Coordinator: Charalambos Gasparis
Team members: Angeliki Panopoulou, Marina Koumanoudi, Kostas Tsiknakis, Antonis Pardos, Nikos G. Moschonas (research director emeritus)
External Research Associates: Kostas Lambrinos

The programme ''Byzantium and the West'' took form in 1996, inspired by its first coordinator, emeritus now, IBR Researcher N. G. Moschonas. The purpose of the programme is to study the relations between the Byzantine world and the peoples of Western Europe, especially after the decisive year 1204 and the fall of Constantinople to the Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade; a period during which Latin lords and Italian city-states established long-lasting states in the former lands of the Byzantine Empire. The programme's research activity aims to contribute to the in-depth understanding of the multilateral relations between the two oblique-facing worlds of medieval Europe (wars, diplomatic, economic, cultural relations, the establishment of the Latins in the Greek lands and that of Greeks in Western Europe), as well as to the study of the history of the Latin states in the Greek area through the late 16th century.

The main objectives of the programme ''Byzantium and the West'' are:

1. To conduct research in archives and libraries in Greece and abroad.
2. To publish historical sources.
3. To disseminate the research results by way of research projects, scientific publications, conferences, lectures and seminars (Historical Sciences' Seminar).

Publications
1. Ch. Gasparis, H γη και οι αγρότες στη μεσαιωνική Kρήτη. 13ος-14ος αι. [The land and the Peasants in Medieval Crete], Athens 1997 (in Greek).
2. Ανδρέας Αμάραντος. Νοταριακές πράξεις. Αράκλι Κεφαλονιάς (1548-1562) [Andreas Amarandos. Notarial Acts. Arakli Cefalonia (1548-1562)], ed. by. Ch. Vagionakis - Olga Katsivela - Despoina Michalaga - Vasso Belavjeni - M. Bletas, under the direction of N. G. Moschonas, Athens 2001 (in Greek).
3. Κύπρος: σταυροδρόμι της Μεσογείου [Cyprus: Mediterranean Crossroad], ed. by N. G. Moschonas, Athens 2001 (in Greek).
4. Χρήμα και Αγορά στην εποχή των Παλαιολόγων [Money and Market in the Palaeologan Era], Proceedings of the International Scientific Symposium organised by the Programme ''Byzantium and the West, Chalkis, 22-24 May 1998, ed. by N. G. Moschonas, Athens 2003 (articles in Greek-English-French-Italian).
5. Ch. Gasparis, Catastici Feudorum Crete. Catasticum Sexterii Dorsoduri. 1227-1428, v. 1-2, Athens 2004 (Greek introduction, text in Latin with Greek summary).
6. Ch. Gasparis, Catastici Feudorum Crete. Catasticum Chanee. 1314-1396, Athens 2008 (Greek introduction, text in Latin with Greek summary, English summary).
7. G. Pagratis, Οι εκθέσεις των Βενετών βαΐλων και προνοητών της Κέρκυρας (16ος αιώνας) [The Reports of the Venetian Baili and Provveditori of Corfu (16th c.)], Athens 2008 (Greek introduction, text in Italian, English summary).
8. Νικόλαος Καπιάνος, Νοταριακές πράξεις. Κάστρο Κεφαλονιάς (1572-1576) [Nikolaos Kapianos, Notarial Acts, Castle of Cefalonia (1571-1576)], ed. by. Ch. Vagionakis - Despoina Michalaga - M. Bletas, under the direction of N. G. Moschonas, Athens 2001, Athens 2008 (in Greek).
9. Η Τέταρτη Σταυροφορία και ο ελληνικός κόσμος [The Fourth Crusade and the Greek World], ed. by N. G. Moschonas, Athens (in Greek).
10. Οι ναυτικές Πoλιτείες της Ιταλίας, Αμάλφη, Πίζα, Γένουα, Βενετία και η Ανατολική Μεσόγειος [The Italian Maritime Republics, Amalfi, Pisa, Genoa, Venice and the Eastern Mediterranean], ed. by N. G. Moschonas, Athens 2008 (articles in Greek and Italian).
11. K. G. Tsiknakis, Οι εκθέσεις των Βενετών προνοητών της Κεφαλονιάς (16ος αιώνας) [The Reports of the Venetian Provveditori of Cefalonia (16th c.)], Athens 2008 (Greek introduction, text in Italian with Greek summary, Italian summary).
12. Το δουκάτο του Αιγαίου [The Duchy of the Aegean], Proceedings of the International Meeting (Naxos-Athens 2007), ed. by N. G. Moschonas - M-G Lily Stylianoudi, Athens 2009 (articles in Greek and Italian).

Conferences
1. International Scientific Symposium: ''Χρήμα και Αγορά στην εποχή των Παλαιολόγων'' [''Money and Market in the Palaeologan Era''], Chalkis, 22-24 May 1998.
2. International Scientific Symposium: ''Το Δουκάτο των Αθηνών. 1204-1456/8'' [''The Duchy of Athens. 1204-1456/8''], Athens, November 2006 (in collaboration with the Italian Institute of Athens and the Cervantes Institute of Athens).
3. Greco-Italian Scientific Meeting: ''Βυζαντινή και ιταλική ζωγραφική, δρόμοι και συναντήσεις. Από τις Σταυροφορίες έως την πτώση του Χάνδακα (1096-1669)'' [''Byzantine and Italian Painting, Paths and Encounters. From the Crusades to the Fall of Candia (1096-1669)''], Athens, November 2006 (in collaboration with the Institute of Neo-hellenic Research programme ''Greek Painters after the Fall of Constantinople'').
4. International Scientific Meeting: ''Το δουκάτο του Αιγαίου'' [''The Duchy of the Aegean''], Naxos, July 2007 - Athens, November 2007 (in collaboration with the Centre of Research of the Greek Society of the Academy of Athens and the cultural organisation ''Αιών'' of Naxos).
5. International Scientific Symposium: ''Ταβέρνες και πανδοχεία στον χώρο της Μεσογείου κατά τον όψιμο Μεσαίωνα (12ος-16ος αι.)'' [''Taverns and Inns in the Mediterranean during the Late Middle Ages (12th-16th c.)''], Athens, April 2008.
6. International Scientific Meeting: ''Formes des autonomies urbaines dans le monde greco-latin des XIIIe-XVIe siecles'', Athens, May 2009 (in collaboration with the French Archaeological School of Athens).

''Society of Science'', Special Educational Events, Lecture Series held at the NHRF
1. Κύπρος, σταυροδρόμι της Μεσογείου [Cyprus: Mediterranean Crossroad] (February 2000).
2. Το ενδιαφέρον των Ευρωπαίων για την Κύπρο και ο ευρωπαϊκός προσανατολισμός των Κυπρίων [European Interest in Cyprus and the European orientation of Cypriots] (December 2002).
3. Η Τέταρτη Σταυροφορία και ο βυζαντινός κόσμος [The Fourth Crusade and the Byzantine World] (March 2004).
4. Οι ναυτικές Πολιτείες της Ιταλίας (Αμάλφη, Πίζα, Γένουα, Βενετία) και ο ρόλος τους στην Ανατολική Μεσόγειο [The Italian Maritime States (Amalfi, Pisa, Genoa, Venice) and their Role in the Eastern Mediterranean] (May-June 2005).

Historical Sciences Seminar
The Historical Sciences Seminar offered every academic year since 1987 is addressed to graduate and postgraduate students (members of the general public also accepted), who wish to acquire the necessary special skills for historical research. The following courses are available: Theory and Methodology of History, Archival Science, Latin Paleography, Epigraphic Studies, Papyrology, Codicology, Numismatics, Sigillography, Diplomatics, Chronological Systems, Byzantine Ceramic, Introduction to Cartography, Heraldry, Ancient Greek Religion , Greek Mythology Geography, Byzantine Texts, Medieval History Archival Sources, Approaching the Western Middle Ages, Architectural Archives, Modern-Greek Enlightenment. The courses are taught by IBR researchers, academics and other specialists.
The activities of the Seminar up to 2007 are recorded in a 20th anniversary volume. See Φροντιστήριο Ιστορικών Επιστημών. Απολογισμός εικοσαετίας 1987-2007 [Historical Sciences' Seminar. 1987-2007, 20 year Report], Athens 2008 (in Greek).

Research project: ''Dictionary of Paleographic and Diplomatic Terminology''
The Research project was planned and materialized by emeritus IBR Researcher N. G. Moschonas and the late Director of the Royal Holloway Hellenic Institute (University of London) Julian Chrysostomides in collaboration with Dr Ch. Dendrinos. The project is currently under way and, following the passing of Julian Chrysostomides, coordinated by N. G. Moschonas and Ch. Dendrinos, Lecturer in Byzantine Literature and Greek Palaeography at the Department of History of the Royal Holloway, University of London. Young researchers in Athens and London collaborate in the project.