Catherine Holmes

Catherine Holmes is a Tutor in Medieval History at University College, University of Oxford. Her research focuses on the politics and culture of the Mediterranean world, including Byzantium, between the 10th and early 15th centuries. She specializes in frontiers, inter-religious/ethnic relations, comparative political culture, and the Global Middle Ages.

Research Interests: She explores the interconnectedness of global medieval history, challenging traditional Eurocentric narratives. Her work emphasizes cross-cultural exchanges, political systems in Byzantium, the Islamic world, and the Latin West, as well as environmental and military aspects of medieval societies.

Publications: Holmes has authored a monograph on Byzantine governance (Basil II and the Governance of Empire, 976-1025, 2005) and co-edited two influential volumes: Political Culture in the Latin West, Byzantium and the Islamic World (2021), which examines comparative political systems, and The Global Middle Ages (2018), which redefines pre-1500 global interactions. These works highlight her commitment to interdisciplinary and cross-regional historical analysis.

Advising & Grants: Holmes supervises DPhil students in Byzantine and Mediterranean history (Jamie Chandler, James Cogbill, Adele Curness, John-Francis Martin, Findlay Willis). She co-convened an AHRC-funded network (Defining the Global Middle Ages, 2012-15) and contributes to collaborative projects like the comparative political culture study of Byzantium, Islamic societies, and the Latin West.

Labs & Teams: She is affiliated with the Oxford Centre for Byzantine Research, Oxford Centre for Global History, and Oxford Centre for Late Antiquity, fostering interdisciplinary research in these areas.