Thomas Ertl

Prof. Dr. Thomas Ertl is Professor of the History of the High and Late Middle Ages at the Friedrich Meinecke Institute, Department of History and Cultural Studies, Free University of Berlin since October 2018. Previously, he was Professor of Social and Economic History of the Middle Ages at the University of Vienna (2011-2018). His academic career includes guest lectureships at the German Historical Institute in Rome (2006/7) and substitute professorships at Göttingen (2008-9) and Erlangen (2010). He is a member of the Konstanzer Arbeitskreis für mittelalterliche Geschichte.

His educational background includes:

• Doctorate (1999) from the University of Vienna on "Kanzlei und Urkundenwesen Kaiser Heinrichs VI." (Chancellery and Charters of Emperor Henry VI)
• Habilitation (2006) from Freie Universität Berlin on "Selbstdeutung und Weltordnung im frühen Franziskanerorden" (Self Interpretation and World Order in the Early Franciscan Order)

Prof. Ertl's research focuses on the social and economic history of Europe from 1000 to 1500, with particular interest in pre-1800 global interconnections. His work examines medieval trade networks, urban economies, material culture (especially textiles), and cross-cultural encounters. He approaches medieval history from a global perspective, challenging traditional Eurocentric narratives and exploring how different regions of the world were interconnected long before the modern era. His publications reveal a consistent interest in how economic structures shaped social relations and cultural practices in medieval societies.

His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward comparative and global medieval history, particularly examining cross-cultural interactions between Europe and Asia. Ertl frequently analyzes material culture, especially textiles and luxury goods, as windows into understanding economic structures, social hierarchies, and cultural exchanges. His work increasingly incorporates methodologies from global history while maintaining deep expertise in traditional medieval source criticism. The articles demonstrate his evolving focus from regional studies toward broader comparative frameworks that connect European medieval history with global developments.

Prof. Ertl has served as co-editor of The Medieval History Journal (2010-2018) and the Vierteljahrschrift für Sozial- und Wirtschaftsgeschichte (since 2018), significantly contributing to scholarly discourse in his field.

At the Free University of Berlin, Prof. Ertl leads multiple research projects including "Wien 1448. Steuerwesen und Wohnverhältnisse in einer spätmittelalterlichen Stadt" and "Arm/Reich – Statik/Innovation: Wirtschaft im Mittelalter," while supervising doctoral candidates in medieval history. His research group collaborates with international scholars on projects examining medieval urban economies, global connections before 1800, and the cultural history of economic practices, regularly presenting findings at international conferences across Europe.