Samuel Bradley

Profile

My research examines the tournament in Italy from the twelfth to early sixteenth centuries. My focus is on the type of tournaments conducted in Italy, the identification of any unique forms or specialisations, and the political, social and economic role of these games in contemporary life. I am particularly interested in the form and reception of tournaments in the changing political background of Italy, and what impact this had on the nature of the games.

My key research questions include:

What different forms of tournament were found in Italy and how did this change throughout the period under discussion?
What is the terminology used by contemporaries to describe the different forms and their components?
Can any uniquely Italian forms and terminology be identified?
Who participated in these tournaments? What was their social background? What was the motivation to participate in, or organise, a tournament?
What role did tournaments play in contemporary society and politics?

Academic background:
I completed my BA (Hons) in Medieval History in 2014 at the University of Winchester. I continued my studies at the University of Leeds and I achieved an MA in Medieval History in 2016, I was supervised by Dr. Guy Perry and Dr. Graham Loud. I began my PhD at Leeds in September 2017 under the supervision of Dr. Alan Murray and Dr. Karen Watts.

Relevant Work Experience:
IMB (International Medieval Bibliography) Editorial Assistant, 2017-2018.

Conference Experience:
IMC (International Medieval Congress) 2018 (2-5 July): Presented a paper 'A wonderful spectacle for everyone watching: The spectacle and memory of fifteenth-century jousts'
IMC (International Medieval Congress) 2016 (4-7 July): Delegate.
Culture and War Conference (Leeds, 2016): Delegate and Conference Assistant.