Margaret and Malcolm's Family

Margaret of Wessex and Malcolm III of Scotland had a large family that went on to influence Western Europe for another generation. Married in 1070, they started having children right away.

Their firstborn was Edward in 1071, in a departure from Scottish naming conventions (probably named for Margaret's father, Edward the Exile). He would have been the likely successor to Malcolm's throne, but he was killed along with Malcolm on 13 November 1093 at the Battle of Alnwick (this was the second battle named because it was near Alnwick; I mentioned the first here).

Edmund was also born about 1071 and likely named for Margaret's grandfather, King Edmund Ironside. When Malcolm died, Malcolm's brother Donald seized the throne as Donald I. Malcolm's remaining sons objected, and Edmund sided with Donald, making him the enemy of his siblings.

Another son, Ethelred, almost certainly named after Margaret's great-grandfather Æthelred the Unready, became the abbot of Dunkeld. He was possible a lay abbot, and not actually a churchman. The appointment gave him also extensive lands on both sides of the Firth of Forth. Legend says that he was with Margaret when she died.

Edgar (c.1074) became King of Scotland from 1097 to 1107.

Alexander (c.1078) became king after Edgar, reigning as Alexander I until 1124.

Edith, the first daughter, was born about 1080. She was sent to Romsey Abbey for education and became a nun—or did she? There was a question about that when the subject of marriage came up. The intended groom was a king, and that became a story in itself.

Mary, born in 1082, went with Edith to Romsey Abbey. Once Edith was married to a king, she wanted Mary to also have an advantageous marriage, and had her husband arrange it with Eustace III, Count of Boulogne. Mary died in 1116.

Their last child was David, who became king of Scotland from 1124 to 1153.

Margaret died in 1093, the same year that her husband and eldest son were killed in battle. Coincidence? Broken heart? Tomorrow we will look at her death and path to sainthood.