A-LEVEL students at Stonyhurst College have been treated to a talk by Professor Jonathan Phillips, who is professor of crusading history at Royal Holloway College, University of London.

The presentation focused on his recent research into the life of Caffaro of Genoa.

Caffaro was the first layman to produce a narrative of the First Crusade.

He was responsible for the first urban history of the medieval age with his ‘Annals’ of Genoa.

A spokesman said: “Professor Phillips opened Cafarro’s writings with skill and, with the manner of his delivery, were a great advert for the history department at Royal Holloway.”