Peter Holt (historian)

Peter Malcolm Holt (1918-2006) was a British historian specializing in the history of the Sudan and the Islamic Middle East, particularly during the Mamluk and Ottoman periods.

Holt received his education at St. Paul's School and Magdalen College, Oxford. He served in the Royal Artillery during World War II. He began his academic career at the University of Khartoum (then Gordon Memorial College) in Sudan, where he lectured in history from 1947 to 1961. This experience provided him with invaluable access to primary source material and fostered a deep understanding of Sudanese society and politics. He later held positions at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, where he was Professor of the History of the Near and Middle East.

Holt's scholarship focused on the political, social, and religious history of the Middle East, with a particular emphasis on Egypt and the Sudan. He made significant contributions to the study of Mamluk Egypt, Ottoman administration, and the Mahdist state in Sudan.

Key works:

• A Modern History of the Sudan (1961, multiple editions) - A seminal work on Sudanese history, tracing the country's development from ancient times to the modern era.
• The Mahdist State in the Sudan (1958, second edition 1970) - A detailed analysis of the Mahdist revolution and its impact on Sudanese society.
• Egypt and the Fertile Crescent 1516-1922: A Political History (1966) - A comprehensive overview of the political history of Egypt and the Levant under Ottoman rule.
• The Age of the Crusades: The Near East from the Eleventh Century to 1517 (1986) - A valuable contribution to the understanding of the late medieval Middle East.
• Early Mamluk Diplomacy (1250-1382): Treaties and Ambassadors (1995) - Explores diplomatic interactions during the Mamluk period.

Holt was known for his meticulous research, clear writing style, and his ability to synthesize complex historical information. His work has had a lasting impact on the field of Middle Eastern and Sudanese studies and remains essential reading for students and scholars. He also contributed significantly to the development of historical studies in Sudan itself.