Malcolm greeting Margaret in Scotland |
There
once lived a fierce warrior King of Scots who married a young Saxon princess
who was destined to become Scotland’s only royal saint.
The
love story of Margaret of Wessex, and Malcolm Canmore (Malcolm III) of Scotland
is truly the story of the beauty and the beast.
Both
Margaret and Malcolm are characters in my new medieval romance, Rebel Warrior,
set in Scotland in the late 11th century and released just this
week!
When
Margaret and her family sought refuge in Scotland after the Norman Conquest,
she was in her early twenties; Malcolm was nearly twice her age. Margaret was
not only beautiful with flaxen hair and sky blue eyes she was also devout,
given to prayer, fasting and charitable works.
If Margaret had been given her
choice, she would have chosen the cloistered life, along with her younger
sister Cristina, who ultimately became an abbess. But it was not to be.
In
1057, Malcolm had murdered his way to the throne. According to St. Berchan,
Malcolm was a “vigilant crusher of enemies”. He was also ruthless in his
plundering of Northumbria, which he considered to be his territory (the border
between Scotland and England being not so fixed then as it is today).
All
this said, when the “beast” glimpsed the “beauty” Margaret, he was smitten and
wanted her for his queen. He leaned on her younger brother, Edgar the Atheling (heir
to the English throne were it not for the Conqueror), bargaining Scotland's
support for Edgar in exchange for Margaret's hand. Edgar, needing an ally and
safety for his mother and sisters, agreed to the match.
We
know that Margaret was initially opposed to the marriage. She had been gently
bred, first in Hungary where her father was a prince in exile, and then in
England where Edward the Confessor summoned her father when Margaret was ten.
In England, young Margaret led a devout life, praying
and reading the Scriptures in Latin, learning French and busying herself with
needlework.
Margaret and her brother, Edgar (left) |
When Edward the Confessor died, Harold of Wessex was named King of
England, only to be slain by the Norman Conqueror at Hastings. It was then that
Margaret’s young brother, Edgar, was named king—but never crowned because the
Normans took over England.
Margaret’s family fled to Scotland where they sought refuge. And
that is what brought her to Malcolm’s attention.
Perhaps Margaret believed that God—whose will she ever sought to
obey—had a purpose for her life different from that she had first envisioned.
That might have been what persuaded her to accept Malcolm’s suit. In any event,
in 1070, she became Malcolm’s queen, devoted to her warrior husband and to
improving the lot of the poor Scots and Saxons who gathered in Dunfermline
around the royal seat. That she left a lasting legacy cannot be denied. In
1250, she was made St. Margaret.
In the more than twenty years they were married (they died within
days of each other), Margaret gave her husband six sons and two daughters.
Three would become Kings of the Scots and one daughter would become a Queen of
England. That Margaret’s rough, warrior
husband deferred to her, at least in matters of their family, can be seen in
the names given their sons—Edward, Edmund, Ethelred, Edgar, Alexander and
David. Perhaps, in agreeing to such names, Malcolm saw the potential for his
sons to one day claim the throne of England, for as long as Margaret’s younger
brother, Edgar, remained unmarried and childless, which he did, his rights to
rule England would be transmitted through Margaret to her children.
Margaret meeting with the Scottish clerics |
Margaret was an intelligent beauty, arguing with the Scottish
clerics about what she saw as errors in their religious observances that
differed from what Rome prescribed. While Malcolm was illiterate and Margaret
read to him, she spoke Gaelic poorly and he spoke it well, often interpreting
for her when she held councils to debate with the clerics. Because she treasured
her copy of the Gospels, Malcolm had it encased in gold and decorated with
jewels. Not a bad gift for a rough, warlike man.
Margaret cared for the orphans and poor, often pillaging her
husband’s gold to aid them. This amused, but did not anger, him. He even joined
her in ministering to the less fortunate. Margaret was a loving mother and a
devoted wife all the days of her life. I like to think their unlikely match was
one made in Heaven. Margaret, I have no doubt, would agree.
I did hundreds of hours of research for Rebel Warrior,
many hours devoted to understanding Margaret and Malcolm so I could properly
set my characters in the royal court. I hope you enjoy meeting them!
“Master
storytelling transports you to medieval Scotland!”
~ Paula Quinn, NY Times Bestselling Author
When
your destiny lies far from where you began …
Scotland 1072
The Norman Conqueror robbed Steinar of Talisand of his noble father and his lands, forcing him to flee to Scotland while still recovering from a devastating wound. At the royal court, Steinar becomes scribe to the unlettered King of Scots while secretly regaining his skill with a sword.
The
first time Steinar glimpses the flame-haired maiden, Catrìona of the Vale of
Leven, he is drawn to her spirited beauty. She does not fit among the ladies
who serve the devout queen. Not pious, not obedient and not given to stitchery,
the firebrand flies a falcon! Though Catrìona captures Steinar’s attention, he
is only a scribe and she is promised to another.
Catrìona has come to Malcolm’s court wounded in spirit from the vicious attack on her home by Northmen who slayed her parents and her people. But that is not all she will suffer. The man she thought to wed will soon betray her.
When all is lost, what hope is there for love? Can a broken heart be mended? Can a damaged soul be healed?
Just started reading "Rebel Warrior", the third book in Regan Walker's "Warrior" series, and it is already a "time-grabber" as I don't want to stop reading!! You will LOVE this whole series!
ReplyDeleteI am delighted you are enjoying Rebel Warrior and thank so much for leaving the comment!
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