Alexander Crawford

Alexander Crawford is a Lecturer in History at Ave Maria University specializing in Scottish political structures during the High Middle Ages. His research centers on the Scottish comital milieux at the royal court during the Canmore Dynasty (1124-1286), with particular focus on political community dynamics and nobility relationships.

His primary research interests include:

• Scottish History
• Medieval History
• High Middle Ages
• Court History
• Political Community in 12-13th Century Scotland
• Nobility Studies

Dr. Crawford's scholarly work challenges traditional interpretations of factionalism in medieval Scottish politics. His research demonstrates that contemporary evidence reveals a more interconnected political society than previously understood, with significant overlap between seemingly exclusive social circles and purported factional groups. He argues that current historiography has misleadingly framed families like the Comyns within rigid factional conflicts.

His two major academic contributions examine the role of earls in the Scottish royal court and Comyn family politics. These works reveal that earls were generally infrequent court attendees except for solemn occasions, with a small minority of 'courtier earls' maintaining regular presence through personal connections to monarchs. His research identifies a significant shift around 1200 where courtier earls increasingly acquired positions through royal favor rather than inheritance.

Dr. Crawford's publications contribute substantially to reinterpreting medieval Scottish political structures, moving beyond simplistic factional models to understand the complex web of relationships that characterized political society during this period.