Margaret, Maid of Norway was chosen to be Queen of Scotland when she was only three years old. Her unfortunate death left Scotland without a King or Queen.
Find out about Margaret, Maid of Norway and her role in the Wars of Independence.
NARRATOR:The Wars of Independence. Margaret, Maid of Norway, 1283-1290
Do you like being told what to do by grown-ups? Be quiet! Tidy your room! Hurry Up!
Too much bossing about makes you sick, eh? What about… leave your family, leave your friends, leave the country and marry a stranger you’ve never met!
That’s what happened to a young Princess called Margaret. She was born in 1283 in Norway, a cold mountainous country across the North Sea where the people were brave warriors, brilliant sailors and explorers. We know them as Vikings.
Her Father was King Eric the second, of Norway, but her Mother, Queen Margaret, was Scottish, and the daughter of King Alexander the Third of Scotland. Sadly wee Margaret’s Mother died giving birth to her.
And then when she was three, her Grandfather, who was the King of Scotland, died by falling from his horse during a storm. She was next in line to the Scottish throne.
Margaret was told, that she’d have to leave her Father, leave her home in Norway and become the Queen of Scotland. Imagine being told that when you’re three!
KING ERIK II:You’re going to be Queen.
MARGARET MAID OF NORWAY:(pointing at a squirrel) Cat. (laughter)
NARRATOR:And then imagine at the age of six learning that your Dad, the King of Norway was planning to marry you off to the next King of England. Someone you’d never even met!
In autumn of 1290 when Margaret was just seven, she travelled by boat across the Sea to be crowned Queen of Scotland.
But, she died, of seasickness. Seasickness! Far away from home! The poor wee soul.
It was a tragedy for Margaret and for Scotland. So much sadness; so much uncertainty; so much arguing over who the next ruler of Scotland should be.
So, the next time you get annoyed at being told what to do, think of Margaret, Maid of Norway.
Who was Margaret?
Margaret was the granddaughter of , the King of Scots.
Her mother was Alexander's daughter and her father was King of Norway.
Alexander's three children all died before him, so Margaret became his heir - the next in line for the Scottish throne.
In 1286, Alexander III died after he fell from his horse during a storm. Margaret was now Queen of Scotland aged only three!
Margaret facts
- Margaret was born in Norway in 1283
- She was the daughter of King Erik II of Norway and Margaret of Scotland
- Her grandfather was King Alexander III of Scotland
- It was arranged that Margaret would marry Prince Edward of Caernarvon, son of King Edward I of England
- The marriage was meant to join Scotland and England together
- She died in Orkney in 1290
- She was buried in Bergen, Norway
How did Margaret die?
Margaret's father, King Eric II of Norway and the Scottish lords agreed with the King of England, , that Margaret should marry Edward's son.
In 1290 Edward I arranged a ship to bring Margaret from Norway to Scotland. She was to be crowned Queen of Scotland before travelling to England to marry his son.
On the way Margaret became very ill. The ship stopped in Orkney and while there Margaret died. She was seven years old.
It is though that she died of seasickness.
Scotland now had a big problem. It no longer had a queen or king to rule it.
Margaret's family tree
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