Premio del Rey in Early Spanish History

Overview

_Note: The competition will open in mid-March 2026. Entries must be received by May 15, 2026, to be eligible for the 2026 competition._

Awards & Prizes

The Association recognizes a wide variety of distinguished historical work, which can take the form of an exceptional book in the field, distinguished teaching and mentoring in the classroom, films, or digital projects and resources. Since 1896 the Association has conferred over a thousand awards. The names, publications, and projects of those who received these awards are a catalog of the best work produced by members of the historical discipline.

Premio del Rey in Early Spanish History

The American Historical Association awards the Premio del Rey biennially for a distinguished book in English in the field of early Spanish history. It was endowed by a gift of Robert I. Burns, SJ, from his Llull and Catalonia prizes and covers the medieval period in Spain’s history and culture CE 500–1516.

The terms of the prize include works on Hispanic history and culture, including the Islamic and Jewish communities of medieval Spain as well as early New World topics prior to 1516. The current prize amount is $1,000.

Entries will not be returned. Recipients will be announced on the AHA website in October 2026 and recognized during a ceremony at the January 2027 AHA annual meeting in New Orleans.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

* Only books of a high scholarly historical nature should be submitted. Research accuracy, originality, and literary merit are important factors.
* Books with a copyright of 2024 or 2025 are eligible for the 2026 award.
* Nomination submissions may be made by an author or by a publisher.
* Publishers may submit as many entries as they wish.
* Authors or publishers may submit the same book for multiple AHA prizes.
* One copy of each entry must be sent to each committee member and clearly labeled “Premio del Rey Entry.”
* Print copies preferred unless otherwise indicated.
* If only e-copy is available, please contact review committee members beforehand to arrange submission format.

_You must be a member of this organization to apply for this award - become a member._