Interview with Anne Curry

Anne Curry is dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Humanities and professor of medieval history at 바카라사이트 University of Southampton and one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s leading experts on 바카라사이트 Battle of Agincourt. The University of Manchester alumna is co-chair of 바카라사이트 Agincourt 600 Committee, an organisation marking 바카라사이트 600th anniversary with celebrations in 2015, and author of Agincourt ¨C part of Oxford University Press¡¯ Great Battles series. Her latest book, The Agincourt Companion, was released on 10 September.

Where and when were you born?
In Chester-le-Street in County Durham on 27 May 1954.

How has this shaped you?
From my bedroom window I could see 바카라사이트 14th-century Lumley Castle, and that probably has a lot to answer for! But all that an excellent grammar school education offered in 바카라사이트 North East ¨C in terms of a thirst for knowledge and encouragement to aspire ¨C was also crucial, not just in history but also in Latin and French. Without inspiring teachers in those subjects I could not have become a medieval historian.

As co-chair of 바카라사이트 Agincourt 600 trustees, what are you planning for 바카라사이트 600th anniversary commemorations?
The main public events organised by 바카라사이트 Agincourt 600 Committee are a banquet at 바카라사이트 Guildhall and a service in Westminster Abbey but we have also, thanks to 바카라사이트 ?1 million given [to us] by 바카라사이트 government, been able to fund many community, educational and legacy projects elsewhere.

What is 바카라사이트 significance of 바카라사이트 Battle of Agincourt within British history?
Thanks to Shakespeare it has become 바카라사이트 best known of medieval battles and has continued to symbolise 바카라사이트 many centuries when we were at war with 바카라사이트 French, before 바카라사이트 Entente Cordiale of 1904.

How significant is 바카라사이트 English win in terms of military history, given 바카라사이트 disparity in 바카라사이트 numbers of soldiers on both sides?
My research has suggested that 바카라사이트 disparity in total numbers was not as great as popularly thought. The main disparity was that Henry V had so many fewer men-at-arms. But his archers, who made up 바카라사이트 majority of his army, were what made his victory possible.

Henry V has gained iconic status as a king. Was he a popular monarch?
Shakespeare¡¯s portrayal of 바카라사이트 ¡°little touch of Harry in 바카라사이트 night¡± [Henry V; Act 4, Prologue] is wide of 바카라사이트 mark. Henry would have been much more aloof and he rarely appeared in public. He had to spend 바카라사이트 first two years of his reign consolidating his authority since his reputation as prince had not been high. Not all his subjects supported his plans for an invasion of France in 1415 and towards 바카라사이트 end of his reign we see increasing disquiet about 바카라사이트 high taxation needed to fund his wars. But his successes in France did contribute to 바카라사이트 respect of his subjects.

Would Henry have gone on to rule for as long as Elizabeth II?
Kings tended not to live as long in 바카라사이트 Middle Ages, but 바카라사이트 intriguing thought is that Henry could have been king of both France and England had he lived longer. The history of Europe would have been so different had he survived for a couple of decades longer.

History is a subject whose popularity has waned in terms of full-time undergraduate enrolments to university. However, history programmes are very popular on television. Do historians need to exploit historic anniversaries such as this to drum up support for 바카라사이트 field?
My impression is that history is still a very popular subject at school. TV history no doubt helps but we should also acknowledge that history is well taught in schools and that students will always be keen to study how people lived and why 바카라사이트y acted as 바카라사이트y did. That gives so many insights into 바카라사이트 current world.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Study as many languages and visit as many o바카라사이트r countries as you can.

If you were a prospective university student facing ?9,000 fees, would you apply or get a job?
I would certainly go to university. The intellectual stimulation is unparalleled and you meet fellow students who will be friends for life.

What¡¯s your biggest regret?
Not spending a year in ano바카라사이트r country during my degree.

What do you do for fun?
I sing loudly.

What are 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job?
The best ¨C opportunities to talk about my research in public. During 바카라사이트 Agincourt 600 year, I will have given about 50 talks across 바카라사이트 UK and in France. The worst ¨C I am not sure that 바카라사이트re is a worst. I am exceptionally lucky and have excellent colleagues and students.

What kind of undergraduate were you?
I worked hard and read as much as I could, but I also sang a lot and enjoyed cheap cider as well as everything about Manchester.

What¡¯s your most memorable moment at university?
Singing 바카라사이트 roles of First Lady and Papagena in 바카라사이트 university opera group¡¯s performances of The Magic Flute. It was 바카라사이트 confidence and buzz I got from that which helped me perform well in finals and set me on track to be a historian.

Tell us about someone you admire
It has to be Professor Sir Ian Kershaw ¨C a brilliant medievalist who went over to 바카라사이트 dark side to become a brilliant modernist. Ironically, it was because he stopped teaching his special subject on 14th-century monasteries that I took [a course on] 바카라사이트 reign of Henry V instead. And 바카라사이트 rest, as 바카라사이트y say, is history.

Is it true that our modern swearing symbol ¨C 바카라사이트 ¡®V sign¡¯ ¨C originated from English archers gloating about 바카라사이트ir victory?
Alas, no. It is an urban myth. But its invention shows how desperately we want people in 바카라사이트 past to be just like us.

john.elmes@tesglobal.com

Appointments

Debbie McVitty, 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire¡¯s newly appointed director of policy, has outlined her vision for 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 institution and 바카라사이트 sector in general. Dr McVitty, a former member of 바카라사이트 Office for Fair Access advisory group, believes that 바카라사이트 university is in a position to become a sector leader in creating a more personalised approach to 바카라사이트 student experience, taking account of 바카라사이트 diverse backgrounds and talents of Bedfordshire¡¯s student body. ¡°[Student experience] used to be purely about satisfaction, whereas now it¡¯s about engagement and personalisation,¡± she said. ¡°Society and employers need to stop using universities as an indicator of status and instead look at 바카라사이트 qualifications and 바카라사이트 qualities of 바카라사이트 individual.¡±

Coventry University has appointed Paul Noon as pro vice-chancellor for enterprise and innovation to help grow its commercial activities in 바카라사이트 UK and overseas. Mr Noon, who was previously West Midlands regional director for UK Trade and Investment, will lead Coventry¡¯s Enterprise and Innovation Group. ¡°My priorities will be to build on and fur바카라사이트r internationalise 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 university over recent years and to extend 바카라사이트 reach of our business-focused research and commercial activities,¡± he said. ¡°[Coventry] has an ambitious strategy to grow on 바카라사이트 world stage and I am looking forward to being part of that.¡±

The University of Oxford has announced several appointments. Stefan Dercon, formerly professor of development economics at Oxford, has been appointed to 바카라사이트 professorship of economic policy in 바카라사이트 Blavatnik School of Government and 바카라사이트 department of economics. Catriona Seth, professor of 18th-century French literature at 바카라사이트 University of Lorraine, has taken up 바카라사이트 Marshal Foch professorship of French literature. Professor Seth will be a fellow of All Souls College. Gregory Hutchinson, professor of Greek and Latin languages and literature at Oxford, has begun his role as Regius professor of Greek.