The eldest daughter of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York was a rebel. Her many love affairs caused her to come into conflict with her brother, Henry VIII. They also ruined her relationship with her son and her adopted country. Like her granddaughter, Mary, Queen of Scots, Princess Margaret liked men a little too much.
Margaret Tudor was born in 1489 and was Henry VIII’s older sister. She lived a grand life at Henry VII’s magnificent court and enjoyed beautiful clothes, dancing, music, and playing cards. Her marriage to the much older James IV, the King of Scotland, was arranged for her when she was very young.
Margaret Tudor’s Marriage to James IV
Princess Margaret married King James when she was only 14. Their relationship was romantically called an alliance between ‘The Thistle and the Rose’. The marriage was arranged in order to improve relations between England and Scotland, traditional enemies. The Scottish often formed alliances with France, which annoyed the English.
James was almost double her age and had had many mistresses, which did not impress the new Queen. Queen Margaret enjoyed the prestige of being the Queen of Scotland, but she found Scotland backward compared with England. She was not happy during her first years in Scotland.
The purpose of the marriage was not realised. James IV fell out with Henry VIII and invaded England in 1513. He was killed in the bloody battle of Flodden Field along with many of his men.
Margaret Tudor’s Life after James IV
After James IV died, Queen Margaret became the regent for her son, the future James V. However, her regency soon came to an end when she married Archibald Douglas, the Earl of Angus. He was called a ‘young, witless fool’ by his uncle!
Douglas supported the English which annoyed the Scots. Queen Margaret was deprived of her regency and the couple was sent into exile in England. Henry VIII had a troubled relationship with his imperious sister, but he came to the couple’s assistance because they were somewhat short of money.
In 1518 Queen Margaret wanted a divorce and asked her brother for help. He became very angry and refused to assist her because divorce was against the Catholic Church. She finally obtained a papal annulment in 1527. Henry VIII described this as a ‘shameful sentence’.
Margaret Tudor changed allegiances yet again after her annulment. She began supporting the French and married Henry Stuart, Lord Methven. He also supported the French.
She didn’t have a good relationship with her son, unfortunately, probably because of her many love affairs. He also disliked Henry VIII, and refused to meet him.
Margaret Tudor died in 1541. Her granddaughter, Mary, Queen of Scots, married Lord Darnley. He was the son of Margaret Douglas, who was the daughter of Margaret Tudor and Archibald Douglas.
Sources
- King Henry VIII & Margaret Tudor
- Margaret Tudor
Lisa Sanderson - Lisa has been a freelance-writer for many years. She used to write for the topic, British Social History, for Suite 101 under the ...
