Margaret Beaufort - the unusual life of a Tudor mother

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:54

Margaret Beaufort was born a he althy and strong child on May 31, 1443. As the daughter of the most powerful people in England, she was to marry a titled aristocrat to whom she would give an heir.

She had to live in very difficult times - during the war of the Scarlet and White Roses, the consequences of which Margaret experienced personally. She lost many loved ones, but did not succumb to despair. The woman directed all her energy to ensure a bright future for her only son. Thanks to her efforts, Henry VII Tudor was proclaimed King of England.

Origin and childhood

Margaret de Beaufort was the only child of John Beaufort, who was the 1st Duke of Somerset. Mom - Margaret Beauchamp from Bletso. The Beauforts are descended from the family of the son of the English king Edward III. The royal origin of the Beauforts was confirmed by a special act of Parliament, but King Henry IV Lancaster made an amendment to the document, which forbade members of this family from making claims to the English language.crown along with other princes of the blood.

Margaret's father died just before the birth of his daughter. The title of Duke of Somerset passed to his brother Edmund, and all we alth and land to Margaret as his only child. She was brought up by her mother until, in 1450, she came under the care of the royal favorite, the Duke of Suffolk, who wished to marry her to his son and heir, John.

Marriage Story

Margaret's first marriage to her guardian's son probably took place on February 7, 1444, but the exact date is unknown. Soon, however, it was annulled in February 1453 by King Henry VI.

Margaret Beaufort was then engaged to the King's half-brother, Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond (c. 1430 – 1 November 1456). The wedding of Margaret and Edmund took place on November 1, 1455. The husband died exactly one year later, and two months later the 14-year-old widow gave birth to her only child, Henry, the future King of England.

After the death of her husband, the girl entrusted custody of her son to her brother-in-law Jasper. She herself married Sir Henry Stafford. This marriage remained childless. The Staffords belonged to the followers of Lancaster, so the triumph of the House of York in 1461 forced Margaret Beaufort and her husband to move away from court.

The events of 1471 had serious consequences for the woman and her son, when, due to the results of the Battle of Tewkesbury, Henry Tudor, son of Margaret Beaufort, was considered the only legitimate heir to the royal throne. In the same year, Margaret was widowed, her next husband was ThomasStanley, but this marriage was also childless.

Community activities

Margaret was involved in a conspiracy against King Richard III. She supported, in particular, the rebellion of the Duke of Buckingham in the autumn of 1483. In 1485, Henry Tudor defeated Richard III at Bosworth and became King Henry VII. He was very attached to his mother, but she did not take an active part in public royal life.

In 1499, she decided to live separately from her lawful spouse and took a vow of chastity with his permission. She supported education, built more than one school, is revered as the founder of Cambridge College. She lived a long life in those days, she died a couple of months after the death of her son-king.