Bridging Cultures in the Medieval Mediterranean

In the complex diplomatic landscape of the late medieval Mediterranean, communication between the Christian Crown of Aragon and the Islamic Sultanates (Mamluk, Nasrid, Hafsid, etc.) was paramount. This communication depended on a diverse group of linguistic and cultural intermediaries—translators, interpreters, and brokers. While their role was critical, these agents often remain shadowy figures in the historical record. This project seeks to illuminate their identities, professional practices, and the methods of translation they employed, moving beyond traditional diplomatic history to uncover the human infrastructure of cross-cultural exchange.