Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Margaret (1240-1275)
MARGARET (1240–1275), queen of Scots, was the eldest daughter and second child of Henry III of England and of his queen, Eleanor of Provence. She was born on 5 Oct. 1240 (Green, Princesses, ii. 171, from Liberate Rolls; Flores Hist. ii. 239; cf. Matt. Paris, Hist. Major, iv. 48, and Tewkesbury Annals in Ann. Monastici, i. 116). The date of her birth is given very variously by different chroniclers, while others get some years wrong through confusing her with her younger sister, Beatrice, born in Aquitaine in 1243 (Winchester Annals in Ann. Mon. ii. 89; Osney Annals and Wykes in ib. iv. 90). Sandford's statement that she was born in 1241 is incorrect (Genealogical History, p. 93). She was born at Windsor, where the early years of her life were passed along with her brother Edward, who was a year older, and the daughter of the Earl of Lincoln. She was named Margaret from her aunt, Queen Margaret of France, and because her mother in the pangs of child-birth had invoked the aid of St. Margaret (Matt. Paris, iv. 48). On 27 Nov. a royal writ ordered the payment of ten marks to her custodians, Bartholomew Peche and Geoffrey de Caux (Cal. Doc. Scotland, 1108-1272, No. 1507). She was not two years old when a marriage was suggested between her and Alexander, the infant son of Alexander II, king of Scots, born in 1241 (Matt. Paris, Hist. Major, iv. 192). Two years later there was a fresh outburst of hostilities between her father and the king of Scots; but the treaty of Newcastle, on 13 Aug. 1244, restored peace between England and Scotland (Fœdera, i. 257). As a result it was arranged that the marriage already spoken of should take place when the children were old enough. Margaret was meanwhile brought up carefully and piously and somewhat frugally at home, with the result that she afterwards fully shared the strong family affection that united all the members of Henry III's family.
In 1249 the death of Alexander II made Margaret's betrothed husband Alexander III of Scotland. Political reasons urged upon both countries the hurrying on of the mar- riage between the children, and on 20 Dec. 1251 Alexander and Margaret were married at York by Archbishop Walter Grey of York. There had been elaborate preparations for the wedding, which was attended by a thousand English and six hundred Scottish knights, and so vast a throng of people that the ceremony was performed secretly and in the early morning to avoid the crowd. Enormous sums were lavished on the entertainments, and vast masses of food were consumed (Matt. Paris, v. 266-270; cf. Cal Doc. Scotland, 1108-1272, Nos. 1815-46). Next day Henry bound himself to pay Alexander five thousand marks as the marriage portion of his daughter.
The first years of Margaret's residence in Scotland were solitary and unhappy. She was put under the charge of Robert le Norrey and Stephen Bausan, while the widowed Matilda de Cantelupe acted as her governess (Matt. Paris, v. 272). The violent Geoffrey of Langley was for a time associated with her guardianship (ib. v. 340). But in 1252 the Scots removed Langley from his office and sent him back to England. The regents of Scotland, conspicuous among whom were the guardians of the king and queen, Robert de Ros and John Baliol, treated her unkindly, and she seems to have been looked upon with suspicion as a representative of English influence. Rumours of her misfortunes reached England, and an effort to induce the Scots to allow her to visit England proving unsuccessful, Queen Eleanor sent in 1255 a famous physician, Reginald of Bath, to inquire into her health and condition. Reginald found the queen pale and agitated, and full of complaints against her guardians. He indiscreetly expressed his indignation in public, and soon afterwards died suddenly, apparently of poison (ib. v. 501). Henry, who was very angry, now sent Richard, earl of Gloucester, and John Mansel to make inquiries (ib. v. 504). Their vigorous action released Margaret from her solitary confinement in Edinburgh Castle, provided her with a proper household, and allowed her to enjoy the society of her husband. A political revolution followed. Henry and Eleanor now met their son-in-law and daughter at Wark, and visited them at Roxburgh (Burton Annals in Ann. Mon. i. 337 ; Dunstaple Annals, p. 198). Margaret remained a short time with her mother at Wark. English influence was restored, and Ros and Baliol were deprived of their estates.
Early in 1256 Margaret received a visit from her brother Edward. In August of the same year Margaret and Alexander at last ventured to revisit England, to Margaret's great joy. They were at Woodstock for the festivities of the Feast of the Assumption on 15 Aug. (Matt. Paris, v. 573), and, proceeding to London, were sumptuously entertained by John Mansel. On their return the Scottish magnates again put them under restraint, complaining of their promotion of foreigners (ib. v. 656). They mostly lived now at Roxburgh. About 1260 Alexander and Margaret first really obtained freedom of action. In that year they again visited England, Margaret reaching London some time after her husband, and escorted by Bishop Henry of Whithorn (Flores Hist. ii. 459). She kept Christmas at Windsor, where on 28 Feb. 1261 she gave birth to her eldest child and daughter Margaret (ib. ii. 463 ; Fordun, i. 299). The Scots were angry that the child should be born out of the kingdom and at the queen's concealment from them of the prospect of her confinement. Three years later her eldest son, Alexander, was born on 21 Dec. 1264 at Jedburgh (Fordun, i. 300 ; cf. Lanercost Chronicle, p. 81). A second son, named David, was born in 1270.
In 1266, or more probably later, Margaret was visited at Haddington by her brother Edward to bid farewell before his departure to the Holy Land (Lanercost Chronicle, p. 81). In 1268 she and her husband again attended Henry's court. She was very anxious for the safety of her brother Edward during his absence on crusade, and deeply lamented her father's death in 1272 (ib. p. 95). Edward had left with her a 'pompous squire,' who boasted that he had slain Simon de Montfort at Evesham. About 1273 Margaret, when walking on the banks of the Tay, suggested to one of her ladies that she should push the squire into the river as he was stooping down to wash his hands. It was apparently meant as a practical joke, but the squire, sucked in by an eddy, was drowned ; and the narrator, who has no blame for the queen, saw in his death God's vengeance on the murderer of Montfort (ib. p. 95). On 19 Aug. 1274 Margaret with her husband attended Edward I's coronation at Westminster. She died soon after at Cupar Castle (Fordun, i. 305) on 27 Feb. 1275, and was buried at Dunfermline. The so-called chronicler of Lanercost (really a Franciscan of Carlisle), who had his information from her confessor, speaks of her in the warmest terms. 'She was a lady,' he says, 'of great beauty, chastity, and humility three qualities which are rarely found together in the same person.' She was a good friend of the friars, and on her deathbed received the last sacraments from her confessor, a Franciscan, while she refused to admit into her chamber the great bishops and abbots (Lanercost Chron. p. 97).
[Matthew Paris's Historia Major, vols. iv. and v.; Flores Historiarum, vols. ii. and iii.; Luard's Annales Monastici (all in Rolls Series); Chronicle of Lanercost (Bannatyne Club); Calendar of Documents relating to Scotland; Rymer's Fœdera, vol. i.; Fordun's Chronicle; Sandford's Genealogical History, p. 93; Robertson's Scotland under her Early Kings, vol. ii. An excellent biography of Margaret is in Mrs. Green's Lives of the Princesses of England, ii. 170-224.]