We are very sorry to learn of the death of the historian, Dame Jinty Nelson, who died on 14 October. Jinty was a superb and hugely respected historian of early medieval Europe and is widely known for her publications, which include The Frankish World, 750–900 (1996), Courts, Elites and Gendered Power in the Early Middle Ages (2007), and King and Emperor: A New Life of Charlemagne (2019).

Elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in 1979, Jinty was appointed the Society’s first female President in November 2000. She served for four years and her RHS Presidential Lectures explored ‘England and the Continent in the Ninth Century’ via studies of ‘Ends and Beginnings’ (2002), ‘The Vikings and Others’ (2003), ‘Rights and Rituals’ (2004) and ‘Bodies and Minds’ (2005).

Her considerable contribution to the Society, and to the historical profession, is remembered by the Society’s Jinty Nelson Teaching Fellowships, which are awarded annually to support innovative teaching.

Jinty’s own teaching career was wholly associated with King’s College London which she joined in 1970, becoming a Professor in 1993. Three years later she was elected a Fellow of the British Academy. In addition to her work for the Royal Historical Society, Jinty also served as President of the Ecclesiastical History Society and as a Vice-President of the British Academy.

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Following news of the death of Jinty Nelson, the Society has received many tributes to Jinty as a scholar, teacher and President of the RHS.

We are especially grateful to Professor Pauline Stafford for her memoir of Jinty Nelson which is now available on the Society’s blog. A close friend and colleague of  Jinty Nelson, Professor Stafford was also a Vice-President of the RHS during Jinty’s presidency.