Ann Zimo

Ann Zimo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Classics, Humanities, and Italian Studies at the University of New Hampshire, where she specializes in the cultural interactions between Christians and Muslims during the Crusades period. Her research fundamentally challenges simplistic narratives of religious conflict by revealing the complex social realities of the Crusader states.

Education:

• B.A. in History from the University of Chicago
• M.A. from Cardiff University
• Ph.D. in History from the University of Minnesota (2016)

Dr. Zimo's scholarly work centers on how Muslim communities integrated into the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, examining their legal status, economic contributions, political roles, and daily life. She employs an interdisciplinary methodology that combines textual analysis of both Frankish and Arabic sources with archaeological evidence to reconstruct the nuanced social landscape of the Crusader states. Her research demonstrates that Muslims were not merely marginalized populations but played integral roles across various aspects of society in the Latin East.

Analysis of her publication record reveals a consistent scholarly trajectory focused on Muslim communities within Crusader territories. Her work systematically examines where Muslims lived, their economic contributions, the legal frameworks they navigated, and their political roles—particularly in jointly-held lands where Muslim administrative participation was significant. This comprehensive approach offers major revisions to current conceptions of population distribution and the nature of the Frankish polity itself.

Current Research Projects:

• Bell Tower and Minarets: The Soundscape of the Levant in the Age of the Crusades (awarded by JW Albright Inst Archaeological Research AIAR 2020)
• In Plain Sight: Muslims of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem (2024 book)

Dr. Zimo maintains an active teaching schedule with courses including Introduction to Humanities, Travelers in Premodern World, Global Humanities, and specialized courses on the Crusades. She has presented her research at numerous international conferences and participates in collaborative projects examining Mediterranean cultural exchange, contributing significantly to the evolving understanding of medieval interfaith relations beyond simplistic religious binaries.