author
Edgar Holmes McNeal
1874–1955
A medieval historian and translator whose books helped open the Middle Ages to generations of students, he is best known for bringing important source material and crusade narratives into clear, readable English.
1 Audiobook
A Source Book for Mediæval History Selected Documents illustrating the History of Europe in the Middle Age
by Oliver J. (Oliver Joseph) Thatcher, Edgar Holmes McNeal
About the author
Born in 1874, Edgar Holmes McNeal was an American historian who taught European history at The Ohio State University. His work centered on the medieval world, and he became known for helping students and general readers get closer to original historical sources.
He is especially associated with A Source Book for Mediaeval History, a widely used collection of documents prepared with Oliver J. Thatcher. McNeal also translated The Conquest of Constantinople, making Robert of Clari's firsthand account of the Fourth Crusade available to English-language readers.
McNeal died in 1955. Although he is not a widely remembered popular author today, his editions and translations have had a long afterlife because they were built for readers who wanted medieval history presented directly, clearly, and with scholarly care.