This thesis presents an extended critical analysis of the methodological thought of the Cambridge historian Herbert Butterfield (1900-1979). It is based on the full range of his published works, as well as unpublished material. It is a contribution to the history of historiography, and to the theory of history. The thesis concentrates on the relationship between Butterfield’s views on historical research and historiographical narration, and his concept of a ‘historical process’ which was the expression of a ‘providential order’. The principal problem in Butterfield’s writings is the contradiction between his advocacy of a ‘technical history’ seen as free and independent of any interpretative presupposition, and his belief in Providence and its utilisation in the course of his historiography. Firstly, the thesis argues that Butterfield employs his own presuppositions even without making explicit references to his belief in Providence. Secondly, it explains why he embraced and advocated two contradictory standpoints. Butterfield’s position is best clarified with reference to the content of his Christian beliefs. It is argued that Butterfield regarded all non-Christian interpretations of history as distorting oversimplifications. They were for him not fully scientific and rigorous, because they selected some phenomenon, or principle, or institution arising within human history and made it the central interpretative principle. He saw his own practice as exempt from this criticism. This thesis argues that Butterfield’s position is nevertheless interpretative. However, it is argued that Butterfield’s critique of ideologically based historiographic distortions and oversimplifications is important in the assessment of rival interpretations of history.

[pt] Esta dissertação tem como objetivo examinar a reflexão teórica do historiador inglês, Herbert Butterfield, a partir da análise dos livros: The Historical Novel (1924), The Whig Interpretation of History (1933) e The Englishman and His History (1944). A leitura proposta dos textos busca trazer luz sobre os temas centrais da escrita butterfieldiana, em seus elementos conceituais, argumentativos e historiográficos. Paralelamente ao vetor principal do trabalho, exploram-se os seguintes temas: o estudo sobre o estilo de escrita do autor, as influências intelectuais na sua formação, o debate sobre as relações entre passado e presente na historiografia e a disciplinarização da História, sob a ótica da crítica ao positivismo. A dissertação compreende a necessidade de explorar as particularidades conceituais de cada uma dessas publicações, enfatizando as diferenças e semelhanças averiguadas dentro do recorte proposto. / [en] This research sets as its objective to examine the theoretical production of the british historian, Herbert Butterfield, through the analysis of the following books: The Historical Novel (1924), The Whig Interpretation of History (1933) and The Englishman and His History (1944). The proposed reading of the texts search to Butterfield s writing, in its conceptual, argumentative and historiographical elements. In parallel with the main argument, it explores the following themes: the study of Butterfield s writing style, the debate about the relations between past and present in historiography and the disciplinarization of History, under the perspective of the positivist critique. This text comprehends the need to explore the conceptual particularities of each book, emphasising the differences and similarities found within the designed approach.