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I'm a historian specialising in Renaissance and Early Modern European history, especially but not exclusively of the Italian peninsula. I'm interested in the communication of history to wider publics, via fiction and non-fiction, on radio and TV, at heritage sites and beyond.
I'm currently working on two research projects: one explores the early history of firearms in sixteenth-century Italy, and the other looks at travel to Rome across a long historical period and its significance in cultural memory.
I'm always happy to hear from students who'd be interested in postgraduate research on these and related topics, and in projects that explore connections between history and creative writing.
I enjoy sharing what I've learnt from my own studies with new people - whether formally in the classroom or through external events for the public.
I'm keen for students to have a go at communicating history in ways beyond the standard essay and exam. That means you can expect to try designing exhibitions, guided walks, podcasts, TV shows and much more!
I originally studied Politics & Communication studies at the University of Liverpool. I subsequently worked in politics and the media before returning to study full-time for a PhD in History at Royal Holloway, University of London.
Prior to joining MMU in 2020 I was Associate Professor in History and Heritage at Swansea University. I have also taught at Durham and Sheffield, and held postdoctoral research fellowships at the British School at Rome and European University Institute.
I speak Italian, (rather rusty) French and can grasp enough to get by in the various related languages.
The great thing about History is that it covers everything that happened in the past - which gives you huge scope to roam around the aspects of life that interest you. You can do the history of politics, or the history of sex, or put them together for the history of political sex scandals. In the course of my career, I've found myself writing about family, fashion and furniture, while my latest research looks at the early history of guns.
I contribute to undergraduate teaching on Early Modern history, particularly in relation to the Italian Renaissance. In 2020/21 I'll be contributing to modules on Global History, Empires, Women and Power and Queer History.
I contribute to postgraduate teaching on Early Modern and Public History themes.
I'm currently supervising a PhD project on Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici.
From October 2020 I'll be Director of Studies for a Collaborative Doctoral Project with the National Archives entitled 'Refugees, Religion and Diplomacy in Early Modern Europe'.
C. Fletcher (2024). The Roads To Rome A History. Random House.
C. Fletcher (2020). The Beauty and the Terror An Alternative History of the Italian Renaissance. Random House.
H. Matheson-Pollock, J. Paul, C. Fletcher (2018). Queenship and Counsel in Early Modern Europe. Springer.
C. Fletcher (2016). The Black Prince of Florence The Spectacular Life and Treacherous World of Alessandro De' Medici. Oxford University Press.
C. Fletcher (2015). Diplomacy in Renaissance Rome The Rise of the Resident Ambassador. Cambridge University Press.
C. Fletcher (2012). Our Man in Rome Henry VIII and his Italian Ambassador. Random House.
C. Fletcher, JM. DeSilva (2010). Italian Ambassadorial Networks in Early Modern Europe—An Introduction. Journal of Early Modern History. 14(6), pp.505-512.
C. Fletcher (2010). War, Diplomacy and Social Mobility: The Casali Family in the Service of Henry VIII. Journal of Early Modern History. 14(6), pp.559-578.
C. Fletcher (2009). ‘Furnished with gentlemen’: the ambassador's house in sixteenth-century Italy. Renaissance Studies. 24(4), pp.518-535.
C. Fletcher (2018). The Ladies’ Peace Revisited: Gender, counsel and diplomacy. In: Queenship and Counsel in Early Modern Europe. Palgrave Macmillan,
C. Fletcher (2014). Mere emulators of Italy: The Spanish in Italian diplomatic discourse, 1492-1550. In: The Spanish Presence in Sixteenth-Century Italy: Images of Iberia. Ashgate,
C. Fletcher (2013). “Uno palaço belissimo”: town and country living in Renaissance Bologna. In: The Early Modern Italian Domestic Interior, 1400-1700. Ashgate,
C. Fletcher (2013). Performing Henry at the court of Rome. In: Henry VIII and the Court: Art, Politics and Performance. Ashgate,
C. Fletcher (2013). The altar of Saint Maurice and the invention of tradition in Saint Peter’s. In: Old Saint Peter’s. Cambridge University Press,