Marianne Ailes' research interests are in Medieval French literature, including French literature of medieval England. She has a particular interest in the chansons de geste and early vernacular chronicles, focussing on crusade narratives. She is actively involved in editing and translating as well as interpretative studies. She is currently leading 'Charlemagne: A European Icon', a Leverhulme Trust funded international network project on the appropriation of Charlemagne material in different lingusitic cultures in the Middle Ages. This followed a collaborative project on Charlemagne in England with Phillipa Hardman (Dept of English, University of Reading). She is also currently working on a monograph project on 'Tolerating the Other in Old French epic texts'.