Dr Axel E. W. Müller

Dr Axel E. W. Müller

Profile

Research Interests:

The reception of the Middle Ages in the 18th and 19th Century; modern approaches to the Middle Ages, Heritage and Public History; study of the past by non-university experts (in the heritage industries, civic trusts, museums, libraries, archives); presentation of the past to different audiences (museum, film, television, historical fiction, everyday life), origins of firepower in Western Europe; late medieval fields of conflict.

Current Projects:

A project on origins of firepower, looking at the later medieval development of artillery and explosives, its uses and contributions to changes in society in the 15th century, a reconstruction project on early gunpowder artillery, and a study on the public perception of the medieval period and the motivating factors which encourage individuals to pursue further study in the fields of Medieval Studies.

Recent Publications:

Müller, Axel, Gunpowder Technology in the Fifteenth Century: A Study, Edition and Translation of the Firework Book - Royal Armouries Research Series (Boydell & Brewer: Woodbridge, 2024)

Müller, Axel, ‘„Die Kunst hat funden …“ Wie neu waren militärtechnische Entwicklungen im Spätmittelalter’, in Imitationen: Systematische Zugänge zu einem kulturellen Prinzip des Mittelalters, ed. by Michael Grünbart, Gerald Schwedler, Jörg Sonntag (Wilhelm Fink Verlag: Paderborn, 2021), 299-327.

Postgraduate Supervision:

I would particularly welcome applications from students interested in working on the following themes:

  • The history of technology (especially gunpowder artillery, its practioners, and its impact and consequences to society)
  • The history of warfare and conflict
  • The history of knowledge exchange and transfer in the later Middle Ages
  • The post-medieval reception of the Middle Ages, commonly called Medievalism, from the 18th century to the present day (in heritage industries, film, TV, fiction and everyday life).

I would also be interested in applications that address other aspects of late medieval culture and society: e.g, daily life, gender and family, saints' cults, travel, queenship, religious beliefs. Note that co-supervision of medieval PhDs is normal at the University of Leeds. If you would like to study with me please send me a full CV and research proposal.

Current PhD researchers:

Luka Šiptar (2020-) The Portrayal and Accuracy of Infantry Combat in Medieval and Neo-Medieval Settings in Games, Movies and TV (part-time, co-supervised with Alaric Hall, Institute for Medieval Studies/School of English).

Completed PhDs:

Audrey Thorstad (2017) Living in an Early Tudor Castle: Households, Display, and Space, 1485-1547 (co-supervised with Emilia Jamroziak, Institute for Medieval Studies/School of History).

Other activities and memberships:

<h4>Research projects</h4> <p>Any research projects I'm currently working on will be listed below. Our list of all <a href="https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/dir/research-projects">research projects</a> allows you to view and search the full list of projects in the faculty.</p>

Research groups and institutes

  • Empires and Aftermath
  • Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums
  • War Studies
<h4>Postgraduate research opportunities</h4> <p>We welcome enquiries from motivated and qualified applicants from all around the world who are interested in PhD study. Our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>