Barbara Bombi

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).