Rachel Meredith Davis

Dr Rachel Meredith Davis is a Tutor at the University of the Highlands and Islands affiliated with the Centre for History. Her academic trajectory spans a BA in History from the University of North Carolina (2012), MSc in Medieval History from the University of Edinburgh (2014), and PhD from the University of Edinburgh (2020).

Educational background:

• BA in History (concentration: ancient/medieval history; interdisciplinary minor: medieval and early modern studies), University of North Carolina, 2012
• MSc in Medieval History, University of Edinburgh, 2014
• PhD, University of Edinburgh, 2020 (Thesis: 'Elite Women and Power in Late Medieval Scotland, 1296-1458')

Her research centers on gender, agency, and material culture in fourteenth- and fifteenth-century Scotland, examining how elite women constructed identities through seals and charters to access power. This interdisciplinary work bridges medieval history, gender studies, and material culture analysis with specific focus on Scottish political structures.

Publication trends reveal consistent exploration of elite women's experiences in late medieval Scotland, particularly their navigation of treason, imprisonment, and lineage display through documentary and material evidence. These studies collectively advance understanding of female agency within rigid medieval social frameworks.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Runner Up, Women's History Scotland 2020 Leah Leneman Prize for 'Lock Her Up! Elite Women, Treason, and Imprisonment in Late Medieval Scotland'
• Winner of the Murray Prize for History (2021) from the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland for 'Material evidence? Re-approaching elite women's seals and charters'

Dr Davis has contributed scholarly commentaries on Scottish seals for the Vetusta Monumenta digital edition project led by Noah Heringman (University of Missouri), representing the project's largest single contribution to date. No information is available regarding student advising or grant funding activities.