Thomas Foerster studied at Heidelberg University where he was awarded his PhD in 2008 and has since worked in different postdoctoral positions in Bergen, Paris, and Erlangen. He is author of 'Conquest and Political Culture: Hohenstaufen Sicily and Capetian Normandy, c.1185-1215' (forthcoming) and 'Vergleich und Identität: Selbst- und Fremddeutung im Norden des hochmittelalterlichen Europa' (2009). Stefan Burkhardt studied at Heidelberg University where he was awarded his PhD in 2006. He is currently Associate Professor at Heidelberg University and Research fellow at Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. His publications include ’Mediterranes Kaisertum und imperiale Ordnungen. Das lateinische Kaiserreich von Konstantinopel’ (forthcoming) and ’Mit Stab und Schwert. Bilder, Träger und Funktionen erzbischöflicher Herrschaft zur Zeit Kaiser Friedrich Barbarossas. Die Erzbistümer Köln und Mainz im Vergleich’ (2008).