Professor Simon Barton

Research Interests

My research to date has focused largely on the political and social history of medieval Iberia. In particular, a major project on the Leonese-Castilian aristocracy during the period c.1000-1300 has given rise to a number of articles in books and academic journals, and to the publication of a monograph-length study The Aristocracy in Twelfth-Century Leon and Castile (1997). Parallel to this activity, I have explored the field of medieval Spanish historiography and, in collaboration with Richard Fletcher, published a volume titled The World of El Cid: Chronicles of the Spanish Reconquest (2000). Recent research has begun to focus on the Iberian Crusades and the activities of Spanish mercenaries in Muslim Spain and North Africa. Between 2007 and 2010 I held a Major Research Fellowship from the Leverhulme Trust to carry out a three-year project 'On the Frontiers of Islam: Cross-border relations in Medieval Iberia and North Africa, c.1000-1500'. My interest in the entire range of Spain's historical development, from prehistory to the present, has given rise to the publication of A History of Spain (2nd edn. 2009).

Research Supervision

I am happy to offer research supervision on aspects of medieval Iberian politics, society and culture; the relationship between medieval Christendom and the Islamic world; chivalry and warfare in the Medieval West.

Research Students

Hicham Boutaleb, 'Saqaliba in Muslim Spain' (in progress)

 Faraj Omar, 'Structures of government in Almohad Spain' (in progress)

 Dan Roach, 'Orderic Vitalis, Crusading Historian' (in progress; AHRC studentship) [co-supervised with Dr Julia Crick]

 Ryan Schwarzrock, 'The Anonymous Chronicles of Sahagun' (in progress; departmental studentship)

 Arabella de Steiger Khandwala, 'Theories of Universal Harmony in Medieval Islamic Architecture' (in progress) [co-supervised with Prof. Ian Netton]

 Charles Tindal-Robertson, 'Peacemaking in Medieval Leon and Castile, c.1100-1230' (in progress)

 Alun Williams, 'The use of biblical rhetoric and imagery in narrative accounts of the Castilian Reconquest' (in progress; departmental studentship)

The following have completed PhDs under my supervision:

Antonella Liuzzo Scorpo, 'The idea of friendship in the literary, historical and legal works of Alfonso X of Castile' (2009)

Alwyn Harrison, 'Andalusi Christianity: the survival of indigenous Christian communities in Muslim Spain' (2010)