Alexander II of Scotland

King of Scotland

Yolande of Dreux

(His death)

Margaret, Countess of Kendal

David, Earl of Garioch

Mary of Scotland

**Alexander II of Scotland** (C. 1158 - 1201) was King of Scotland after succeeding his childless brother David I of Scotland, he was the son of Alexander I of Scotland and his Queen, Margaret of England. Alexander was first married to Margaret Drummond, who was the daughter of a rich Scottish Noble-family, Alexander's older brother died in battle while fighting the English, Alexander and Margaret were crowned King and Queen of Scotland. Alexander's wife died childless, and Alexander was free to remarry, he considered Ermengarde de Beaumont, but Alexander wanted to re-enstate the Scottish-Franco Alliance, so he married the daughter of the Count of Montfort, Yolande of Dreux. The union formed 5 children, Robert, Isabella, Margaret, David, and Mary, Alexander died after falling off his horse in a jousting accident, his wife Yolande was heart-broken and wen't mad after his death

## Early Life

### Birth

Alexander was born in 1158, as the 4th child of Margaret of England and Alexander I of Scotland, his mother was a very unpopular woman, as she was English, and the Scottish hated the English because of the fight over land, and nobles attempted to assainate Margaret twice, but she survived. 5 days after his birth, his father brought him to Ross, to be raised by Lady Eleanor Gower, who was an Irish born- Scottish noble.

### Childhood

Alexander was never suppose to become King, he had an older brother named David who was suppose to inherit Scotland, Alexander was granted the Earldom of Fife when he was 7 to make up for not being heir like his other younger brothers. Alexander was an unusually handsome Prince, and inherited a lot of his looks from his father Alexander I. He was tutored by Ricarde l'Aigle, who was a Franco-Scottish noble. Ricarde was a strict tutor, he was abusive to Alexander's older brother David and was not afraid to cut both boys on there body, whenever one of the boy's misbehaved, he would cut them with a blade until enough blood spills out, and then the boys would be hit with rods until they bleed and then finally locked into rooms without food for 2 days. Alexander's mother wished Ricarde would stop abusing Alexander, but Margaret was only a consort and had no power over his education. Alexander was close to his brothers, but not his sisters, he envied them because Ricarde was a lot nicer to them, in fact Ricarde never got mad at his sisters and had affairs with them all the time.

### Heir to Scotland

In 1170, Alexander's father died of head truama, and Alexander's childless brother succeeded him, Alexander was the official heir to the Scottish throne, a year later Margaret was murdered by Alexander's cousin James. Alexander was devastated, but his his devastation to applease the Scots. David had no interest in concieving an heir, and wrote a will stating Alexander, 1st Earl of Fife, should succeed him. Alexander in prepration married Margaret Drummond, a Scottish Noble. A few years later, David died in battle, and Alexander succeeded him. His first order was to have David's wife Marie de Coucy, murdered so Alexander could make way for his own Queen. Marie de Coucy was stabbed in the chest. And buried without a pomp.

## King of Scotland

Alexander was crowned following the death of King David, he crowned his Queen as well. But he did not treat his wife like a Queen, he was more attracted to Margaret's ladies-in-waiting and never bothered to get his wife pregnant. Though Alexander never had any illegitimate children, he still found many woman of the household attractive. Alexander was not a popular king, nor well liked, he wanted to make peace with the current King of England, King John, but the Scottish dreamed of invading England. But Alexander was no where near a warrior King, he only cared about Woman, and drinking which earned him a terrible reputation.

## Second Marriage

Alexander grew tired of his wife, though Margaret was a faithful Queen, Alexander was a savage murderer, he wanted to annul the marriage, but he soon found a better idea, instead Alexander strangled his wife, when she managed to survive because she had her hands between the rope on her neck, Alexander forced Margaret in a bag, and drowned her into bloody water, when she died Alexander buried her without a pomp, he fir st thought was to marry for a political marriage, but then he fell in love with Yolande de Dreux, who was also in love with him. He married her the day after his wifes murder, and crowned her with a crown made just for her. Surprisingly Yolande was a very popular Queen, and out shined her husband with her charity, but Alexander still kept his Queen, despite her being way more popular.

## First Child

Alexander's popularity started to grow when he wen't to war against the English king John, who was trying to take Edinburgh, but he left his pregnant wife in charge of the regency council of Scotland. He was in York fighting John's more advanced army when his wife gave birth to a son - Robert of Scotland, just when Alexander stole a lot of money from the English, he wen't home with a lot of money, as the scots cheered the king. Robert was named heir to the throne as he was a son, a daughter would have been named heiress presumptive to the Scottish throne, as a son could have out-ranked her in the line of the Scottish succession. Alexander wen't on to have a lot more children.

## 15th Crusade

Alexander decided to work with the Pope to start the 15th Crusade, the 14th one ended in failure and it was clear it was a defeat. Alexander worked together to also refuse Ireland to be allowed to crusade, but Alexander worked on allowing Wales into the crusades, which worked. Alexander wen't with his wife, and left his younger brother, John Stewart, Earl of Mar, to act as regent while Alexander was on crusade. Alexander helped the Crown Prince of Cyprus retake western Cyprciot lands, but northern Cyprus was still in Ottoman control. Alexander's army was crushed by the Turkish force, and he was forced to ally himself with the Duchy of Pomerania, which had a fairly good army for some armymen, Alexander failed to under-stand his new Armymen who spoke German, Polish, and Danish, and Alexander only new Gaelic and English. Nevertheless they were victorious in the battle of Octoae and ceased the Syrian treasury, though no body actually won the crusade, both sides at least stole something.

## Death

Alexander caught malaria after spending a night with his wife in the center garden, Alexander at first did not know he had Malaria, he continued to do things that worsened his Malaria, his 4th son David, Earl of Garioch had also caught Malaria and died 6 days before Alexander, leaving his own son Robert, who became 2nd Earl of Garioch and later Mar. Alexander died the next morning after drinking 6 cups of wine to attempt to cure his malaria.