It is with great pleasure that I present the first issue of Spicilegium, an English online-journal of the Japan Society for Medieval European Studies (JSMES). The journal will be published once a year, and be open to contributions in all fields (history, literature, philosophy, art, music and other fields) studying Medieval Europe spanning from the fifth century to the fifteenth century.
I am extremely grateful to the members of the English journal working committee of JSMES for their five years of continuous effort to launch this journal, along with the starting editorial board members for their editorial work and review of submissions with particular note for the editor-in-chief Professor Shoichi Sato. I also gratefully acknowledge a generous donation from Mr. Isuna Hasekura and Mr. Nobuo Matsuki which made the launch of Spicilegium possible.
JSMES, founded on 1 April 2009, is devoted to medieval European studies in the broadest sense of the term, including Byzantine, Islamic, Late Antiquity and Early Modern studies. Its Japanese Journal Seiyo Chusei Kenkyu (Medieval European Studies), edited separately from Spicilegium and launched in 2009, is published annually and is received by all members of the Society. Membership is open to professional researchers, postgraduate students, and non-professional researchers.
This journal offers a new platform for the growing body of work on medieval Europe. I hope Spicilegium will be a strong base for worldwide discussion on medieval European studies.