Manteuffel studied medieval history in Poland, France, and Italy and later taught at Warsaw University, becoming a known medievalist before 1939.

During the Second World War, Manteuffel was an activist in the education and information section (Biuro Informacji i Propagandy Armii Krajowej) of the Polish Secret State in German-occupied Poland, where he contributed to and edited underground newspapers and leaflets (Wiadomości Polskie) [1] and from 1940 to 1944 he organized underground history seminars in the then-outlawed Warsaw University.

After the war, Manteuffel was active in rebuilding Warsaw University, where he organized the History Institute and its library.

He advocated the creation and clarification of historian code of ethics, warned about the dangers of misinterpreting and falsifications of history.

Manteuffel authored many articles and books, including Narodziny herezji (The Birth of Heresy) and Historia Powszechna.