Francesco Guidi Bruscoli

Francesco Guidi Bruscoli is a Senior Research Fellow at Queen Mary University of London’s School of History. He holds a PhD in Economic History and has contributed extensively to studies on Italian merchants, banking, and trade networks in late medieval and Renaissance Europe. His work examines financial instruments, merchant strategies, and interactions between international markets and institutions.

Education:

• Bachelor’s in Economics, University of Florence
• MA in Medieval Studies, Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL)
• PhD in Economic History

Research focuses on Italian merchant networks, papal banking (e.g., Benvenuto Olivieri under Paul III), and the economic dynamics of Renaissance trade. Key projects include the Borromei Bank Research Project with J.L. Bolton, analyzing 15th-century trade ledgers. His findings on John Cabot’s Italian financiers and the transition of commercial hubs from Bruges to Antwerp have been widely cited.

Media appearances include coverage of his work in Science Daily, The National Post, and Der Spiegel, highlighting discoveries like Cabot’s funding sources and medieval banking practices.

Grants and collaborations: His research has explored fiscal policies in the Papal States and merchant strategies in northern Europe, often involving cross-institutional partnerships.