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St Antony's was founded in 1950 as the result of the gift of Antonin Besse of Aden, a merchant of French descent. Its role was "to be a centre of advanced study and research in the fields of modern international history, philosophy, economics and politics and to provide an international centre within the University where graduate students from all over the world can live and work together in close contact with senior members of the University who are specialists in their fields".
The College opened its doors to its first students in Michaelmas Term 1950 and received its Royal Charter on 1st April 1953. A Supplementary Charter in 1962 was granted to allow the College to admit women as well as men and in 1963 the College was made a full member of the University.
The first Warden of the College was Sir William Deakin (1950-68), a young Oxford academic who in the Second World War became an adventurous soldier and aide to Winston Churchill. He won Antonin Besse's confidence and played the key role in turning his vision into the centre of excellence that St Antony's has become.