I EDITION
Sir John H. Elliott
Sir John H. Elliott was the winner of the I Edition of the Spanish Orders History Award, proposed by the University of Oxford. He was an acclaimed and admired British Hispanist who researched extensively on the history of Spain in a European context. He died on March 10, 2022 in Oxford at the age of 91, leaving behind a brilliant career recognized worldwide.
Among other awards, he won the Prince of Asturias Award for Social Sciences in 1996, was invested doctor honoris causa at universities such as Alcalá de Henares, Complutense or Carlos III. He also stood out for his studies on the Spanish Empire and left works such as ‘La rebelión de los catalanes’ or ‘Un palacio para el rey’. He was also the author of what is considered the definitive biography of the Count Duke of Olivares. As a teacher, Elliott taught at some of the best universities in the world: Cambridge, Oxford, Princeton and New York.
His Majesty the King presided over the presentation of the Award to the distinguished historian at the Royal Monastery of El Escorial (Madrid) on May 25, 2018. Don Felipe stated then that the prestigious Hispanist “is part of that extraordinary cast of British historians who have developed a formidable work, contributing to raise the level of knowledge and appreciation of our history in that great country, as well as the quality of the research that has been carried out on it from outside Spain. His research has served to place the history of Spain in the world”.
In his speech, Professor Elliott emphasized the importance of knowing history: “We live in a world dominated by post-truth and populism of left and right. We need well-done history against malicious and opportunistic myths”.
For his part, the President of the Royal Council of the Orders of Santiago, Calatrava, Alcántara and Montesa, H.R.H. Don Pedro de Borbón-Dos Sicilias, presented Elliott as a historian who carries out his work with “truth, eyes and pen clean of prejudices and loaded with wisdom”.
Don Felipe was accompanied by the then President of the Board of Directors of Patrimonio Nacional, Don Alfredo Pérez de Armiñán; the then Minister of Justice, Don Rafael Catalá; and the President of the Royal Council of the Orders of Santiago, Calatrava, Alcántara and Montesa and President of the Jury, H.R.H. Don Pedro de Borbón-Dos Sicilias.
The Jury was chaired by the President of the Royal Council of the Orders, H.R.H. Don Pedro de Borbón Dos Sicilias y de Orleans, Duke of Calabria.
Members:
- Don Alfredo Pérez de Armiñán de la Serna, at that time President of Patrimonio Nacional, and academician of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando.
- Doña Carmen Iglesias Cano, Countess of Gisbert and Director of the Royal Academy of History.
- Don Hugo O’Donnell Duque de Estrada, Duke of Tetuán and censor of the Royal Academy of History.
- Don Feliciano Barrios Pintado, secretary of the Royal Academy of History.
- Don Luis Antonio Ribot García, academician of the Royal Academy of History.
- Mr. Marcelino Oreja Aguirre, Marquis of Oreja, member and Honorary President of the Royal Academy of Moral and Political Sciences.
- Mr. Juan Miguel Villar Mir, Marquis of Villar Mir.
- Mr. Juan Manuel González Serna, Chairman of the Siro Group Foundation.
- Mr. Carlos de Palacio Oriol, President of the Talgo Foundation, collaborator.
- Mr. Manuel Gullón de Oñate, Count of Tepa and gentleman of His Holiness.
- Mr. Íñigo Moreno de Arteaga, Marquis of Laserna and correspondent of the Royal Academy of History.
Secretary:
- Don Álvaro Mariátegui Valdés.
Treasurer:
- Mr. Íñigo Churruca Bonilla.
