She was Queen of Scots before she could walk steadily, and dead before she ever saw her kingdom. Margaret, the Maid of Norway, is one of the great might-have-beens of Scottish history. Her short life – and sudden death in 1290 – plunged Scotland into the succession crisis that opened the way to English domination and the Wars of Independence.
Key facts: the Maid of Norway
- Born: Around 1283, in Norway
- Parents: King Eric II of Norway and Margaret, daughter of Alexander III of Scotland
- Claim: Recognised as heir to the Scottish throne after the death of her grandfather Alexander III in 1286
- Betrothal: Promised in marriage to the son of Edward I of England by the Treaty of Birgham, 1290
- Died: Autumn 1290, in Orkney, while travelling to Scotland, aged about seven
- Consequence: Left the succession open and triggered the Great Cause
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An heir across the sea
When Alexander III died in 1286 leaving no surviving children, the crown passed to his only direct descendant: his granddaughter Margaret, daughter of the King of Norway. She was perhaps three years old. Scotland's guardians recognised her as queen and set about arranging her future, agreeing by the Treaty of Birgham in 1290 that she would marry the son of Edward I of England – while carefully insisting that Scotland would remain a separate and independent kingdom.
The voyage and the tragedy
In the autumn of 1290 the young queen at last set sail from Norway to take up her throne. The voyage was hard, and the child fell gravely ill. Her ship put in at Orkney, then under Norwegian rule, and there Margaret died – never having set foot on the Scottish mainland she was to rule. She was about seven years old.
The crisis her death created
Margaret's death was a catastrophe for Scotland. She had been the last direct descendant of Alexander III, and with her gone there was no obvious heir. Instead, thirteen claimants came forward, the strongest among them John Balliol and Robert Bruce (grandfather of the future king). To avoid civil war, the Scots invited Edward I of England to judge between them – a decision that handed Edward enormous influence and set the stage for the Great Cause and the conflict that followed.
Had the Maid of Norway lived to marry and reign, the union of the Scottish and English crowns might have come three centuries early – and the Wars of Independence, with all their heroes and bloodshed, might never have happened at all.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the Maid of Norway?
She was Margaret, granddaughter of Alexander III and daughter of the King of Norway, recognised as Queen of Scots as a small child after 1286.
How did the Maid of Norway die?
She fell ill during the sea voyage from Norway to Scotland and died in Orkney in 1290, aged about seven, before reaching the mainland.
Why was her death significant?
She was the last direct heir of Alexander III. Her death left the throne disputed among thirteen claimants and led the Scots to invite Edward I of England to arbitrate.
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