Novel Insights into Naval Warfare and Diplomacy in Medieval Europe

Dear Colleagues,

Naval warfare and diplomacy in the Middle Ages are topics that have received increasing attention from historians in recent decades. However, there are still many aspects to be explored and better-understood, both from a regional and a comparative perspective. Naval warfare was a crucial factor in the political and economic development of medieval Europe and the Mediterranean. The sea offered opportunities for trade, exploration, and conquest, but also posed challenges and threats from enemies and pirates. Diplomacy was often intertwined with naval power, as states sought to negotiate alliances, treaties, and truces with their rivals or enemies. This Special Issue aims to explore new research on naval warfare and diplomacy, with a special focus on the following themes:

• The sources and methodology of the study of naval warfare and diplomacy in the Middle Ages, as well as the challenges and opportunities posed by new technologies and digital resources.
• The organization and functioning of medieval fleets and navies, as well as their role in the military and political strategies of kingdoms and cities.
• Naval conflicts and their economic, social, and cultural consequences, both locally and internationally.
• The forms and instruments of maritime diplomacy, from treaties and alliances to embassies and trade missions.
• The actors and networks involved in naval warfare and diplomacy, such as nobles, merchants, privateers, pirates, knights, clerics, military orders, etc.
• The economic resources for war, which were essential for maintaining and expanding naval power in the Middle Ages, since warships, weapons, supplies, crews, and coastal fortifications required considerable investments and expenditures.
• The presence and participation of women in naval war and diplomacy. Women played various roles in relation to naval warfare in the Middle Ages, such as rulers, patrons, warriors, spies, hostages, captives, traders, pirates, or victims—these roles could challenge or reinforce the gender norms and expectations of their societies.

Prof. Dr. Jesús Ángel Solórzano Telechea
Guest Editor

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• medieval
• naval warfare
• piracy
• privateering
• diplomacy
• women
• warship