Queen Margaret of Scotland

Margaret of Scotland was from the Saxon royal family, which was defeated by William the Conqueror in 1066. She was born in Hungary and traveled with her family as a child to England. She spent some time in a convent and wanted to become a nun. However, when the upheavals in England forced the family to flee, (hoping to return to Europe) their ship was blown off course and foundered off the coast of Scotland. There they stayed as guests of King Malcolm III of Scotland.

Margaret, under pressure from family, reluctantly married the king. Though she would have preferred to enter a convent as a nun, she made it her goal to give her all to being the best wife and queen possible. She became Scotland’s most beloved queen and was later (ca thirteenth century) canonized.

As Queen, she invited the poor villagers to her wedding feast, setting the stage for the rest of her reign. Her life from that point forward was spent helping her subjects, especially the poor. She was known to give her own clothing and many other possessions to them. The king, who reportedly was devoted to her, referred to her as, “my little thief”, because of her repeated ‘withdrawals’ from his treasury to feed and help the poor.

She did much to civilize the king and his court, bringing Scotland into the eleventh century with improving their manners and educating them, as well as making improvements to the royal households.

Margaret did the same for the clergy as well, bringing more of the Benedictine order to Scotland and educating those already there. Her reforms brought the Scottish church in line with the Roman church.

Margaret also was in favor of and worked for educating ALL girls. At that time, most countries gave only minimal education to girls of nobility, and none at all to the poor. Margaret changed that for Scotland. Celtic countries were alone then in their belief of women’s education. She was held up as the epitome of a just queen, and did charitable works for the poor and orphans daily.

Biographies report that the royal couple had a much more loving relationship than was common for that era. The king indulged Margaret in most things and respected her intellect. She was able to influence him in matters of state as well as at home; and was his most trusted adviser. Malcolm was illiterate when they married and Margaret read to him; legend having her teaching him to read.

The queen bore eight children (at least eight reached adulthood) and was a more involved mother than was common among royalty. Her children were raised with a sense of responsibility and were expected to uphold her high ethical standards. She held herself to even higher standards and spent much of her time praying and fasting for her sins. (She more than likely was anorexic, which led to her death in her 40s).

Their children went on to become kings and queens, three of their sons were kings, David reigning for 30 years; and known as one of the best rulers Scotland ever had. Their daughter Edith (Matilda) married Henry I of England.

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Saint Margaret of Scotland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org

Saint Margaret of Scotland (c. 1045 – 16 November 1093), also known as Margaret of Wessex and Queen Margaret of Scotland, was an English princess of the House of Wessex. Born in exile in Hungary, she was the sister of Edgar Ætheling, the short-ruling and uncrowned Anglo-Saxon King of England. Margar...

Queen Soraya Tarzi

Today's Awesome Woman is Soraya Tarzi (1899-1968), who after being born in exile and returning with her family to Afghanistan in the early 20th century, married Prince Amanullah. She became Queen when her husband gained his ascendancy in 1926, but their reign lasted only three years before she found herself living out the rest of her life the way she began, as a woman without a country. But she made a mark during those three short years as the first Afghan queen to promote women's rightful place in public life, and she took significant personal risk in acting as the first public role model of a modern Muslim woman.

During the three years that Soraya was Queen of Afghanistan, she took bold steps to modernize the position of Mulsim women in general, and Afghan women in particular. Her husband was receptive to the egalitarian philosophy Soraya had received from her liberal, intellectual family (the reason they had been exiled to begin with). Soraya set many "firsts" -- the first woman to be the only wife of an Afghan King, the first Afghan Queen to accompany her husband as an equal at public events, the first queen to wear Western style clothing, and the first to openly champion the right of women to education and employment. She was present at Military Parades with the king. During the war of Independence, she visited the tents of wounded soldiers, talked to them, offered them presents and comfort. She accompanied the king even in some rebellious provinces of the country, which was a very dangerous thing to do at that time.

Influenced by Soraya and her father, King Amanullah campaigned  against the veil, against polygamy, and for the education of girls. At a public function, after her husband said that Islam did not require women to hide behind veils, she tore hers off right at the table. Other women at the event followed suit. While her husband was in the process of having the nation's first Constitution drafted and passed, Soraya publicly exhorted women to take their part in the nation's political life and future.

In 1926, Soraya delivered the following message in a speech commemorating the seventh anniversary of independence from England:

It (Independence) belongs to all of us and that is why we celebrate it. Do you think, however, that our nation from the outset needs only men to serve it? Women should also take their part as women did in the early years of our nation and Islam. From their examples we must learn that we must all contribute toward the development of our nation and that this cannot be done without being equipped with knowledge. So we should all attempt to acquire as much knowledge as possible, in order that we may render our services to society in the manner of the women of early Islam.

In 1928 honorary degrees were conferred upon both Amanullah and Soraya by Oxford University, and Soraya spoke to a large audience of students and leaders.  However, the British government had an interest in destabilizing Afghanistan, and distributed in the Afghan countryside photos of Soraya having dinner with men other than her husband, having her hand kissed by a Frenchman, and the like.

The British goal of destabilizing the Afghan monarchy was achieved. When the royal family returned from their trip to Oxford, a violent uprising broke out among religious sects and Amanullah was compelled to abdicate to avoid a civil war. After three short years on the throne, he and Soraya left their country for good. Their first stop was India, where they were applauded by thousands. Indians were still under the colonial thumb of Great Britain, and they gained and lost hope for their own cause as the watched Amanullah gain and then lose power to truly make changes happen in Afghanistan. It is said that Indian women gave Soraya a special ovation, calling out "Soraya! Soraya!" without mentioning "Queen."

Soraya Tarzi lived out the last 40 years of her life in Italy, with her family who were living there in exile once again. She only returned to Afghanistan in a coffin in 1968, where she was given a state funeral and buried next to Amanullah.

Anne Boleyn

Today's Awesome Woman: Anne Boleyn

Many people think she was a home-wrecking she-devil who ensnared Henry VIII with her womanly wiles. This is untrue. She actually fled court for over a year to get away from him. Only when it became apparent that he was going to divorce Katherina of Aragon, and that Anne would never get an offer of marriage form anyone else while the king wanted her, did Anne capitulate to a relationship. Even then, she closed the muffin shoppe until he put a ring on her finger. She made the best of an untenable situation, and has been castigated for not bearing up under her fate meekly, like a "proper woman". Although she was, as her death showed, essentially powerless compared to the king, she set her own terms for over a decade and bequeathed her strength and intelligence to her daughter, Elizabeth I of England.

Anne Boleyn: Biography, Portraits, Primary Sources

englishhistory.net

Anne Boleyn is one of the most famous queens in English history, though she ruled for just three years. The daughter of an ambitious knight and niece of the duke of Norfolk, Anne spent her adolescence in France. When she returned to England, her wit and style were her greatest charms.

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Isabella of France

Isabella of France (sometimes known as 'She wolf) was born around 1295 and died 1358. Isabella was betrothed to Edward II of England as an infant. She was brought to England at about twelve and married then, though the marriage probably was not consummated for 2 or 3 years. In a time when most women, even royalty were not educated, she was literate and intelligent. She also possessed formidable diplomatic skills and was known as a great beauty.

Edward was not interested in governing and eventually turned that over to his advisor and almost certainly, lover, Piers Gaveston. Isabella tolerated this and eventually gave birth to four children. Gaveston was eventually put to death by the barons and Edward took another lover/advisor Hugh leDespenser. Despenser’s rule was cruel and avaricious. England’s treasury was plundered and anyone who dared complain was put to death and their property confiscated.

Despenser also worked to take away any power the Queen possessed. At one time the King listened to her and followed her advice. But once under the spell of Despenser, put Isabella aside. Initially, the Edward and Despenser began taking away her properties and titles. They isolated her and even took her children away from her. Unlike some royalty, she was reported to be a devoted loving mother, so this was an especially cruel blow. They took all of her trusted advisors and left her all but imprisoned.

At this time, relations between England and France reached one of their many disputes and war was threatened. Isabella’s brother Charles was King of France and they had a close relationship. Edward was convinced(against Despenser’s wishes) to send Isabella to France without their children to broker a peace. At the last minute she was able to take their son Edward III with her. Once in France she met with her brother and war was averted. She extended her stay and met up with Roger Mortimer, who became her lover.

They soon began plotting an overthrow of King Edward. England was suffering under his rule and otherwise this would not have been possible. She and Mortimer raised funds and an army with the cooperation of France’s king. They successfully invaded England and deposed the king, and put Despenser to death. Her son Edward III was crowned and is remembered as one of England’s best monarchs.

She was responsible for the loss of lives, and like most powerful people was far from perfect - her revenge on her husband was cruel (he died in prison by unknown means). However in a time when women were chattel, by any standard she accomplished an amazing feat. It was the only time England was successfully invaded since the Norman Invasion in 1066, and hasn’t happened since. She was a good and loving mother, and by most reports a good queen.

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