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David Carpenter

Professor David Carpenter

Professor of Medieval History

Research interests

  • History

Biography

David Carpenter is a leading authority on the history of Britain in the central middle ages. Prior to joining the Department in 1988, David held lectureships at Christ Church, Oxford, St Hilda’s College Oxford, the University of Aberdeen, and Queen Mary College, University of London. 

He was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford. His Oxford doctorate was supervised by J.O. Prestwich. David is on the committee of the Pipe Roll Society. He was Principal Investigator of the AHRC funded ‘Henry III Fine Rolls Project’ (2005-2011) and a Co-investigator on the ‘Paradox of Medieval Scotland Project’. He is currently a Co-investigator on two further AHRC funded projects, ‘The Breaking of Britain Project’ about Scottish political culture before the Wars of Independence and the ‘Magna Carta Project’.

Research interests and PhD supervision

  • Magna Carta
  • King Henry III
  • Westminster Abbey
  • Medieval Scotland

David Carpenter has written widely on English  social, economic, architectural, military and political history in the 13th century. He is currently writing two books. The first is a biographical study of the reign of Henry III (1216-1272), which he has now brought down to the great revolution of 1258. The second is a book for Penguin about Magna Carta which is due for publication in 2014. 

On the Magna Carta Project he is particularly involved in finding the copies made of the 1215 charter in the rest of the 13th century. Many of these, he has discovered, turn out not to be copies of the final charter at all, but instead preserve rival versions of clauses proposed but ultimately rejected during the negotiations at Runnymede. This finding casts altogether new light both on those negotiations and on what the political community knew about Magna Carta in the 13th century.

In May 2025, it was revealed that Professor Carpenter discovered a ‘copy’ of Magna Carta owned by Harvard Law School is in fact an extraordinarily rare original from 1300.

Professor Carpenter is happy to supervise jointly with Alice Taylor a wide variety of topics within the history of Britain in the central middle ages.

For more details, please see his full research profile.

Expertise and public engagement

David appears frequently as a pundit on TV and Radio programmes about medieval Britain.

He has appeared on all manner of international media concerning the discovery of an original Magna Carta.

He also comments on current issues concerning the British monarchy, and gave many interviews at the time of the Jubilee and the royal wedding.

    Research

    medieval england main
    Centre for Late Antique and Medieval Studies

    Interdisciplinary centre for the study of late antique and medieval history, languages, philosophy, religion, literature and music in western and eastern Europe.

    Cepheus_Leiden_Aratea
    Medieval History Research Hub

    The Medieval History research hub brings together historians working on any aspect of the period 400-1500 CE across Eurasia and Africa.

    Magna Carta illustration
    The Magna Carta Project

    A landmark investigation of Magna Carta 1215 to mark the Charter’s 800th anniversary, providing resources and commentary on Magna Carta and King John.

    Project status: Completed

    News

    Harvard Law School's 'copy' of Magna Carta revealed as original

    Researchers from King's College London and the University of East Anglia have discovered that a ‘copy’ of Magna Carta owned by Harvard Law School is in fact...

    HLS-MS-172_LGranger_005

    New analysis reveals origins of England's earliest coin

    New analysis and research from King’s College London and led by Professor David Carpenter has confirmed what is believed to be one of England's earliest gold...

    Henry VIII Gold

    Features

    Behind King's research: Discovering an original Magna Carta

    Professor David Carpenter shares how he came across an original Magna Carta and why it is still such a significant document in the world today.

    20250515_Magna Carta HLS Carousel

    Childhood memories of Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 Coronation

    Historian Dr David Carpenter shares his personal reflections of attending the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey in 1953.

    1953 Stamp

      Research

      medieval england main
      Centre for Late Antique and Medieval Studies

      Interdisciplinary centre for the study of late antique and medieval history, languages, philosophy, religion, literature and music in western and eastern Europe.

      Cepheus_Leiden_Aratea
      Medieval History Research Hub

      The Medieval History research hub brings together historians working on any aspect of the period 400-1500 CE across Eurasia and Africa.

      Magna Carta illustration
      The Magna Carta Project

      A landmark investigation of Magna Carta 1215 to mark the Charter’s 800th anniversary, providing resources and commentary on Magna Carta and King John.

      Project status: Completed

      News

      Harvard Law School's 'copy' of Magna Carta revealed as original

      Researchers from King's College London and the University of East Anglia have discovered that a ‘copy’ of Magna Carta owned by Harvard Law School is in fact...

      HLS-MS-172_LGranger_005

      New analysis reveals origins of England's earliest coin

      New analysis and research from King’s College London and led by Professor David Carpenter has confirmed what is believed to be one of England's earliest gold...

      Henry VIII Gold

      Features

      Behind King's research: Discovering an original Magna Carta

      Professor David Carpenter shares how he came across an original Magna Carta and why it is still such a significant document in the world today.

      20250515_Magna Carta HLS Carousel

      Childhood memories of Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 Coronation

      Historian Dr David Carpenter shares his personal reflections of attending the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey in 1953.

      1953 Stamp