Administration

Communications

Culver-Stockton professor's recent sabbatical
Monday, February 11, 2013

During the fall 2012 semester, Culver-Stockton professor of history, Dr. Patrick Hotle, embarked across seas to further his research and provide opportunities for his students. Hotle traveled to eastern Turkey, Normandy and England to investigate topics, including ancient Armenia, Crusader Antioch, the Normandy landings in World War II, medieval architecture and ritual at Ely Cathedral near Cambridge, England.

These travels were possible due to Culver-Stockton College's sabbatical program. The program enables faculty to take a semester off from teaching every seven years to travel and research. Faculty-members apply for the opportunity and every year a different professor is chosen. Hotle was interested in locations related to the Crusades and the Byzantine Empire, in particular, the Byzantine breakaway state of Trebizond, now a modern seaport on the Black Sea.

While in the area he also encountered sites related to the history of Armenia. One of the most powerful experiences of his sabbatical was the discovery of the ruined site of Van. "Van during the early 1900's was a center of Armenian identity. When WWI broke out the Turks sided with Germany, while the Armenian population was sympathetic to Russia. When the Armenian population rose against the Turks, the city was besieged. Over the course of the next three years the city changed hands repeatedly." Hotle admitted that he knew little about the war in the region. However, upon exploring the citadel of modern day Van, Hotle was startled to encounter a vista of the vast ruin of the city, now marked by artillery shell holes and ruined buildings from 1915. “This was merely one episode in the sad Armenian massacres that happened within Turkey during the war,” Hotle said. "Most people around Turkey would say the casualties of the destruction were around 300,000 people, while the Armenians will say that casualties were around one million. Coming upon such a vision of fairly recent devastation was gut-wrenching.”

Hotle also traveled to England, where he continued on his ongoing research on the life of Thomas Magnus, ambassador to Scotland for Henry VIII. While there, he was able to renew contacts and friendships in Cambridge. Another project was experiencing life with a medieval cathedral. Hotle stayed in Ely, a city known for its well preserved 12th century cathedral. Hotle said, "The daily encounter with glorious architecture and the magnificent music of the liturgy was inspiring and gave me a new perspective on medieval life." While in England he traveled to Normandy to see Mont St. Michel, as well as the site of the Normandy landings during WWII.

Hotle recently gave a presentation to the community about his travels in the Gladys Crown Center at Culver-Stockton College.

Written by Culver-Stockton student, Zachary Gottman, with contributions by Dr. Patrick Hotle.