David Abulafia wins Wolfson History Prize for work on the history of the oceans

The Boundless Sea is Mr Abulafia’s second well-received work on the seas, having previously authored an award-winning history of the Mediterranean that has been translated into a dozen languages.

Mr Abulafia said that winning the Wolfson History Prize was “a tribute to all of us who have been trying to communicate history to the public, writing in an accessible way without jargon, and making sure that people see the past as an essential part of our human experience”.

The Wolfson History Prize is run by the Wolfson Foundation, a charity that awards grants in science, health, heritage, humanities and the arts.

David Cannadine, who chaired the judging panel, said: “The Boundless Sea tackles a world-encompassing subject: humanity’s constantly changing relationship with the seas that cover most of our planet and on which our very lives depend.”

He added: “This is a book of deep scholarship, brilliantly written and we extend our warmest congratulations to David Abulafia”