Jonathan Sumption, Lord Sumption OBE, PC, FSA, FRHistS is a historian, author, barrister and former Supreme Court judge. He read Medieval History at Magdalen College, Oxford, and was elected a fellow of Magdalen College where he taught medieval history before pursuing a career in law and becoming a successful barrister. He was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2011 and from 2019 to 2024 served as a judge on the Final Court of Appeal in Hong Kong.
His publications include The Albigensian Crusade (Faber 1978), The Challenges of Democracy And The Rule of Law (Profile Books 2025) and a highly acclaimed epic 5 volume history of The Hundred Years War (1990 – 2023) 'one of the great historical works of our time' (Allan Massie). As an author Lord Sumption has been praised for his ‘unusual ability to write for different audiences…. bridging the gaps between the academic specialist and the general reader ..... his achievement is no surprise to the admirers of his earlier historical works on the Albigensian crusade and on mediaeval pilgrimage, or those who appreciated the articulacy and elegance of his Reith lectures and books on legal theory.’ Who better therefore than Lord Sumption himself for presenting a finely balanced conclusion on the significance of the Hundred Years War and its enduring effects for both England and France? This will be a memorable talk – not to be missed!