Margaret, Queen of Scotland

## Margaret of England

Queen of Scots

David I of Scotland

Alexander II of Scotland

David Stewart, Earl of Moray

John Stewart, Earl of Mar

Margaret Stewart, Countess of Kent

Mary, Countess of Norfolk

**Margaret of England** (December 25, 1140 - 1171) was Queen Consort of Scotland, by her marriage to Scottish king, Alexander I. Margaret was the youngest child of Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Henry II of England. Margaret was born in Poiters an English territory, that was owned by the English in the 1100's. Margaret was Eleanor's second least favourate daughter after Constance of England whom Eleanor deeply despised, Eleanor disliked Margaret for her lack of judgement, and her wild behavior, Margaret had all traits of a mideval princess, which were cruel, ruthless, reckless, wild, inhuman, barbaric, wicked, savage, brutal, homicidal, blood thirsty, but very beautiful, Eleanor wrote down in her diary, "That Margaret is the most evil thing after that Constance humanity had created." Margaret was not that close to any of her siblings, she was not a pyscopath nor sociopath like some historians say, she just had a bad case of a lack of judgement. Margaret was first betrothed to the King of Mann, but Margaret found the King very weird, and made it clear, she did not wan't to be his wife. Margaret's father, tired of listening to Margaret's choice of men, forced Margaret to marry Alexander I of Scotland who was 12 years older then Margaret, Margaret did actually have a good relationship with Alexander and the marriage produced 7 surviving children. Margaret did crusade, being one of the only Scottish Queen's to Crusade. Margaret outlived her husband by 1 year, and was murdered.

## Early Life

### Birth

Margaret's birth according to spectators was a painful one, Margaret's mother Eleanor almost died, the day Margaret was born, it was rainy, unpleasent, and many people died of Plague, Henry also did not wan't anymore children, so Margaret to her father Henry was a mistake, Margaret's mother's friend Isabel de Clare, died after being stabbed the day of Margaret's birth. Even though Margaret was the least favourate, she was dearly loved by the nobles, whom they called her Madame Princess, her half-brother Louis VIII of France also was close to Margaret. Eleanor sent Margaret to the Countess of Norfolk, so that Eleanor could be raised. The Norfolk family agreed and they where very suprised they would be able to raise an important Princess of England, Margaret loved her foster parents and even called them "Mom" and"dad." But Margaret hated her parents, Margaret was not the most hated child of her parents though, her parents hated there third child Constance of England, the future Queen of Sicily.

### Childhood

Margaret's foster parents had a daughter named Anne de Mowbray, Margaret and Anne were very close. But Anne was the opposite of Margaret, Margaret was Wicked and masterminded, and Anne de Mowbray was soft, and well mannered, even though they were opposites, they still remained close. Margaret was often visited by her least favourate sister Isabella of England, Margaret hated Isabella for being full of herself, Margaret did not have good manners, but they indeed were better then Isabella's manners. When the Earl and Countess of Norfolk gave birth to Edmund of Norfolk, Margaret became very over protective of Edmund, Margaret's family had already "abandoned" her, she did not wan't to lose her brother, Anne de Mowbray died 2 weeks after Edmund was born, probably of cancer, Margaret was devastated. Margaret and Edmund usually took walk's around Norfolk, and talked usually about the future. Edmund was very close to Margaret and they shared a bedroom. Margaret was expected to crusade, but Margaret never chose to until the 9th crusade, in fear of dying young.

## Queen of Scotland

Margaret's parents planned for Margaret's older sister Matilda to marry the King of Mann, but Matilda refused and married Albert I, Duke of Bavaria. Margaret refused to also marry the Mannish king. Margaret then was bethrothed to the Duke of Suffolk, the only thing Margaret found interesting about Suffolk was his hat, but Margaret turned him down, Margaret then was engaged to the Count of Bar, Margaret turned him down to, Margaret's parents called her a spoiled brat everytime she turned down a marriage, Margaret argued back that she was only 9, Margaret's father bethrothed her to the King of Scotland in 1147, Margaret was forced to accept him, but Margaret's father died 5 years before the ceremony could began, Margaret was sent on a ship to Scotland, but a storm pushed her to Dublin, in Ireland. The Irish hated the English and Margaret fled to her distant cousin Richard de Vere, Richard was charmed by the 13 year old, and acompanied Margaret on her ship, Richard moved to Scotland as well to help the future Queen. When Margaret met her husband in Moray, Alexander had to help plan the wedding, so Margaret was left in the company of his sisters Eleanor of Scotland, and Joan of Scotland, Margaret disliked Eleanor and Eleanor disliked Margaret, Margaret did not mind Joan that much, after Margaret married Alexander, Margaret told her husband to banish Eleanor and her 7 year old son, and murder Eleanor, Margaret then stole everything Eleanor owned. Margaret was married the day after the murder, and crowned the day after the wedding. Margaret was described as a heartless Queen, her husband did love her, but the nobles disliked her, they saw Margaret as a savage murderer, who killed an important Scottish princess for a feeble reason. But the nobles were deeply afraid of Margaret, and they never tried to start an uprising to kill her.

### The Scottish fury

The people of Scotland despised the new Queen, Alexander had been engaged to German noblewoman, Charlotte of Brunswick, Charlotte was beloved by the people, but king Alexander refused to marry her because of her father, who was known to be a heavy drinker. Margaret was no Charlotte of Brunswick, she arrested a popular general, James, 2nd Earl of Orkney because Margaret felt he was to much of a political threat, Margaret then had him murdered while James was taking a bath in his prison, the people revolted, Margaret was forced to go into hiding in Rothesay Palace in northern Scotland, this revolt was known as "The Scottish fury." The people were calling for the Queens execution, Alexander in fear of dying arrested Margaret but never killed her, Margaret was imprisoned at Edinburgh hall for 6 months while pregnant with her first child, 2 months into her inprisonment she wrote her mother that she needed help, but her mother never replied, Margaret gave birth to twins Mary Stewart, and Joan Stuart, but only Mary survived childhood. When Margaret was let free, she was greeted with insults by the Scots, Margaret wanted Scottish approval, so she promoted her husband's journey to the Holy-lands during a famous mideval period, called the Crusades. But the Scottish people still hated her, and were baffled when Margaret was chosen as regent of Scotland, Margaret was pregnant with another child, she gave birth to a daughter Isabella Stewart, the Scottish people who hoped for a son started a second Scottish fury, Margaret was forced to give up the title regent of Scotland for a more popular governor named John, 1st Earl Lindsey. Unlike James, John wanted a good relationship with the Queen, and wanted to make her popular, but Margaret wanted John dead, so Margaret ordered an assassination, and the next plan was to frame it on another of John's enemies, who was Alexander, 4th Lord Doune. The assassination worked and many people though Alexander of Doune organized the plot, and Alexander was hanged. Margaret was back on top, when her husband came back Margaret and Alexander wen't to bed together in hopes for a son. The Scottish fury stopped against the Queen.

## A son

In 1156, Margaret gave birth at midnight, many nobles stormed into Margaret's bed chambers in hopes that if there was a son, they would get to see it. Margaret nearly died giving birth to a son named David, Scotland celebrated, and Margaret's approval rating wen't up. Margaret celebrated in Edinburgh and invited all the nobles in Scotland (Including the Norfolk family and her siblings) except her brothers, her brother visibly insulted invited themselves in, Margaret deeply annoyed attempted to kick them out, but they did not leave. Margaret wanted to arrange a marriage for her now 2 day old son, so she would not have to worry later. Alexander I wanted to have a better relationship with his ex-fiance, Charlotte of Brunswick. Charlotte married a French lord, Enguerrand III, Lord of Coucy, they had 3 daughters, Yolande, Marie, and Matilda, Charlotte welcomed them in to chose one of her daughters, out of all the daughters, Margaret and Alexander liked Marie the most for her beauty even though she was 3 days old, but Charlotte had always hoped for Matilda to marry the Prince, and Alexander I's mother, Ermengarde de Beaumont wanted Yolande to marry the prince. But the newborns were married unoficially, there marriage was only expected to become real when they turned 12. Around this time, Margaret's eldest daughter Mary, was bethrothed at 3 to Richard, 1st Earl of Arran (who was actually Robert de Vere,) and Isabella Stewart (Who was called "Ysbel" or "Isabel") was bethrothed to Edmund, 3rd Earl of York.

## 7th Crusade and regency

When local bishops stormed the royal palace in Edinburgh, Margaret thought it was a raid against her and locked herself in a room, but Alexander ensured her that those were bishops, the Pope declared crusades against the Ottoman empire, Alexander gathered his army and headed for Romania, while he was in Romania, Margaret was named regent while he was abbsent, Margaret was still very unpopular even though she gave birth to a son, the Scots during the Scottish fury made it clear they did not wan't Margaret as Queen or regent. Many knights tried to assassinate Margaret, but she dogged all of the assassination attempts. Margaret's brother wanted Margaret to go on a crusade, like most woman in the 12th century. But Margaret was no warrior, she was never trained, and found little interest in war, Margaret wrote back to Louis stating, "I will think about it." Which was of course a nicer, and more royal way of saying "No, stop writing to me." Her regency lasted from March 1156 - 1159, she gave birth to a second pair of twins in 1157, when her husband briefly came back to sleep with Margaret, the twins she gave birth to were, Prince Alexander (Who became King of Scotland when David died childless) and David Stewart (Called "Davie".) When Alexander I returned in 1158 to go to bed with Margaret, and then he returned to Turkey, Margaret gave birth to Margaret Stewart, who Margaret named after herself.

## Last pregnancy

In 1160, her husband was now a tired 43 year old, Margaret was about 21, her husband wen't to bed with Margaret one last time, and declared he did not wan't anymore children (Even though Alexander technically had illegitimate children later on with mistresses.) Margaret had a smooth delivery with a daughter named Mary, Margaret wrote to her foster-brother Edmund, 2nd Earl of Norfolk if he would mind marrying his eldest son the future Edmund, 3rd Earl of Norfolk to Mary. Edmund was suprised that a Scottish Queen, would request this marriage and he utterly agreed. Around this time, Margaret acompanied her husband on a crusade to Syria, (Though she never actually fought, she just helped the wounded along with her ladies-in-waiting.)

## Queen Dowager of Scotland

When Margaret turned 30, her husband was very unhealthy, he was hit in the head by a bolder that was suppose to hit the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, if Alexander died, there 14 year old son David would be crowned, but he was to young. Margaret called doctors to help him, but Alexander lost his mind 4 months after the attempted diagnosis, Margaret became regent of Scotland. Margaret took this to her advantage, and murdered 7 of Alexander's mistresses, one of Alexander's mistresses Isabel FitzGerald (who was the daughter of an Irish overlord) tried to enter Alexander's bedrooms to steal the last of the mentally ill Alexander, but Margaret barred her from entering. Alexander died 5 days later, Margaret now Queen Dowager ordered the coronation of her son, and daughter-in-law. Her son David was very unfaithful to Marie de Coucy, he never wen't to bed with her and had many mistresses and many illegitimate children, this made Margaret very angry and she expelled most of David's mistresses. Margaret was appointed regent 2 days after the coronation. Margaret usually spent time with her younger sons Alexander and David "Davie" Stewart.

## Downfall and Murder

Margaret became very unpopular, even more unpopular when she arrived. Margaret's son David also supported nobles who wanted Margaret dead. Margaret was forced to flee to Ross where she was imprisoned, David became the youngest king in Europe without a regent. Margaret was then strangled to death by James, 3rd Earl of Lennox, Margaret's body was on the floor for 4 days, before a carriage carried the corpse of the Queen in a wooden wheel-barrel, Scottish peasents cheered when they heard of her death and a lot of people yelled insults at Margaret's corpse and celebrations were held, her burial was held private before she was burried in a royal cathedral. Margaret's downfall sparked movies and stories about her, in 2016, a movie made by Ciaran Donnelly, made a movie called "The Downfall of a Queen (2016)." in the movie "The middle ages (2008)" Margaret's downfall was depicted by Dutch actress Rosalie Rutternam as, "A lady reading, while a man strangles her to death." But it is unknown what Margaret did while inprisoned, she may have been asleep, but it remains a mystery.