Geoffrey Rudolph Elton, German historian, specialising in the Tudor period. Served with Infantry and Intelligence Corps, 1944-1946. Created knight, 1986; Fellow British Academy (publications secretary 1981-1990), Royal History Society (president 1973-1977); member Selden Society (president 1984-1986), Ecclesiastical History Society (president 1984-1985), American Academy Arts and Sciences (foreign; member).
Background
Elton Geoffrey Rudolph was born on August 17, 1921 in Tübingen, West Germany. His parents were the Jewish scholars Victor Ehrenberg and Eva Dorothea Sommer. In 1929, the Ehrenbergs moved to Prague, Czechoslovakia. In February 1939, the Ehrenbergs fled to Britain.
Education
Ehrenberg studied at Rydal School, a Methodist school in Wales, starting in 1939. After only two years, Ehrenberg was working as a teacher at Rydal and achieved the position of assistant master in mathematics, history and German.
There, he took courses via correspondence at the University of London and graduated with a degree in Ancient History in 1943. Ehrenberg enlisted in the British Army in 1943. He spent his time in the Army in the Intelligence Corps and the East Surrey Regiment, serving with the Eighth Army in Italy from 1944 to 1946 and reaching the rank of sergeant. During this period, Ehrenberg anglicised his name to Geoffrey Rudolph Elton. After his discharge from the army, Elton studied early modern history at University College London, graduating with a PhD in 1949.
Bachelor, University London, 1943. Doctor of Philosophy, University London, 1949. Master of Arts, University Cambridge, 1949.
Doctor of Letters, University Cambridge, 1960. Doctor of Letters (honorary), University Glasgow, 1980. Doctor of Letters (honorary), University Newcastle, 1981.
Doctor of Letters (honorary), University Bristol, 1981. Doctor of Letters (honorary), University London, 1985. Doctor of Letters (honorary), University Gottingen, 1987.
Doctor of Laws (honorary), University Cambridge, 1992.
Career
Served army (Infantry and Intelligence) 1943-1946. Assistant, University of Glasgow 1948-1949. Assistant lecturer, lecturer and reader, University of Cambridge 1949-1967, Professor, of English Constitutional History 1967-1983, Regius Professor, of Modem History 1983-1988.
Fellow, Clare College, Cambridge 1954.
Founder and President List and Index Society since 1965. Fellow British Academy 1967.
President 1973-1976, Fellow University College London.
During his life wrote many books in History: "TheParliament of England, 1559-1581", 1986; "Reform & Reformation, 1509-1558 ", 1977; "Reform& Renewal", 1973; "Policy & Police", 1972; "The Tudor Constitution",1962, 1982; "England under the Tudors", 1955; "The Tudor Revolution in Government", 1953.
Achievements
Honorary Doctorates from Glasgow, Bristol, Newcastle, London, Goettingen.
Served with Infantry and Intelligence Corps, 1944-1946. Created knight, 1986. Fellow British Academy (publications secretary 1981-1990), Royal History Society (president 1973-1977).
Member Selden Society (president 1984-1986), Ecclesiastical History Society (president 1984-1985), American Academy Arts and Sciences (foreign).