Charlotte Whatley

Charlotte Whatley is an Assistant Professor in the Department of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, specializing in medieval European legal practices and political legitimacy. Her research focuses on how legal rituals and property disputes shaped royal authority in England during the 13th and 14th centuries. She holds a Ph.D. from UW-Madison and has taught courses on medieval history, legal history, and the Vikings.

Education:

• M.A., University of Houston
• B.A., Randolph-Macon Woman’s College

Research Interests: Dr. Whatley examines the intersection of law, power, and political consensus in medieval England. Her work highlights how legal performances reinforced royal legitimacy through property disputes, particularly regarding advowson rights, and how these processes replaced martial violence with legal frameworks. She also studies the role of excommunication and ecclesiastical conflicts in shaping medieval governance.

Awards & Grants:

• Dana-Allen Dissertation Fellowship (2022-2023)
• Sandoway Graduate Writing Prize (2022)
• Law and Society Graduate Fellowship (2020-2022)
• Vagantes Prize for Best Paper (2021)

Teaching & Mentorship: Dr. Whatley has taught courses such as ‘History of Punishment,’ ‘Medieval Warfare,’ and ‘Felony and Society in Late Medieval England.’ She has also served as a teaching fellow and designed courses on the Vikings and the Crusades.

Professional Affiliations: Medieval Academy of America, American Society for Legal History.