Francesco states that Scandinavian medieval history is of growing interest among Italians, especially among students and the younger generation. Francesco writes in Italian and English and says that Scandinavian medieval history is a topic that have accumulated a big audience both in Italy and internationally, as a part of a large international professional community.
Francesco mentions that Italian researchers have traditionally kept their focus on Italy. Therefore, the research on Italy’s connections to regions such as Scandinavia have remained less explored. Francesco aims to uncover these relations in his research. This is a topic that has received more attention recently among historians, but is, according to Francesco, still much to explore. Language is often a limitation for this kind of research, with the result that studies of medieval Scandinavia remain a separate part of studies of medieval history.
Francesco says that the sources and accounts about the connections between Scandinavia and Italy in the Middle Ages tell a story of a more intertwined Europe with more contact and knowledge between north and south than what was previously imagined. The contacts between Scandinavia and Italy points towards a more polycentric Europe where exchanges and encounters across cultures and national borders occurred more frequently than one has previously thought. Francesco points out that shedding light on these relations is important in a globalized world and could provide a new understanding of the Middle Ages. His current project revolves around the relationship between the papacy in Rome and three Scandinavian kingdoms Norway, Sweden, and Denmark from the twelfth to the fifteenth century. During his research stay at the Institute he will present his research at the Director’s seminar.