Francesco Somaini

Francesco Somaini is a Full Professor in the Department of Human and Social Sciences at the University of Salento, where he teaches Medieval History in both undergraduate and graduate programs in Letters and Philosophy. He has been a permanent faculty member since 2002 and was promoted to Full Professor in 2019. He is based at the Former Olivetan Monastery in Lecce, Italy, and maintains active teaching and research programs.

Research Interests:

• History of the Church and ecclesiastical institutions (papacy, episcopate, cardinalate)
• Political, diplomatic, and institutional history of the Italian states, especially the Visconti-Sforza state and Southern Italy
• Social, economic, and cultural history from the Late Middle Ages to the Renaissance (13th–16th centuries)
• Historical cartography and historiographical themes related to geography and political history of Italy, Europe, and the Mediterranean
• Military, naval, and maritime history in the late medieval Mediterranean
• Urban history and the history of hospitals and welfare institutions
• World History, including relations between Italy and the Ottoman Empire
• Dante studies from a historical perspective
• Source edition, particularly the Correspondence of the Mantuan Orators at the Sforza Court (1450–1500)

Recent Academic Trends: His recent teaching and publication activities indicate a sustained focus on the interplay between political institutions and spatial perceptions in the late medieval Mediterranean, with increasing attention to cross-cultural interactions, maritime geopolitics, and the historical methodology of source interpretation. His courses are consistently offered across multiple academic years and degree paths, reflecting his central role in the humanities curriculum.

Scientific and Institutional Engagement:

• Coordinator, Center for Medieval Studies at the University of Salento (founded 2021)
• Member, Academic Senate of the University of Salento (2020–2024)
• Deputy Director, Department of History, Society and Human Studies (2016–2019)
• Member, Board of Directors, CRIAT (Interuniversity Research Center for Territorial Analysis)
• Scientific Committee, Doctoral School of Advanced Education "Mediterranean Worlds and Southern Italy in the Middle Ages"
• Scientific Committee, CIROTM (International Research Center on the Teutonic Order in the Mediterranean)
• Scientific Staff, Centre for Mediterranean Studies, Ruhr-Universität Bochum
• Editorial Board, "Studi Storici"
• Scientific Committees, "Ricerche Storiche" and "Itinerari di Ricerca Storica"
• Reading Committee, "Bullettino dell'Istituto Storico Italiano per il Medioevo"
• Member, Lombardy in the Renaissance Association, Milan
• Secretary, Center for Studies on Agricultural Civilization in Manduria

Advising and Grants: He has served as a guarantor for the doctoral program in Human and Social Sciences at the University of Salento from 2013 to 2024. While specific grant information is not provided, his long-standing involvement in national and international research committees suggests active participation in funded research projects. He has advised and continues to supervise doctoral students in medieval studies.

Labs and Research Teams: Francesco Somaini leads and coordinates the Center for Medieval Studies at the University of Salento, which serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research in medieval history. He is also affiliated with multiple international research networks, including CIROTM and the Centre for Mediterranean Studies in Bochum, indicating strong collaborative research activity across European institutions.