We are sad to inform you that our friend and colleague, Dr Michael Axworthy, has passed away. He died on Saturday night 16 March 2019 at his home in Rome with his family round him, after a two year battle with cancer. 

Michael came up to Peterhouse to read history in 1982. On graduating, he joined the Foreign Office where he pursued a distinguished career as an Iranian scholar, both as a diplomat and subsequently as a writer and an academic. He was the founding Director of Exeter University’s Centre for Persian and Iranian Studies.

At Peterhouse, he was a Visiting Fellow in 2017, and remained a Senior Research Associate of the College, collaborating with Professor Brendan Simms and Dr Patrick Milton on the Westphalia for the Middle East research project.

Aside from his academic achievements, he was also a member of the Peterhouse alumni team which won the most recent University Challenge Christmas Tournament – an impressive  victory which his team mates attributed in part to his performance.

Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad time.

Bridget Kendall

Master of Peterhouse