   margaret beaufort (usually pronounced: , ; or , ), countess of richmond and derby (31 may 1443 â 29 june 1509) was the mother of king henry vii and paternal grandmother of king henry viii of england. she was a key figure in the wars of the roses and an influential matriarch of the house of tudor. she founded two prominent cambridge colleges; christ's college in 1505, and st john's college in 1511. ==early life== margaret was born at bletsoe castle, bedfordshire, on 31 may 1443 or 1441. the day and month are not disputed, as she required westminster abbey to celebrate her birthday on 31 may. the year of her birth is more uncertain. william dugdale, the 17th century antiquary, has suggested that she may have been born in 1441; this suggestion is based on evidence of inquisitions taken at the death of margaret's father. dugdale has been followed by a number of margaret's biographers; however, it is more likely that she was born in 1443, as in may 1443, her father had negotiated with the king about the wardship of his unborn child in case he died on a campaign.jones & underwood, 34. she was the daughter of margaret beauchamp of bletsoe and john beaufort, 1st duke of somerset. margaret's father was a great-grandson of king edward iii through his third-surviving son, john of gaunt, duke of lancaster. at the moment of her birth, margaret's father was preparing to go to france and lead an important military expedition for king henry vi. somerset negotiated with the king to ensure that, in case of his death, the rights to margaret's wardship and marriage would belong only to his wife. somerset fell out with the king after coming back from france, however, and he was banished from the court and about to be charged with treason. he died shortly afterwards. according to thomas basin, somerset died of illness, but the crowland chronicle rep
1443_births 1509_deaths 15th-century_English_people 15th-century_women 16th-century_English_people 16th-century_women Beaufort_family Burials_at_Westminster_Abbey Daughters_of_English_dukes English_Roman_Catholics English_countesses Founders_of_English_schools_and_colleges House_of_Tudor Ladies_of_the_Garter People_of_the_Wars_of_the_Roses Stanley_family_(English_aristocracy) Women_of_the_Tudor_period