Matthew Gabriele

Matthew Gabriele is a Professor in the Department of Religion and Culture at Virginia Tech's College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, where he has taught since 2018. His position encompasses both academic research and public engagement, with a focus on making medieval history accessible to broader audiences through traditional scholarship, media appearances, and public writing.

Dr. Gabriele received his academic training at prestigious institutions: a Bachelor's degree in History from the University of Delaware (1997), followed by a Master's degree and Ph.D. in Medieval History from the University of California, Berkeley (2005). His educational background established the foundation for his expertise in medieval European history, particularly the Carolingian period and religious dimensions of medieval political life.

Professor Gabriele's research centers on the intersections of religion, violence, nostalgia, and apocalypse across both medieval and contemporary contexts. His work examines historical phenomena such as the Crusades and the 'Terrors of the Year 1000,' while also investigating how medieval history is appropriated in modern discourse, including by white supremacist movements and popular culture phenomena like Game of Thrones and Dragon Age. He approaches medieval history as a lens for understanding contemporary issues of political fragmentation, religious conflict, and cultural memory.

Analysis of his recent scholarly output reveals a clear trajectory focusing on Carolingian history, particularly the civil wars that led to the empire's collapse and the formation of medieval Europe. His publications increasingly bridge academic scholarship with public discourse, addressing how medieval history informs contemporary debates about political legitimacy, religious violence, and cultural appropriation. This dual focus on specialized academic research and public engagement represents a distinctive approach to medieval studies in the 21st century.

• Southeastern Medieval Association's Best First Book (2013) for 'An Empire of Memory: The Legend of Charlemagne, the Franks, and Jerusalem before the First Crusade'
• Bonnie Wheeler Teaching Prize for Medieval Studies (May 2024)
• Medieval Academy of America Centennial Grant (October 2024)
• Donald J. Bullough Fellow in Mediaeval History at the University of St. Andrews, UK (2023-24)

Professor Gabriele maintains an active scholarly profile with numerous national and international speaking engagements at institutions including Harvard, Princeton, Georgetown, and the University of California-Berkeley. His public scholarship extends to regular contributions to major media outlets such as The Washington Post, The Guardian, Forbes, and Smithsonian Magazine. He has developed innovative academic programming including the Pathways Minor in Religion & Journalism and regularly organizes workshops on public medievalism, most recently a national workshop supported by the Medieval Academy of America. His collaborative work with David M. Perry, including the books The Bright Ages: A New History of Medieval Europe (2021) and Oathbreakers: The War of Brothers That Shattered an Empire and Made Medieval Europe (2024), represents a significant contribution to public-facing medieval scholarship.