Philippe Josserand

Philippe Josserand is a Professor of Medieval History at the University of Nantes, specifically within the UFR History, History of Art and Archaeology. He specializes in the history of military orders, particularly the Templars, with extensive research on Crusades history, the Latin East, and Mediterranean history. His academic journey includes a PhD from the University of Nantes (2000) and a Habilitation à diriger des recherches from University Lyon-2 (2019).

Professor Josserand's research interests focus on the intersection of religious institutions and political power in medieval Europe, with particular attention to the Iberian Peninsula and France. His work examines military orders as complex religious-military institutions that navigated the political landscapes of the Crusades era. He has made significant contributions to understanding how these orders functioned within specific regional contexts while maintaining international connections across the Mediterranean world.

His publications show a clear evolution from detailed regional studies of military orders in Castile to broader explorations of Templar history across Europe, culminating in his award-winning biography of Jacques de Molay. More recently, he has expanded his scholarly horizons to include reflections on historical methodology itself, as seen in 'L'histoire, l'ordre et le chaos. Une anthropologie de soi' (2021).

His notable awards include:

• Prix d'histoire Daniel Ligou (2019) for 'Jacques de Molay. Le dernier grand-maître des Templiers'

Professor Josserand maintains an active scholarly profile with publications spanning from 2001 to 2023, demonstrating sustained research productivity. His work bridges traditional archival research with contemporary theoretical approaches to historical practice, making significant contributions to both specialized studies of military orders and broader methodological discussions in historical scholarship.