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Dr Melanie Brunner is a Lecturer in Medieval Studies at the University of Leeds, affiliated with the School of History and the Institute for Medieval Studies. She holds a PhD in Medieval Studies from the University of Leeds and an MA in History and English from Universität Augsburg. Her research focuses on late medieval ecclesiastical history, papal administration, and the history of mendicant orders, particularly the Franciscans. She has contributed to major projects like the International Medieval Bibliography and led research networks such as the DFG-Netzwerk Imitation and Stilus Curiae. Her work explores political culture of the Avignon papacy, canon law dynamics, and religious reform movements. Education: PhD (Medieval Studies, University of Leeds), MA (History and English, Universität Augsburg). Professional affiliations include the Ecclesiastical History Society and Mediävistenverband. She supervises doctoral students in areas like Franciscan history, papal politics, and medieval book culture. Current projects include editorial direction of the International Medieval Bibliography and leadership of the MA Medieval Studies program. Research Interests: Late medieval papal governance, mendicant orders' institutional development, theological debates on poverty, and decision-making mechanisms in the Avignon Curia. She examines how theology, law, and political strategy intersected in medieval church administration. Advising & Grants: Supervises 4 current PhD students and has completed 6 theses. Involvement with EU-funded COST Action IS1301 and White Rose Collaboration Fund projects. Collaborates internationally with institutions like the Sächsische Akademie der Wissenschaften and Universität Zürich. Labs/Teams: Core member of research groups including Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (GLAM) and Politics, Diplomacy, and International History at Leeds. Active in interdisciplinary medieval studies networks.

• Late Medieval Ecclesiastical History
• Papal Administration
• Political Culture of the Avignon Papacy
• +3 more

Dr. Melanie Brunner is a Lecturer in Medieval Studies at the School of History, University of Leeds, and has served as Editorial Director of the International Medieval Bibliography since October 2024. She studied at the University of Augsburg and the University of Edinburgh before completing her part-time PhD at the University of Leeds (2006). Her roles at Leeds include Project Editor of the IMB (2007–present) and teaching in Medieval Studies (2013–present). Education MA in Medieval History, Modern History, and English Language, University of Augsburg PhD in Medieval Studies, University of Leeds (part-time) Melanie's research focuses on late medieval ecclesiastical and religious history, particularly the intersections of theology, canon law, and papal administration. Her work explores the mendicant orders (especially Franciscans), voluntary poverty, religious reform, and papal court dynamics in Avignon (1305–1378). She has contributed to collaborative projects such as Imitation: Mechanismen eines kulturellen Prinzips im Mittelalter (DFG-funded) and Stilus Curiae (DFG), and previously participated in the EU COST Action New Communities of Interpretation . Her recent publications analyze decision-making in the Avignon papal curia, Franciscan polemics, and ecclesiastical authority structures. She supervises PhD students in areas including mendicant orders, bishop administration, and medieval religious discourse, often in co-supervision with colleagues.

• Medieval Ecclesiastical History
• History of the Papacy
• Mendicant Orders
• +4 more

Barbara Bombi is a Professor of Medieval History at the University of Kent's School of History. She holds a PhD from the Catholic University of Milan (2000) and has held research positions at the German Historical Institute in Rome, University of Padua, and Corpus Christi College, Oxford. Her research focuses on the High Middle Ages (1200-1450), specializing in the medieval papacy, canon law, crusades, and the Teutonic Order. She leads the Leverhulme/British Academy-funded 'Diplomacy and the Making of Europe' project. Elected Fellow of the British Academy (2022) and member of the Royal Historical Society Council (2019), she also serves as General Editor of the Canterbury and York Society and on the Internationale Historische Kommission. Teaching spans later medieval Europe, religious history, and canon law. Education: PhD in Medieval History, Catholic University of Milan (2000) Research Fellowships: German Historical Institute Rome (2001), University of Padua (2002–2004) Research Interests: Her work examines papal diplomacy, Anglo-papal relations (as seen in her 2019 OUP monograph), and the Teutonic Order's archival practices. She analyzes the Baltic Crusades' role in European identity formation and medieval diplomatic practices' impact on state-building. Current projects include compiling a catalog of manuscripts of the Liber Extra. Publications Trends: Her articles and books explore papal elections, curial administration, and military orders' archival strategies. Recent works emphasize diplomatic networks and their role in shaping late medieval Europe's political landscape. Awards/Grants: British Academy Fellowship (2022) Leverhulme/BA Small Grant (2018–present) Labs/Teams: Directs the 'Making of Europe' international research network through the Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies (MEMS).

• Medieval History
• Papacy
• Canon Law
• +5 more

Professor Martial Staub holds the position of Professor of Medieval History at the University of Sheffield, serving as Internationalisation Officer and SRDS Director within the School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities. He joined the university in 2004 after a research fellowship at the Max Planck Institute of History in Göttingen, Germany. His academic training includes degrees from the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris X Nanterre, and the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, alongside studies at the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Fontenay/St Cloud. Staub’s research focuses on late medieval European history, particularly South German and Italian cities, with expertise in medieval philanthropy, historiography, and spatial mobility. He co-directs the Centre for the Study of Abrupt, Violent and Traumatic Change and leads projects on medieval global citizenship. His teaching spans undergraduate courses like 'Pagans, Christians and Heretics in Medieval Europe' and postgraduate programs such as 'Approaching the Middle Ages.' Professional roles include editorial board memberships for journals like Zeitschrift für Ideengeschichte and German History , alongside affiliations with institutions such as the Görres-Gesellschaft. His work bridges interdisciplinary collaborations, addressing themes of exile, urban history, and the interplay between medieval and modern contexts.

• Medieval History
• Late Medieval European History
• History of the Church
• +6 more

Professor Jadranka Neralic holds a position at the Croatian Institute of History and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences within the University of Zagreb's Department of Medieval History. Her research focuses on medieval ecclesiastical structures, papal curial operations, and the interplay between church institutions and political power in medieval Croatia and Dalmatia. Her work extensively utilizes Vatican Secret Archives documents to explore topics such as episcopal appointments, apostolic visitations, and canon law applications. Notable studies include analyses of 15th–16th-century diocesan governance in Venetian-ruled Dalmatia and the careers of Croatian clerics within the Roman Curia. Recent publications highlight her expertise in post-Tridentine reforms, medieval diplomatic practices, and the socio-political dimensions of religious institutions. Though no scientific awards are listed, her contributions to medieval ecclesiastical history are significant, with over 20 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Her research often bridges microhistorical case studies—such as judicial trials in Šibenik—with broader trends in church reform and Venetian curial influence. Collaborations include international scholars in European medieval studies, reflecting her engagement with transnational ecclesiastical networks.

• Medieval History
• Ecclesiastical History
• Diplomatics
• +3 more

Rev Dr Robert Ombres OP serves as an Official Fellow and Lector at Blackfriars Hall, University of Oxford, teaching moral theology and canon law while holding the Raymond of Penyafort Fellowship. He concurrently teaches canon law at the Pontifical University of St Thomas in Rome and contributes as reviews editor for New Blackfriars and editorial board member for Angelicum , Law & Justice , and Ecclesiastical Law Journal . His academic credentials include an LL.B. from Bristol University, LL.M. from London University, STL in philosophy and theology from the Oxford Study House, and doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of St Thomas in Rome. He previously served as Prior of Cambridge and Oxford priories and Procurator General of the Dominican Order (2004-2011). Ombres' research centers on moral theology and canon law , with emphases on ecclesiastical jurisprudence, divine law foundations, and church governance structures. His work critically examines clergy rights, sacramental validity, and the historical evolution of Catholic canon law, particularly through Thomistic frameworks and Dominican traditions. Key themes include the intersection of theology and legal systems, national church autonomy, and liturgical theology. Analysis of his publications reveals consistent exploration of canon law's theological underpinnings since the 1980s, with recent focus on synodal governance, diocesan clerics' rights, and Aquinas' divine law theory. His scholarship bridges historical analysis (e.g., Dominican history in medieval Cambridge) with contemporary applications in ecumenism, family theology, and church-state relations. No scientific awards are documented, though his editorial roles and Raymond of Penyafort Fellowship signify professional recognition within theological and canon law circles. Information regarding student advising, research grants, or laboratory affiliations is absent from the source material. His institutional roles are exclusively tied to academic and editorial functions within the Dominican Order and university settings. Ombres maintains active engagement with the Dominican Order (OP), having held leadership positions including Prior of Oxford/Cambridge priories and Order Procurator General. His work remains centered on Blackfriars Hall's academic mission and Rome-based pontifical university collaborations.

• Moral Theology
• Canon Law
• Ecclesiastical Law
• +3 more

Professor Charles West is a historian specializing in medieval history, particularly focusing on Carolingian Francia and its successor states. He holds a personal chair in medieval history at the University of Edinburgh's School of History, Classics and Archaeology. Previously, he taught at the University of Sheffield for 15 years, where he was promoted to professor in 2022. His research explores the interplay between religious and secular power, local societal dynamics, and comparative historical methodologies. He has authored and co-authored numerous books, including Europe in the Eleventh Century (forthcoming 2025) and Local Priests in the Latin West, 900–1050 (forthcoming 2025). His work frequently addresses themes of simony, trust, and the transformation of medieval political structures. Education: - BA History, Emmanuel College, Cambridge - MPhil, University of Birmingham - PhD, University of Cambridge (with research at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne) Research Interests: - Carolingian and post-Carolingian societies - Church reform and religious institutions - Peasant societies and local governance - Comparative medieval history across Eurasia Key Projects: - Collaborator on the 'Global History of the pre-modern Peasantry' project - Co-editor of Writing the Early Medieval West (Cambridge, 2018) - Editorial board member of Early Medieval Europe and Reti Medievali Rivista Grants and Awards: - Winner of the Early Medieval Europe Essay Prize (2009) - AHRC/DFG Research Grant (2021–2024) - Humboldt Foundation Fellowship (2014–2016) Teaching: - Courses include 'Charlemagne's Europe' and 'The Doomed Kingdom' - Supervises PhDs on medieval European history, requiring proficiency in Latin and modern European languages Collaborations: - International projects with scholars in Europe and North America - Research on local priests’ roles in medieval society (collaborative book project)

• Medieval History
• Carolingian Francia
• Church Reform
• +4 more

Professor Michael Penman is a historian specializing in medieval and early modern Scottish history, affiliated with the University of Stirling's Department of History. He holds a First Class MA from the University of St Andrews (1995) and a PhD on David II of Scotland (1999). His research spans medieval lay piety, saints' cults, royal burials, and World War I history. He has led projects on Dunfermline Abbey's royal tombs (using ground-penetrating radar) and Patrick Geddes' civic planning in Dunfermline. Academic roles include Deputy Head of History & Politics and Director of Research for the Division of History, Heritage, and Politics. Awards include the Saltire Society Prize (2005). He advises on heritage projects like the Dunfermline Heritage Partnership and has authored/co-edited over 80 publications, including monographs on David II and Robert the Bruce. Research interests emphasize cross-cultural comparisons with England, Ireland, and Europe. Public engagement includes lectures on topics like the Declaration of Arbroath and medieval monuments. He supervises postgraduates on themes like medieval dynasties and royal cults. Professional memberships include the Royal Historical Society and Scottish History Society.

• Medieval Scottish History
• Medieval Lay Piety
• Saints' Cults and Liturgy
• +5 more

Simon Ditchfield is a Professor of Early Modern History at the University of York , renowned for his expertise in the intersection of urban and religious culture in the Italian peninsula (1300-1800). He has held significant roles, including Chair of the Departmental Research Committee, and is a co-editor of the Sacro/santo book series. His research explores the making of Roman Catholicism as a global religion, with a focus on Jesuit missions and Counter-Reformation dynamics. Education: BA (York), MPhil/PhD (Warburg Institute), Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (1998-) Projects: Conversion Narratives in Early Modern Europe (AHRC 2010-13), Papacy and People: The Making of Roman Catholicism as a World Religion (OUP), and Daniello Bartoli SJ and Global History (Leverhulme Fellow 2014-15) Simon’s research spans global Catholicism , hagiography , and missionary networks , as evidenced by his 2024 article Exemplary Lives in the Making of a World Religion and 2023 Appropriation and Agency in Roman Catholicism . His work often critiques traditional narratives of Trent and emphasizes cross-cultural exchanges, particularly in Jesuit missions across Persia, New France, and the Asia-Pacific. He has received prestigious fellowships, including a British Academy Research Leave Fellowship (2006-08) and a Leverhulme Fellowship (2014-15). Scientific Awards: Roland Bainton Prize (2020), Accademia Ambrosiana (1998-), FRHistS (1998-) Editorial Roles: Advisory editor for Catholic Historical Review , Archivum Societatem Societatis Iesu , Church History , and Archivum historiae pontificiae He supervises doctoral research on topics like Domestic Religion in Florence , Sacred History in Brittany/Wales , and Music in the English Catholic Community . His leadership includes directing the Heritage Studies as Applied History project (1996-99) and co-editing the Companion to Early Modern Rome (2019), which won the Roland Bainton Prize.

• Early Modern History
• Urban and Religious Culture
• Global Catholicism
• +6 more

John Sabapathy is a Professor of History at University College London (UCL), specializing in medieval European history and the Anthropocene. He co-convenes UCL Anthropocene, a major interdisciplinary initiative exploring humanity’s geological impact. His research focuses on institutional accountability, political thought, and environmental history, with notable works including Officers and Accountability in Medieval England (2014), which won the Royal Historical Society’s Whitfield Prize. He holds editorial roles at The English Historical Review and teaches modules on medieval Christendom, emergency history, and Anthropocene studies. Educational Background : PhD in History (UCL, 2011), MA from King’s College London (2005), BA from the University of Oxford (1997). Research Interests : Comparative medieval history (12th–14th centuries), the Anthropocene, institutional history, environmental humanities, and medieval political thought. Current projects include The Cultivation of Christendom (Oxford History of Medieval Europe series) and Emergency History , analyzing crises through historical lenses. Teaching : Leads courses such as Anthropocene Studies , Emergency History , and Making Medieval Europe: Christendom 1150–1350 . Supervises PhD students on medieval political, environmental, and intellectual history topics. Awards & Fellowships : Leverhulme Trust Research Fellow (2018–2019), Directeur d’études invité at EHESS (2022). Recognitions include the Whitfield Prize and editorial leadership roles. Grants & Collaborations : Co-Principal Investigator for the UCL-Oxford Individuals and Institutions in Medieval Scholasticism project. Engages with global institutions like the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science. Labs/Teams : Co-leads UCL Anthropocene and convenes seminars on medieval European history and Anthropocene studies at the Institute of Historical Research.

• Medieval History
• Anthropocene Studies
• Political History
• +3 more

Peter Clarke is Professor of Medieval History at the University of Southampton, specializing in the history of medieval canon law (c. 1150-1500). He is an active researcher and supervisor, currently accepting PhD students. His work bridges legal, religious, and social history with a particular focus on the institutional structures of the medieval Western Church. His primary research interests include the canon law of the medieval Western Church, the records of the papal penitentiary, and clergy involvement in criminal violence in Later Medieval England and Wales. Clarke has shifted his recent focus to the papal penitentiary records, which dealt with sins requiring papal absolution and various papal favors concerning marriage, runaway religious figures, and violence. His publication record shows consistent output in top medieval studies journals and presses, with a notable trend toward examining the intersection of ecclesiastical authority and social practice. Recent works demonstrate increasing attention to the practical application of canon law in everyday medieval life, particularly regarding violence, marriage dispensations, and the complex relationship between clerics and secular society. Clarke has supervised multiple PhD students and has developed research-led teaching modules including 'Papal Power in Medieval Europe,' 'Sin and Society, c. 1100-1520,' and 'Medieval Love, Sex and Marriage.' He recently co-developed 'The Apocalyptic Fourteenth-Century,' examining crises that shook European society. His current major project is the monograph 'Clergy and Criminal Violence in Later Medieval England and Wales' (forthcoming with Cambridge University Press), which examines how clerics' involvement in violence reveals their relationship with secular society and challenges assumptions about their privileged legal status.

• Canon Law
• Medieval History
• Church History
• +2 more

Shaun McGuinness is an Honorary Research Associate at Bangor University's School of History, Law and Social Sciences, specializing in medieval Welsh ecclesiastical history. His academic journey includes a PhD (2021) and MA in Welsh History (2012) from Bangor University, preceded by legal qualifications from Leeds University. His research centers on medieval bishops of Bangor and St Asaph, with expertise in episcopal acta, church history, and medieval Welsh law. McGuinness has produced significant scholarly output including the 2025 monograph Bangor Episcopal Acta, 1092-1306 , multiple book chapters on Welsh historiography, and numerous peer-reviewed articles and reviews examining ecclesiastical power, princely politics, and medieval documentation. His publication trends reveal deep engagement with Welsh ecclesiastical history through primary source editions, analysis of bishop-prince relationships, and contributions to understanding medieval Welsh identity. Methodologically, his work combines paleography, diplomatics, and historical analysis of Latin acta. Ranulf Higden Palaeographical Scholarship (x2) Royal Historical Society Grant Nominated for 'Best Postgraduate Teacher' (2019) McGuinness has taught undergraduate modules including 'Princes to Tudors' and 'Europe in the High Middle Ages,' demonstrating commitment to pedagogy alongside research. His current project involves compiling episcopal acta for St Asaph bishops. While not leading formal research teams, his work connects with international medieval scholarship through conferences at Cambridge, Leeds, and Cardiff.

• Medieval History
• Welsh History
• Episcopal History
• +3 more

Tom Licence is a Professor of Medieval History and Consumer Culture at the University of East Anglia, affiliated with the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing. He holds a prestigious Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship (2022–2025) studying Harold Godwinson. His academic journey includes degrees from Magdalene College, Cambridge, and fellowships from the Royal Historical Society, Society of Antiquaries, and Higher Education Academy. His research focuses on medieval England (950–1200), with emphasis on the Norman Conquest, saints' cults, and monasticism. Notable publications include Edward the Confessor: Last of the Royal Blood (Yale, 2020) and Hermits and Recluses in English Society (Oxford, 2011). His work bridges historical analysis with hagiography, exploring topics like episcopal politics, knights' orders, and medieval spirituality. Licence's recent articles analyze Anglo-Saxon chronicles, William Rufus's court, and post-conquest saint cults. He advises on PhD topics related to the Norman Conquest, Anglo-Norman church history, and saints' cults. His Leverhulme project investigates Harold Godwinson's rise, while previous work explored Victorian waste practices. Media engagements include BBC History Podcast discussions and documentaries on historical rubbish.

• Medieval History
• Norman Conquest
• Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Norman Church
• +5 more

Professor Phil Booth is the A.G. Leventis Associate Professor in Eastern Christianity at the University of Oxford, split equally between the Faculty of Theology and Religion and the Faculty of History. He is a Research Fellow at St Peter's College and serves as Director of the Oxford Centre for Late Antiquity. His expertise lies in the history of eastern Christianities within the eastern Roman, Sasanian, and Islamic caliphate empires from the 4th to 10th centuries. Booth holds a BA, MPhil, and PhD in Classics from the University of Cambridge. Before joining Oxford in 2012 as Lecturer in Eastern Christianity, he held a Leverhulme Post-doctoral Fellowship at Churchill College, Cambridge. His research explores ecclesiastical institutions, imperial interactions, and religious identity formation in late antiquity. Publications span topics such as Sasanian Egypt, non-Chalcedonian Christians under Khusrau II, and the cultural dynamics of early Islamic Egypt. He contributes to academic discourse through editorial work for Translated Texts for Historians (Liverpool University Press) and maintains an active profile in international conferences and scholarly networks.

• Ecclesiastical History
• Late Antiquity
• Eastern Christianities
• +3 more

Dr. Thomas W. Smith serves as Keeper of the Scholars and Head of Oxbridge Admissions (Arts and Humanities) at Rugby School, where he teaches history. A distinguished scholar of medieval ecclesiastical history, Smith has established himself as a leading expert on the crusade movement, papal letters, and manuscript transmission. His research bridges academic scholarship with secondary education, maintaining an active presence in historical research communities while shaping the next generation of historians. Smith's research interests focus on medieval ecclesiastical history and the crusade movement, with particular emphasis on letters, diplomatic practices, and the transmission and reception of manuscripts and texts. His work explores how medieval communities engaged with crusading through textual production, examining both the authentic documents and later confections created by monastic communities. He investigates how papal authority was communicated and contested across medieval Christendom, with special attention to the nuances of crusade rhetoric and the conceptualization of sacred space in papal encyclicals. His scholarship reveals the complex interplay between institutional power, textual production, and religious motivation in the medieval world. Smith's extensive publication record demonstrates evolving trends in his research, moving from close analysis of specific papal letters and crusade narratives toward broader investigations of ecclesiastical authority structures and manuscript transmission networks. His work consistently employs innovative methodological approaches, including quantitative analysis of papal registers and comparative manuscript studies, revealing new dimensions of medieval communication practices. The interdisciplinary nature of his research connects diplomatic history with literary analysis, religious studies, and material culture studies. Highly Commended in the British Records Association Janette Harley Prize (2018) for Curia and Crusade: Pope Honorius III and the Recovery of the Holy Land, 1216–1227 Elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (2017) Elected Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society (2021) As Keeper of the Scholars and Head of Oxbridge Admissions at Rugby School, Smith oversees the academic development of students pursuing higher education at Oxford and Cambridge, particularly in Arts and Humanities disciplines. His leadership extends beyond classroom teaching to shaping institutional approaches to university preparation. While specific grant information isn't detailed in the available materials, his Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship (2017-2020) at the University of Leeds supported significant research on papal provision in thirteenth-century Britain. Smith collaborates extensively with other scholars, notably Dr. Susan Edgington, with whom he is preparing a new edition and translation of a neglected First Crusade chronicle. Smith's scholarly activities connect him to wider academic networks through his editorial work on significant collections including Communicating Papal Authority in the Middle Ages (Routledge, 2023) and Chronicle, Crusade, and the Latin East (Brepols, 2022). His research engages with international scholarly communities, particularly through his work with Japanese and European historians on ecclesiastical authority structures. While not leading a formal laboratory, Smith participates in scholarly teams focused on crusade studies, medieval manuscript analysis, and papal history, contributing to collective projects that advance understanding of medieval religious and political culture.

• Medieval Ecclesiastical History
• Crusade Movement
• Medieval Church History
• +5 more