Image: A 1591 manuscript illustration showing James IV of Scotland (r. 1488-1513) and Margaret Tudor (1489-1541). Seton Armorial.
Margaret Tudor was the oldest of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York’s daughters, sister to Henry VIII and known for being a Scottish Queen. Back then, it was more preferable to have sons that could inherit the crown than daughters that would end up married off to some noble from abroad in a political match, as women were treated as toys to bargain around in the name of greater family wellness.
Margaret was no different. She was born on 28 November 1489 in the Palace of Westminster in London and was named after Margaret Beaufort, her grandmother and Tudor matriarch. Her father, and later on her brother, had trouble after trouble with his northern neighbours in Scotland but by 1497, somewhat of a truce occurred due to the Treaty of Ayton and a possible union between the Scottish King, James IV, and the English princess, Margaret Tudor, started to float around. That thought solidified on 24 January 1502, when both countries signed the Treaty of Perpetual Peace, which included the marriage of 11 year-old Margaret to almost 30 year-old James IV, changing her life path forever and leading to everyone at court calling her the “Queen of Scots” for the remainder of her time in England. King James IV honoured that future union by naming one of his warships Margaret after his bride-to-be.
A marriage by proxy followed a year later at Richmond Palace with the Earl of Bothwell representing James IV, officially making teenage Margaret Queen of Scotland. During mass, the Archbishop of Glasgow followed protocol asking her if she had come to the ceremony on her own free will, to which she complied, saying:
“I, Margaret, the first begotten daughter of the right excellent, right high and mighty Prince and Princess, Henry by the Grace of God, King of England, and Elizabeth, Queen of the same, wittingly and of deliberate mind having twelve years complete in age in the month of November last past, contract matrimony with the high and mighty Prince, James, King of Scotland unto and for my husband and spouse and all other for him forsake.”
Margaret said out loud what she was supposed to say but everyone involved knew well enough that she had no choice on the matter. A King was a King and that included her too. Daughters were raised to be obedient and do as they’re told; first by their parents and then by their husbands.
Around three months later, her older brother and heir to the throne, Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales, died at his home in Ludlow Castle, less than a year after his own wedding to Spanish Princess Katherine of Aragon, changing history forever. Too soon after this, in February 1503, Queen Elizabeth died during childbirth (the little baby, named Katherine, wouldn’t survive either), and Margaret must’ve felt devastated. In less than two years she had been married off to a much older King, she was set to leave everything she knew behind (forever, she may have thought), she had lost her brother, her baby sister and her mother. For a 13 year-old girl it must’ve been chaotic, painful and nerve-wrecking. In June of that same year, court left to hand her off at the border, arriving at Northamptonshire on 5 of July. That’s where Margaret bid farewell to her father and her grandmother (and namesake) and embarked on a thirty-three-day trek to have her safely delivered to what would be her new home and Kingdom.
King Henry VII, renown for his close-fisted ways, took this as a PR opportunity, making his daughter’s trip up south Scotland somewhat of a pompous spectacle to show England’s power and money. Music accompanied her every time she entered a city and her clothing was majestic, full of Beaufort and Tudor symbolism. Finally, on 1 of August, after weeks of travelling, parades, music and banquets, the Archbishop of Glasgow welcomed Margaret and her entire retinue on behalf of King James IV at Lamberton Kirk. On August 7th, Margaret and James himself entered together into Edinburgh to celebrate their public wedding the next day, at the Royal Palace of Holyroodhouse. Margaret was a few months shy of her fourteenth birthday. James had turned 30 that March.
It is believed that the pair didn’t consummate the marriage, probably due to Margaret’s tender age and James being well taken care of by all his mistresses. They did go on a tour around Scotland so that the Scottish people could meet their new Queen but also with the objective of informing said Queen about everything relating to her realm. When arriving at Stirling Castle, Margaret may have been completely shocked and blindsided when presented with all the illegitimate children James IV was keeping in its nursery but it might’ve also been a bit comforting to watch her husband be such an affectionate father to those kids, as someday her own kids would surely receive that same love or even more by him. Nonetheless, Margaret didn’t like the idea of having her husband’s bastards there, which prompted a hasty leave to Edinburgh.
After that, they kind of settled down, living a more or less peaceful life together, except for when James went to see one of his children, James Stewart, at Darnaway Castle, and spent time with his former lover and mother of the kid, Janet Kennedy. His frequent visits didn’t deter him from taking good care of his teenage wife, doting lots of gifts upon her and being quite affectionate. That could be the reason as to why she fell pregnant six times over their marriage.
The first birth took place at the beginning of 1507. It’s likely that they didn’t consummate for years, for her to conceive that far off the wedding ceremony. The baby was a boy that received the name of his half brother: James Stewart. The King, who finally found himself with a legitimate male heir, created him Prince of Scotland and Duke of Rothesay, and his birth was celebrated all over the country. Sadly, Margaret was not doing so well. Proving how much he loved his wife, James IV went on a long pilgrimage to St Ninian’s, to ask for her speedy recuperation. It worked. They say the Queen got immediately better the moment he got there. Baby James, though, wouldn’t make it past the first year, leaving a pregnant Margaret completely devastated. That new baby, a girl, wouldn’t live to see more than one day. In 1509 the monarchs conceived once again; this time a baby boy named Arthur in honour of Margaret’s late brother. That might’ve stained that infant’s fate because he wouldn’t survive either.
A second baby James would come earthside on 1512, and this one was destined to stick and grow and someday become King James V. Understandably so, James IV and Margaret quickly went in search of a spare, as odds weren’t in their favour after too many losses. Unfortunately, only eight months after James’ delivery, Margaret gave birth to a presumably premature little girl that died that same day.
By now, England was much different than when Margaret had left. Her dad had died, making her younger brother Henry King of England. Henry had married their sister in law, Katherine of Aragon, and was in a campaign in France. He had left his pregnant wife at home as regent and James IV took this as a once in a lifetime opportunity to attack England in a vulnerable position without their monarch there to defend it.
In Scotland, another Queen was expecting. Margaret found herself pregnant once again and was more than likely preoccupied about her husband going to war against her brother’s army. Her being upset and anxious might be the reason why she started to panic and say that if James IV fought England, he wouldn’t make it alive. He didn’t listen to her. Scotland had superior numbers so it’s safe to assume he thought it’d be easy to win. On 9th September 1513, the English and Scottish soldiers bravely fought at Flodden. James IV was killed right there and then, materialising Margaret’s premonition. A bloody piece of James’ coat was sent to Henry VIII to notify him of Katherine’s victory while her sister in law Margaret prepared herself to become a regent for her son, James, who hadn’t even turned two years old yet. She’d go on to deliver another baby boy named Alexander and would remain in her position as regent until her second marriage, in 1514, when, according to James IV’s will, Margaret would have lost all her privileges and rights over their children once she remarried.
But that’s a story you already know if you’ve read our post on 6th of August.
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