Margaret of Scotland

(Margaret Aetheling)

1045–1093

ST. MARGARET RANSOMING POOR PRISONERS.

Saint Margaret was the queen of Malcolm III. Canmore king of Scotland, was the daughter of the English prince Edward, son of Edmund Ironside, and sister of Edgar Aetheling, and was probably born in Hungary. In 1067 the widow and children of Edward fled from Northumberland with a large number of followers and sought the protection of the Scottish king. The marriage of Malcolm and Margaret soon took place and was followed by several invasions of Northumberland by the Scottish king, probably in support of the claims of his brother-in-law Edgar. These, however, had little result beyond the devastation of the province. Far more important were the effects of this alliance upon the history of Scotland.

A considerable portion of the old Northumbrian kingdom had been reduced by the Scottish kings in the previous century, but up to this time the English population had little influence upon the ruling element of the kingdom. Malcolm's marriage undoubtedly improved the condition of the English to a great extent, and under Margaret's sons, Edgar, Alexander I. and David I., the Scottish court practically became anglicized. Margaret died on the 17th of November 1093, four days after her husband and her eldest son Edward, who were slain in an invasion of Northumberland. She rebuilt the monastery of Iona, and was canonized in 1251 on account of her great benefactions to the Church.

— From the 1911 Encyclopaedia Brittanica.

Key events during the life of Saint Margaret of Scotland:

Year	Event
1045	Birth of St. Margaret in Hungary.
1065	Margaret and her brother Edgar return from exile to claim English throne.
1066	Death of Margaret's uncle, Edward the Confessor.
1066	Throne of England assumed first by Harold Godwine, and then by William the Conqueror.
1067	Margaret and Edward flee England to the court Malcolm Canmore, the Scottish king.
1067	Marriage of Margaret to Malcolm Canmore.
1070	Malcolm leads a campaign into Northumbria in support of Edgar's claim.
	Margaret has highly civilizing influence on Malcolm's reign. Feeds poor, attends mass, etc.
1093	Death of Malcolm and his son at the Battle of Alne.
1093	Death of St. Margaret.

Other Resources

Story Links	Book Links
St Margaret of Scotland  in	Stories of the Saints  by  Grace Hall
St. Margaret of Scotland  in	The Book of Saints and Heroes  by  Mrs. Lang
Malcolm Canmore—Saint Margaret came to Scotlan  in	Scotland's Story  by  Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall
Saint Margaret of Scotland  in	Our Island Saints  by  Amy Steedman

Image Links
Although he could not read, he would examine her books, and kiss those which he liked best.  in The Book of Saints and Heroes	How St. margaret ransomed poor prisoners  in The Book of Saints and Heroes	One by one she fed each little orphan with her own golden spoon  in Our Island Saints

Contemporary	Short Biography
Edgar Aetheling	Brother of St. Margaret and rightful heir to the Saxon thone.
Malcolm Canmore	Long reigning King of Scotland, married St. Margaret, befriended Saxon exiles from Normans.
Maude the Good	Scottish wife of Henry I. Grandmother of Henry II. Patron and benefactor to poor of England.
Edward the Confessor	Last Saxon king of the Wessex line. Raised in Normandy, befriended William the Conqueror.
William the Conqueror	Claimed the crown of England and won it at the Battle of Hastings. Ruled forcefully but justly.