Susan Michelle Doran FRHistS (née Savitt; born 7 February 1948) is a British historian whose primary studies surround the reign of Elizabeth I, in particular the theme of marriage and succession. She has published and edited sixteen books, notably Elizabeth I and Religion, 1558-1603, Monarchy and Matrimony and Queen Elizabeth I, the last part of the British Library's Historic Lives series. Doran is Professor of Early Modern British History at the University of Oxford and Senior Research Fellow at Jesus College. She was a Fellow of St Benet's Hall prior to its closure in 2022.

Academic career

Doran read History at St Anne's College, Oxford before obtaining a PGCE and beginning a teaching career at St Paul's Girls' School in Hammersmith. In 1977 Doran completed a PhD at University College London, with her thesis being a political biography of Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex. Beginning in 1986 she taught early modern British and European history at St Mary's University College in Strawberry Hill, serving as head of the History Department for several years. When she left the college in 2001, she was Reader in History. Doran returned to the University of Oxford as a lecturer at Christ Church in 2002. In 2004 she was elected a Fellow of St Benet's Hall, Oxford, and in 2009 was elected a Senior Research Fellow at Jesus College, Oxford. In 2016 the university awarded her the title of Professor of Early Modern British History. In 2018 Doran served as acting Master of St Benet's Hall while Werner Jeanrond was on sabbatical. Doran is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and an Honorary Fellow of the Historical Association.

Broadcasting

Doran has appeared in many historical documentaries and podcasts as an expert commentator. Doran has participated in numerous Tudor history documentaries produced by the BBC. In 2016 she appeared in an episode of A Timewatch Guide focused on Elizabeth I, presented by Vanessa Collingridge. In 2020 she appeared in Royal History's Biggest Fibs, presented by Lucy Worsley, discussing the Spanish Armada and the relationship between Elizabeth I and Philip II of Spain. She also appeared in 2021's The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family, discussing Henry VIII's marriage to Anne Boleyn. Other documentary appearances include the 2010 National Geographic film Secrets of the Virgin Queen and an episode of the 2015 Yesterday series Medieval Murder Mysteries focused on the death of Amy Robsart. In 2018 she acted as a historical consultant for an episode of Britain's Most Historic Towns, presented by Alice Roberts, exploring the city of Norwich in the Tudor period. In March 2019 Doran appeared as a guest on the BBC Radio 4 programme In Our Time, discussing the life of William Cecil alongside John Guy and Diarmaid MacCulloch. In April 2024 Doran was the guest for the first ever live recording of Suzannah Lipscomb's podcast Not Just the Tudors at the Gloucester History Festival's spring weekend, where she discussed the succession of James I to the English throne.

Personal life

Doran is married to Alan Doran. They have two children together, including the writer Bathsheba Doran, and three grandchildren.

Publications

Monographs

Edited volumes

Book chapters

Journal articles

Footnotes