Name Leopold Genicot | ||
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Léopold Genicot (Forville 18 March 1914 - Ottignies 11 May 1995) was a Belgian medieval historian.
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Biography
Léopold Genicot was born in Forville, Belgium, in 1914. After earning his BA in political economics, he worked as an archivist for nine years in the Namur branch of the Royal Archives from 1935 to 1944. During that time, he obtained a PhD in history in 1937. His work at the archives also allowed him to hide escaped prisoners during the World War II.
In 1935, he was offered a position as professor at the Catholic University of Leuven and received a tenure there in 1947. He taught historical critics, methodology, Belgian history and Middle Age history. In his research, he was particularly interested in the Walloon history (Wallonia, Histoire de la Wallonie). He created and directed the Centre d'Histoire rurale et de l'Institut interfacultaire d'Etudes médiévales.
His contribution to the Middle-age history is well known, and his books and articles are used today in many medieval history classes ([1], [2]).
In 1972, for the Belgian scholarly press, Genicot directed "Brepols," a series of lengthy bibliographical essays/monographs, "Typologie des Sources du Moyen Age Occidental" to serve a scholarly base of medievalists ranging from graduate students to professors. This series of books has been one of the most successful collections of introductory and bibliographical aids ever introduced to the academic community. By publishing three to four titles a year, the series has steadily grown to seventy-eight volumes, covering everything from necrological documents to Latin treatises on the virtues and vices, from astronomy to arms and armor. [3]
In 1964, he received the "Guaillarde d'Argent"[4]. In 1982, he received an honorary degree from the Catholic University of Lublin (KUL) [5]. In 1988, he received the prize "Personnalité Richelieu" [6]
He was the great uncle of Garance Genicot.
A Militant
He was a strong advocate of Wallonia and the "Rénovation wallonne" and affiliated with the "Rassemblement wallon". Candidate to the European elections, his position on the Walloon problems became more radical over time. [7]