Margaret of Scotland (Queen of Norway)
Encyclopedia
Margaret of Scotland (Old Norse: Margrét Alexandersdóttir; Norwegian
: Margrete Alexandersdotter; Scottish Gaelic: Maighread Nic Rìgh Alasdair) was Queen consort of Norway
and wife of King Eric II of Norway.
, the daughter of King Alexander III of Scotland
and his first wife, Margaret of England
. Margaret came to Norway at 20 years of age to marry the 13 year old king Eric Magnusson. Eric became king of Norway on 9 May 1280. A marriage contract was signed in royal burgh of Roxburgh
on 25 July 1281. The treaty also included a provision for the children of Margaret and Eric to succeed to throne of the kingdom of the Scots. Margaret's dowry was set at 14,000 marks sterling. The year after the wedding was held in Bergen, Norway when Margaret was also crowned queen.
The marriage between Margaret and Eric stands out as a typical marriage of political note. It would reconcile and resolve the Scottish-Norwegian antagonisms that had developed since 1266 resulting from the terms of the Treaty of Perth
. Under the treaty, Norway had given up the Hebrides
and the Isle of Man
to Scotland
, in return for a lump sum of 4000 marks and an annuity of 100 marks. Scotland also confirmed Norwegian sovereignty over Shetland and Orkney Islands
.
Queen Margaret died in Tønsberg
, during or shortly after giving birth to Margaret, Maid of Norway
, who would become queen regnant
of the Kingdom of Scotland
upon the death of her grandfather, King Alexander III on 19 March 1286.
Queen Margaret was buried in the Old Cathedral on Holmen
in Bergen. This cathedral was demolished in 1531. The site, in present day Bergenhus Fortress
, is marked by a memorial.
by John of Fordun
. The date of the death of Queen Margaret is given as 9 April 1283 in the Chronica Gentis Scotorum, but the Chronicle of Lanercost states her death to have been 27/28 February 1283.
Norwegian language
Norwegian is a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Norway, where it is the official language. Together with Swedish and Danish, Norwegian forms a continuum of more or less mutually intelligible local and regional variants .These Scandinavian languages together with the Faroese language...
: Margrete Alexandersdotter; Scottish Gaelic: Maighread Nic Rìgh Alasdair) was Queen consort of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and wife of King Eric II of Norway.
Biography
She was born at Windsor CastleWindsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
, the daughter of King Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
and his first wife, Margaret of England
Margaret of England
Margaret of England was a medieval English princess who became Queen of Scots. A daughter of the Plantagenet king Henry III of England and his queen, Eleanor of Provence, she was Queen consort to Alexander III "the Glorious", King of the Scots.- Family :She was the second child of Henry III of...
. Margaret came to Norway at 20 years of age to marry the 13 year old king Eric Magnusson. Eric became king of Norway on 9 May 1280. A marriage contract was signed in royal burgh of Roxburgh
Roxburgh
Roxburgh , also known as Rosbroch, is a village, civil parish and now-destroyed royal burgh. It was an important trading burgh in High Medieval to early modern Scotland...
on 25 July 1281. The treaty also included a provision for the children of Margaret and Eric to succeed to throne of the kingdom of the Scots. Margaret's dowry was set at 14,000 marks sterling. The year after the wedding was held in Bergen, Norway when Margaret was also crowned queen.
The marriage between Margaret and Eric stands out as a typical marriage of political note. It would reconcile and resolve the Scottish-Norwegian antagonisms that had developed since 1266 resulting from the terms of the Treaty of Perth
Treaty of Perth
The Treaty of Perth, 1266, ended military conflict between Norway, under King Magnus VI of Norway, and Scotland, under King Alexander III, over the sovereignty of the Hebrides and the Isle of Man....
. Under the treaty, Norway had given up the Hebrides
Hebrides
The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
and the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, in return for a lump sum of 4000 marks and an annuity of 100 marks. Scotland also confirmed Norwegian sovereignty over Shetland and Orkney Islands
Orkney Islands
Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands , is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated north of the coast of Caithness...
.
Queen Margaret died in Tønsberg
Tønsberg
is a city and municipality in Vestfold county, southern Norway, located around north-east of Sandefjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tønsberg....
, during or shortly after giving birth to Margaret, Maid of Norway
Margaret, Maid of Norway
Margaret , usually known as the Maid of Norway , sometimes known as Margaret of Scotland , was a Norwegian princess who was Queen of Scots from 1286 until her death...
, who would become queen regnant
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
of the Kingdom of Scotland
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
upon the death of her grandfather, King Alexander III on 19 March 1286.
Queen Margaret was buried in the Old Cathedral on Holmen
Christ Church, Bergen
Christ Church or the Old Cathedral on Holmen was the main church and cathedral of Bergen.The church was built by King Olav Kyrre during the period 1066-1093. The church was situated north of Haakon's hall, the King's hall. It was dedicated to the Holy Trinity but was always known as Christ Church...
in Bergen. This cathedral was demolished in 1531. The site, in present day Bergenhus Fortress
Bergenhus Fortress
Bergenhus fortress is a fortress located in Bergen, Norway. Bergenhus fortress is located in the entrance to the harbor in Bergen. This is one of the oldest and best preserved castles in Norway.-History:...
, is marked by a memorial.
Ancestry
Sources
The primary Scottish accounts of the life of Margaret are found in the Chronicle of Lanercost and the Chronica Gentis ScotorumChronica Gentis Scotorum
The Chronica Gentis Scotorum or Chronicles of the Scottish People was the first substantial work of Scottish history. It was written by the priest John of Fordun, starting in 1363 until his death in 1385....
by John of Fordun
John of Fordun
John of Fordun was a Scottish chronicler. It is generally stated that he was born at Fordoun, Mearns. It is certain that he was a secular priest, and that he composed his history in the latter part of the 14th century; and it is probable that he was a chaplain in the St Machar's Cathedral of...
. The date of the death of Queen Margaret is given as 9 April 1283 in the Chronica Gentis Scotorum, but the Chronicle of Lanercost states her death to have been 27/28 February 1283.
Other sources
- Anderson, A. Orr Early Sources of Scottish History (Vol 2, Edinburgh. 1922)