The Unlikely Spies of Medieval Europe

Prof Jenny Benham,

Medieval History, School of History, Archaeology & Religion, Cardiff University

Date: 20th of May 2026

Time: 20:00

Venue: Zoom

In a world of decentralised and highly personalised government, with slow and irregular communication, how did kings and their rivals obtain and use the information they craved for their own survival and the preservation of the entities over which they ruled? Join Professor Jenny Benham (Cardiff University) for an exploration of how the unlikely spies of medieval Europe foiled or plotted coups and conspiracies; planned, sabotaged and undermined diplomatic missions and military campaigns against a range of foreign actors; and created, distorted or erased information to enhance their own versions of historical events. From the dutiful teacher who plotted the imperial coronation of the most powerful ruler of Europe on Christmas Day 800 to the mysterious female who in 1212 crossed the Channel to bring intelligence on his continental enemies to King John of England, this talk will elucidate who the unlikely spies of medieval Europe were, what they did, and the extent to which any of their exploits changed the course of history in the period 700-1300.

About the speaker:

Jenny Benham is professor in medieval history at Cardiff University. Her research interests centre on the history of international law and diplomacy in the period 600-1400, with a particular focus on espionage, treaties, and conflict resolution. She is the author of Peacemaking in the Middle Ages (Manchester, 2011), International Law in Europe, 700-1200 (Manchester, 2022), and is currently finalising a book on espionage in medieval Europe.

Image attribution – “Kenilworth Castle” by Dave Hamster is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

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