Trial test for measuring energy expenditure while carrying armour (jumping on a force platform). Photo EJ (2011).
About Daniel
I am an academic (established researcher - R3), P.hD in Medieval History (University of Geneva 2013), and a museologist (ICOM 2020). I specialise in embodied research and martial arts studies.
What people usually remember about me, is the armour. I have studied for 15 years how people in the late Middle Ages carried, fought and lived with it, from both a practical and scholarly point of view.
I work with objects, documents and embodied knowledge in both academic and patrimonial institutions. What I love doing most is sharing my research with a wider audience, including kids.
Apart from these professional activities, I also practice, teach and lecture about Historical European Martial Arts. I am involved in several non-profit associations for research, culture, or martial arts, as long as it doesn't draw me too much away from my two kids and beloved wife.
What they say about me and my research:
A medieval knight on the digital frontline. Sandy Evangelista (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, November 30, 2023)
En garde ! Le maniement des armes à travers les âge (museum exhibition review). Jean-Pierre Costille (Clionaute, January 12, 2020)
Shopping and taking the plane in armour (Faire ses courses et prendre l'avion en armure). Bernadette Arnaud (Science et Avenir, Novembre 8, 2017)
The historian living in his armour (L'historien qui vit en armure). Adria Budry (Le Temps, October 26, 2017)
New Study Busts the Myth That Knights Couldn't Move Well in Armor. Jennifer Ouellette (Gizmodo, July 3, 2016)
Is it possible to recreate a lost martial art from old training manuals? Kai Morgan (Budo Inochi, August 10, 2016)
Il change la vision de l'armure. Jean-Yves Gabbud (Le Nouvelliste, October 28, 2015)
Il a fait la course de l'Escalade en armure médiévale. Andrea Machalova (Tribune de Genève, December 21, 2013)
On video:
Here are few clips (8) where you can see what I do.
More of my educational short films about armour mobility displayed in museum exhibition are here
My videos total more than 5 millions views on Youtube
Interviews:
Taking the plane to New York, 2018. Learn more about it.
Special guest at CQFD [in French]. Stéphane Délétroz, Swiss National Radio (RTS, February 23, 2024)
A national treasure about to be digitised [in French]. Swiss National Radio (RTS, Cqfd, April 25, 2023).
Iron Men - Fashion in Steel #ArtAperitivo. Stefan Krause and Daniel Jaquet (Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Social Networks, June 7, 2022). Instagram.
Is there anything Daniel Jaquet can’t do in armour? Guy Windsor and Daniel Jaquet (The Sword Guy Podcast, May 13, 2022).
What was to be demonstrated - Knights in the Alps [in French]. Swiss National Radio (RTS, Cqfd, January 27, 2020).
Daniel Jaquet, medieval historian and cultural mediator [in French]. Swiss National Radio (RTS, La Matinale, April 2, 2018).
What was to be demonstrated - Fight like Middle Age warriors [in French]. Swiss National Radio (RTS, December 6, 2017).
Research
Current affiliation:
Researcher and project manager @ Laboratory for Experimental Museology, EPFL (Lausanne, CH) - since June’22.
Also, associated researcher @University of Bern (2023-4), and project manager for the commemoration of the Burgundian Wars (1476-2026, Canton of Fribourg and Vaud).
Previously senior researcher (research project coordinator) @ University of Bern (Bern, CH) - Oct’18-Dec’22.
Previously lecturer @ University of Neuchâtel (Neuchâtel, CH) - Sep’22-Jan’23
Previously Head of cultural mediation @ Castle of Morges, State Museum (Morges, CH) - Feb’17-April’21.
Previously associated researcher @ Centre for Renaissance Studies (University of Tours, FR) - Feb'17-Sept'18.
Previously senior lecturer of Medieval History @ University of Geneva - Feb'17-Sept'17.
Visiting scholar (postdoc fellowship of Swiss National Science Foundation) - Sept'15-16 - @ Max Planck Institute for History of Science (Berlin, DE), and - Sept '16-February'17 - @ Centre for Renaissance Studies (University of Tours, FR)
Background and interdisciplinary ventures
I'm a Medievalist, with a disciplinary background in History, Literature and Art History. I have completed my education with History of Science and Technology, Codicology and Material Culture. Most of my research projects are interdisciplinary, involving specialists of Material Culture, Movement Science or even, Cognitive Science. I’m currently exploring the wonders of Digital Humanities.
Area of research
Cultural and social history of violence/warfare
European Martial Arts studies
Embodied Knowledge and its Circulation
Manuscript and print studies
Visualisation technologies
Selected publications
See the complete list on my various research profiles (ORCID, Research Gate, Academia.edu) or download my CV
Founding member and co-editor
Acta Periodica Duellatorum
This journal founded in 2013 is intended as a scientific platform for displaying research on Historical European Martial Arts. It is international, peer-reviewed and advised by both an Advisory and Scientific Committee. It is Open Access (publication by De Gruyter Open) and following the highest standards of academic publishing.
Research blog Martial Culture
Exciting blog in relation to my research project “Martial Culture in Medieval Towns” (2018-2023)
This research blog started in 2019 with the support of two assistant editors. We have gathered there lots of resources, including marvels out of the archives and more than 60 contributions from colleagues about martial culture. It also includes reviews, video interview and Online content for the museum exhibition.
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Museums have the responsibility to deconstruct their historically situated assumptions, missions, metaphors, conventions and practices [...] however museums are still caught into different dichotomised narratives that are presented as objective “truths”.
Source: Carla Padró (museummediators.eu)
Hands on, demonstration, initiation
show and touch objects
explain and engage with participative methods
I have experience with targeted actions of cultural mediation with patrimonial or academic institutions. I really think that academics should use these opportunities more often to diffuse their work to a wider audience - usually restricted to closed circles of experts.
Engaging with the public is key for me to build a better understanding of the figure of the knight - his armour and his martial knowledge -, biased by broadly diffused misconceptions. Read more about this (blogpost The Medievalists, 2016).
Educational Short Films
Displayed in Museum exhibition, and free to view on YouTube (totalling 5 mio views)
Obstacle run in armour
Displayed in the exhibition "Armatus Corpus" (Military Museum, Castle of Morges, October-November 2016)
> 400’000 views on Youtube (with a pitch at 7 mio views)
Combattre en armure au XVe siècle
Displayed in the exhibition "L'Épée. Usages, mythes et symboles" (National Museum of the Middle Ages, Paris. April-September 2011).
> 3.5 mio views on Youtube
Can you move in armour?
Displayed in the exhibition "Armatus Corpus" (Military Museum, Castle of Morges, October-November 2016)
> 1.3 mio views on Youtube
Movement studies
Displayed in the exhibition Iron Men - Fashion in Steel (Kunsthistorisches Museum, Wien, March-June 2022)
> no data (on their website)
Curated museum exhibitions
I have curated or co-curated exhibitions on European martial arts. More is being planned!
I have contributed to exhibitions in Paris, Leeds, Vienna, Munich, New York, see my CV.
European Martial Arts. From Vulcan’s Forge to the Arts of Mars
Curators: Roberto Gotti, Daniel Jaquet and Iason Tzouriadis
Language: Russian and English
Minsk, Michael Savitsky Gallery, 01 May - 30 September 2019
The exhibition was part of the cultural program of the 2nd European Games 2019, with conferences and gala tournaments of Historical European Martial Arts. Learn more about it on the website, see also the exhibition catalogue.
En Garde! Le maniement des armes à travers les âges
Curator: Daniel Jaquet
Language: French and English
Morges, Château de Morges et ses Musées, 06 October 2019 - 30 May 2020
This exhibition included monthly HEMA demonstration by the Swiss Federation for Historical European Martial Arts (SWISS HEMA), as well as many interactive installations allowing the visitors to engage with both fight books and bladed weapon simulators. Learn more about it on the website, see also the exhibition catalogue (open access).
Alarm! Martial Culture in late Medieval Towns
Curators: Daniel Jaquet, Sandra Niccolidi, Regula Schmid
Language: French and German
Solothurn, Museum Altes Zeughaus, 15 October 2022 - 29 May 2023
This exhibition was set up in partnership with the research project at the University of Bern, entitled “Martial Culture in Medieval Towns”. It presents new insights about urban martial culture and includes interactive video installations, as well as Online content on our research blog. You’ll find an English companion volume (forthcoming September 2022).
Featuring in the exhibition Iron Men - Fashion in Steel
Curator: Stefan Krause
Wien, Kunsthistorisches Museum, 29 March - 26 June 2022
I happily took part in the project, as the armour which my replica is based on is kept in that museum. I could make educational videos (displayed in the exhibition), and promotional videos for social networks. They were highlights of the exhibition ;)
Education
I'm a teacher by vocation. I teach to
Children
Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.
Malala Yousafzai
Students
Lecturer (University of Geneva and Lausanne) 2007-2015. Details of academic teaching experience on my CV
Martial Artists
I teach and lecture about Historical European Martial Arts in Europe and in the United States, in national and international events for practitioners since 2007.
I'm also active in developing and promoting HEMA practices. I'm a founding member and chairman (2013-2016) of the International Federation for Historical European Martial Arts (IFHEMA)
