianity in
Early Anglo-Saxon
Speculum (July 2009).
“The Historiography of a Construct: ‘Feudalism’ and the Medieval Historian.” History Compass. Online at
http://www.blackwell-compass.com/subject/history/ (2009)
“Cultural Representation and the Practice of War in the Middle Ages.” Journal of Medieval Military History 6 (2008): 1-31.
“Mercenaries and Paid Men in Anglo-Saxon England.” Pp. 143-66 in Mercenaries and Paid Men: The Mercenary Identity in the
Middle Ages. Ed. John France. Brill, 2008.
“Paying the Danegeld: Anglo-Saxon peacemaking with vikings.” Pp. 173-92 in War and Peace in Ancient and Medieval History.
Ed.
Philip de Souza and John France.
“Concluding Remarks.” Pp. 256-64 in Lay Intellectuals in the Carolingian World. Ed. Patrick Wormald and Janet Nelson.
Entries for
Alfred the Great, Asser, feudalism, fyrd, and
Christopher
Snyder.
“"King
Alfred the Great and his Biographers: Images and Imagination." Pp. 61-75 in Writing
Medieval Biography, 750-1250:
Essays in Honour of Frank Barlow. Ed. David Bates,
Julia Crick, and Sarah Hamilton. Boydell and Brewer.
2006.
“Cowardice and Duty in Anglo-Saxon England.” J. of Medieval Military History 4 (2006): 29-48.
“A Lying Legacy? A Preliminary Discussion of Images of Antiquity and Altered Reality
in Medieval Military History.” J.
of
Medieval Military History 5 (2005): 1-13. (With Stephen Morillo).
Entries for “Thorkell the Tall,”
“Ulfcetel, and ”Brihtnoth” in the
“Alfred the
Great, the micel hæthen here and the viking threat.” Pp. 265-79 in Alfred the Great:Papers from
the Eleventh-
Centenary Conferences. Ed. Timothy Reuter.Aldershot, Hants: Ashgate, 2003.
"Royal Succession and the
Growth of Political Stability in Ninth-Century
History. 12 (2002 for 2003): 83-97.
“From Alfred to Harold II: The Military Failure of the Late Anglo-Saxon State.” Pp. 15-30 in The Normans and their Adversaries.
Ed. R. Abels and B. Bacharach (2001).
Military history entries for Blackwell Companion to Anglo-Saxon Studies, ed. S. Keynes and M. Lapidge, Blackwell, 1999.
“Sheriffs, Lord-Seeking and the
"King Alfred's Peace-Making Strategies with the Vikings," Haskins Society Journal: Studies in Medieval History 3 (1991): 23-34.
"English Tactics and Strategy
in the Late Tenth Century." Pp. 143-55 in The
Basil Blackwell, 1991.
"Historical Introduction to
Domesday Hertfordshire." Domesday Book Facsimile: Hertfordshire.
"Historical Introduction to
Domesday Bedfordshire." Domesday Book Facsimile: Bedfordshire.
"Bookland and Fyrd Service in
Late Saxon
"The Devolution of Bookland in
Ninth-Century
"The Participation of Women in
Languedocian Catharism," Mediaeval Studies 41 (1979): 215-251 (with
CONFERENCE AND UNIVERSITY
PRESENTATIONS
"Representations of Warfare in the Morgan Picture Bible." 2010. Charles Homer Haskins Society Conference, Boston College, 5 November.
“Evolving English Strategies during the Viking Wars.” Conduct of Warfare, c.950-c.1350: Strategy, Caceres, Spain. 11-12 November, 2009.
“’The crimes by which Wulfbald ruined himself with his lord’: The Limits of State Action in Late Anglo-Saxon England.”
Medieval
“Cultural Representations of Warfare in the Morgan Picture Bible (Morgan Library Ms M.638).” School of Historical Studies,
Institute of
Advanced Study,
“The
Evolution of Civil Defense in Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon England and comparative perspectives.
Archaeology).
9-10 November 2007. (Keynote speaker.)
“The Surrender of
“Cultural Representation and the Practice of
War in the Middle Ages.” Journal of
Medieval Military History Annual Lecture at the
Forty-First Congress in Medieval
Studies at
“Mercenaries and Paid Men in Anglo-Saxon
"Conceptions of Courage in Anglo-Saxon
2003.
"King Alfred the Great and his Biographers: Images and Imagination," The Limitations of Biography: Conference in Honour of
Frank Barlow,
University of
Haskins Society
Conference,
“‘What has Weland to do with Christ?’
The Franks Casket and the Acculturation of Christianity in Early Anglo-Saxon
International
Congress on Medieval Studies.
Conference,
“Peace-making with Vikings: the
Anglo-Saxon Experience,” The Anglo-American Conference,
“The Generalship of Alfred the
Great,” Society for Military History,
“What ‘Great Heathen Army’? Alfred the Great and the Nature of the Viking Threat,” Alfred the Great Eleventh-Centenary
Conference,
“The Growth of Political Stability
in Ninth-Century
January 1997.
“The Role of Sheriffs in the Norman
Settlement,” 19th Annual
July 1996
“Anglo-Saxon Logistics in the Late 9th and 10th Centuries,” Military Aspects of Scandinavian Society in a European Perspective,
AD 1-1300. The
“Love and Lordship: The Political
Vocabulary of Alfred the Great.” Medieval and Byzantine Studies Program at
University. 13 Feb. 1996.
"Wealth, Wisdom and War: The Political Ideas of King Alfred." Keynote Speaker at Annual Meeting of Phi Alpha Theta for
"Alfred the Great's Conception
of Kingship." International Congress on Medieval Studies.
"Paying the Danegeld: The War Policies of Alfred the Great and Æthelred the Unready." Annual Conference of the Charles
Homer Haskins
Society for Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-Norman, Angevin, and Viking Studies.
"King Alfred's Peace-Making
Strategies with the Vikings." The Annual Conference of the Charles Homer
Haskins,
Nov. 1990.
"Bede, Beowulf, and the Early
Feb. 1987
"
25 Oct. 1986.
"The Organization of the Late
Anglo-Saxon Army." American Historical Association.
The Military Organization of King
Alfred's
"Bookland Tenure and Military
Obligation in Late Anglo-Saxon
Studies,
"The Worcestershire and Berkshire Domesday Custumals and Military Recruitment in late Saxon England." Nineteenth
International
Congress on Medieval Studies.
"The Introduction of Bookland Tenure and the Military Crisis of the Eighth Century." The Annual Conference of the Charles
Homer Haskins
Society.
"The Council of
I have also given public lectures at the Smithsonian for the Smithsonian Associates:
“
“
“The Knights Templar in History and Legend.” 22 July 2004.
BOOK REVIEWS. I regularly review for Speculum,
De Re Militari (online). I have also reviewed for AHR and EHR.
CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECT
Warfare and Culture in the Medieval West, 500-1500. Under contract with Yale University Press.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS AND OFFICES
Membership:
The Royal Historical Society, The Charles Homer Haskins Society, De Re Militari, The Mediaeval Academy, The American Historical Society, The North American Conference on British Studies, AAUP
Offices:
President of the Charles Homer Haskins Society for Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-Norman and Angevin Studies (1998-2001)
Vice-President for
International Congress for Medieval Studies]
Associate editor for Haskins Society Journal: Studies in Medieval History (2001-05)
History reviewer for Old English Studies Newsletter (1998-2001)
J. F. Verbruggen Prize Committee (for best monograph in medieval military history), chair, 2001-2, member 2003-2007
North American Conference on British Studies, Walter D. Love Prize Committee for Best Article in British Studies, Chairman 1989;
member 1986-8.
Middle Atlantic Conference on British Studies, Program Organizer (with Assoc. Prof. N. Ellenberger, USNA) for Spring 1991
Conference
REFEREEING
Refereed book manuscripts and proposals for Oxford (ms and proposals), University of Pennsylvanian (ms), University of California Press (mss), Cornell University Press (ms), Boydell & Brewer (ms and proposals), Houghton-Mifflin (ms), Routledge (proposals), Yale University Press (proposals), McGraw-Hill (proposal), Naval Institute (ms and proposals), and Basil Blackwell (proposals).
Refereed articles for American
Historical Review,
Refereed scholarship for promotion
for candidates at
Refereed research fellowships from the Leverhulme Foundation, Institute for Advanced Studies, Radcliffe Fellowship, Guggenheim
Outside reader and primary director
of Dr. Stefan Zimmer’s dissertation,
SERVICE
(MAJOR COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS)
NAVY
Navy selection board for Permanent Military Professor (April 2006)
YARD AND HUM/SS DIVISION
Senate/Faculty Governance Involvement:
President of the Faculty Senate (AY 2006, 2007);
Vice President of the Faculty Senate (AY 2004, 2005).
Faculty Senate Rep for History Dept. AY 1993-1999; Division III representative (AY2004-present)
Co-chaired the Senate Constitution Committee and negotiated the formation of the Senate with Adm. Lynch during the summer of 1993.
Academic Assembly (Senate rep to, AY 2004-2005)
Senate rep to Commandant’s Staff meetings (2003-2005)
Senior Leadership Council (ex officio Senate rep, AY 2004-present)
President of Faculty Forum (AY summer 1992-fall 1993: presided over abolition to make way for a Faculty Senate); VP AY 1992; member (AY 1985-1986)
Objectives Review Board (AY1992);
Faculty Forum, Chair Curriculum Committee (AY 1992)
As President of the Faculty Forum I initiated the process that led to the reconstituting of the Civilian Faculty Committee and Faculty Forum into a single Faculty Senate. My most rewarding work as Faculty Senate President was to oversee the Senate initiative that made child care more readily available to civilian faculty and staff.
Scholarship
Committees:
Rhodes, Marshall, and FitzGerald Program/British Scholarships Program (director, AY 1991, co-director, AY 1988-1991, member of British Scholarships Committee AY 1984-present.)
British Scholarships Youngster program (director Youngster program AY 2003-2004; co-director: AY 1984-1987)
Pownall Scholarship Committee (AY 1991-1992, 1996).
Promotion,
Admissions, and Assessment Committees
Co-Chair of the Middle States Committee on Faculty (AY
2004-2005).
Yard-Wide Promotion and Tenure (co-chair AY 1995),
Admissions Board (AY 1993),
Teacher/Student Partnership PAT, chair. Defined “quality education at USNA and made proposals to improve educational process (AY1994).
Ad hoc Committee for Integrating the Civilian
Faculty: responded to Turner Commission queries (AY 1998)
Periodic Middle States Review. Chair for committee on USNA organization. (AY 1999)
Naval Academy Research Committee (2001);
USNA 2000: academics and teaching committee (AY1992)
Character development/gender relations committees
Character Development Course PAT: worked with COL M. Hagee to develop program Integrity Development Seminar program (AY1994)
Human Relations Committee. AcDean’s representative (only civilian and academic on committee). The committee finally “answered the mail” on the Rondeau Report. (AY2003).
Academy Group (to realign training and education to meet warfighting needs of 21st century). (AY2002)
Steering Committee for Dignity and Respect Implementation Team. AcDean's representative (only civilian and only academic on committee). This Commandant's committee focused on improving the climate of dignity and respect at USNA (AY 2000-2001)
Faculty Awards Committees:
Research Excellence Committee (co-chair, 2004-2005);
Teaching Excellence Prize Committee (AY 2001-2003);
Clements Prize Committee for best military instructor (AY1998-2000);
Apgar Award Committee (AY 2001-2003)
Miscellaneous
Emergency Management Working Group (AY2006)
Helped preserve existing
HISTORY DEPARTMENT
Chair (2008-)
Created (with Tom Brennan) departmental works-in progress seminar (1985)
Departmental Hiring Committees. Chaired four (most recently 2007) involving four full time hires and two one-year hires; served on four other hiring committees.
Chaired Departmental PMP Selection Committee (2000)
Promotion and Tenure (Dept). Chaired AY2002, 2005; served AY1991, 2000);
Pay, Promotion and Tenure (Dept) served (AY1986, 1988)
Pay and Awards (Dept). Chaired (AY1999, 1997); served (AY1990),
History honors committee (chaired for class of 1997)
I have also chaired and served on
the Bancroft Committee, chaired the Shifrin Committee, been course coordinator several times for HH205, chaired the Majors Committee several times, chaired works-in-progress, and have been on the Research and Sabbatical Committee, IDP, Organized with Shifrin Professor V.D. Hanson a series of
distinguished military historians and a year long History Department colloquia
on the state of military history as a a discipline (AY 2003).
Organized (AY 2007) History Faculty colloquia in which History Dept.
military faculty discussed their activities and experiences in