Medieval Collections

Oakland University houses an extensive collection of medieval literature from renowned scholar Jonathan Riley-Smith, Ph.D. The collection, which focuses on the Crusades, includes close to 1,000 books and publications, 5,810 slides, thousands of digital images and more from Riley-Smith’s personal library.

Now, history alumnus Lee Casey, CAS ’79, is making it possible for students to have access to this collection.

“The Crusades have always been an interest of mine,” says Casey, a partner in the law firm of BakerHostetler in Washington, D.C. “Riley-Smith was a leading crusades historian, and I wanted to make sure that students and other scholars have access to this important compilation of historical documents.”

Casey created the Riley-Smith Crusades Scholarship for Research. The gift supports graduate or advanced undergraduate students in the history department who are studying the crusades as part of their degree program. “I hope this scholarship allows students to focus on their research so they can share what they learn from the collection,” says Casey.

James Naus, associate professor and chair of the history department, says Casey’s gift will help students attend conferences and publish papers about the Crusades, bringing attention to important issues from that time period.

“People need to study the Crusades to better understand current global conflicts,” says Naus. “Mr. Casey’s gift enables students to contribute to the understanding of how history impacts the world today.”

Explore Oakland University special collections.