Born – 28th November 1489
Died – 18th October 1541
Father – King Henry VII (1457 – 1509)
Mother – Elizabeth of York (1466 – 1503)
Spouses – m. 1503 – James IV of Scotland (1473 – 1513); m. 1514, div. 1527 – Archibald Douglas (1489 – 1557), m. 1528 – Henry Stewart (1495 – 1552)
Children – by James – James (1507 – 1508), Arthur (1509 – 1510), King James V (1512 – 1542); by Archibald – Alexander (1514 – 1515), Margaret (1515 – 1578)
Known to History – Daughter of King Henry VII, wife of King James IV of Scotland
1489 (28th November)
Margaret Tudor, was born to Elizabeth of York and Henry VII at the Palace of Westminster. She was named after her paternal grandmother, Margaret Beaufort.
1489 (29th November)
Margaret’s elder brother, Arthur, was made Prince of Wales, Earl of Chester and a Knight of the Bath.
1489 (30th November)
Margaret Tudor was christened in St Margaret’s Church, Westminster. Her godparents were her grandmother, Margaret Beaufort, Lady Berkeley Duchess of Norfolk and the Earl of Shrewsbury.
1491 (8th May)
Margaret’s elder brother, Arthur, was made a Knight of the Garter.
1491 (28th June)
A son, Henry, was born to Margaret’s parents, Elizabeth and Henry VII, at Greenwich Palace.
1491 (31st October)
Margaret’s younger brother, Henry was made a Knight of the Bath.
1492 (8th June)
Margaret’s maternal grandmother, Elizabeth Woodville, died at Bermondsey Abbey.
1492 (2nd July)
A daughter, Elizabeth, was born to Margaret’s parents Elizabeth and Henry VII at Sheen Palace in Surrey.
1494 (31st October)
Margaret’s brother, Henry, was made Duke of York.
1495 (17th May)
Margaret’s brother, Henry, was made a Knight of the Garter.
1495 (14th September)
Margaret’s sister, Elizabeth, died of atrophy.
1496 (18th March)
A daughter, Mary, was born to Margaret’s parents, Elizabeth and Henry VII, at Richmond Palace.
1496 (Autumn)
Negotiations began between England and Scotland to secure a peace. The possibility of a marriage between Margaret Tudor and James IV of Scotland was discussed.
1497 (30th September)
Treaty of Ayton
This treaty agreed a seven year peace between England and Scotland. Negotiations for a marriage between Margaret and King James IV were re-opened.
This treaty agreed a seven year peace between England and Scotland. Negotiations for a marriage between Margaret and King James IV were re-opened.
1498 (during)
A son, Edward was born to Margaret’s parents, Elizabeth and Henry VII.
1499 (during)
Margaret’s brother, Edward died.
1499 (21st February)
A son, Edmund was born to Margaret’s parents, Elizabeth and Henry VII, at Greenwich Palace.
1499 (July)
An extension of the peace between England and Scotland, to last for the lifetime of both Kings, was discussed. It would be sealed with the marriage of Princess Margaret to James IV of Scotland.
1499 (23rd November)
The pretender, Perkin Warbeck, who had claimed to be Elizabeth’s brother, Richard of York, was executed.
1500 (19th June)
Margaret’s brother, Edmund, died at the Old Palace, Hatfield.
1500 (28th July)
Henry VII appealed to the Pope to grant a dispensation allowing Margaret to marry her fourth cousin, James IV of Scotland.
1501 (14th November)
Margaret’s brother, Arthur, married Catherine of Aragon at St Paul’s Cathedral.
1502 (24th January)
Treaty of Perpetual Peace
This treaty between England and Scotland provided that each King would put an end to the border disputes and would not make war on each other or assist each other’s enemies. A Perpetual peace was to last for the lifetime of each king and their legitimate heirs and successors. The allies of each country were to be given the opportunity to be included in the treaty. The treaty would be sealed with the marriage of Princess Margaret to King James of Scotland.
This treaty between England and Scotland provided that each King would put an end to the border disputes and would not make war on each other or assist each other’s enemies. A Perpetual peace was to last for the lifetime of each king and their legitimate heirs and successors. The allies of each country were to be given the opportunity to be included in the treaty. The treaty would be sealed with the marriage of Princess Margaret to King James of Scotland.
1502 (25th January)
Margaret married King James IV of Scotland by proxy at Richmond Palace. The Earl of Bothwell, Patrick Hepburn, stood proxy for James IV.
1502 (2nd April)
Margaret’s brother, Arthur, died at Ludlow Castle.
1503 (2nd February)
A daughter, Katherine, was born to Margaret’s parents, Elizabeth and Henry VII, in the Tower of London.
1503 (11th February)
Margaret’s mother, Elizabeth, died from complications following the birth of her daughter, Katherine. The baby died shortly afterwards.
1503 (24th February)
Margaret’s mother, Elizabeth of York, was buried in Westminster Abbey.
1503 (May)
James IV of Scotland confirmed that on their marriage Margaret would be given Methven Castle, Stirling Castle, Doune Castle, Linlithgow Palace and Newark Castle.
1503 (27th June)
Margaret Tudor began her journey north to marry James IV of Scotland.
1503 (1st August)
Margaret and her entourage crossed the border at Berwick upon Tweed into Sccotland and continue to Dalkeith Palace.
1503 (4th August)
Margaret was devastated when a stable fire killed some of her horses.
1503 (7th August)
Margaret travelled by litter from Dalkeith Palace to Edinburgh.
1503 (8th August)
Margaret Tudor married James IV of Scotland in Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh.
1504 (March)
Margaret was crowned Queen of Scotland.
1507 (21st February)
A son, James, was born to Margaret and James IV of Scotland at Holyrood Palace Edinburgh. He was styled Duke of Rothesay.
1508 (27th February)
Margaret’s son, James, died at Stirling Castle.
1508 (15th July)
A daughter was born to Margaret and James IV at Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh. She died later that day.
1509 (21st April)
Margaret’s father, Henry VII of England, died at Richmond Palace. Her brother, Henry became King Henry VIII.
1509 (29th June)
Margaret’s maternal grandmother, Margaret Beaufort, died at Westminster.
1509 (20th October)
A son, Arthur, was born to Margaret and James IV of Scotland at Holyrood Palace Edinburgh. He was styled Duke of Albany.
1510 (14th July)
Margaret’s son, Arthur, died at Edinburgh Castle.
1512 (10th April)
A son, James, was born to Margaret and James IV of Scotland at Linlithgow Palace, Fife. He was styled Duke of Rothesay.
1512 (November)
A daughter was born to Margaret and James IV of Scotland at Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh. She died shortly afterwards.
1513 (during)
Margaret’s brother, King Henry VIII of England, invaded France. The French King asked for Scotland’s support under the terms of the Auld Alliance. James prepared to invade England.
1513 (9th September)
Battle of Flodden Field
Margaret’s husband James IV was killed in this battle between the Scots and the English. Margaret’s son, James became King James V and James IV’s will nominated her regent so long as she did not remarry.
Margaret’s husband James IV was killed in this battle between the Scots and the English. Margaret’s son, James became King James V and James IV’s will nominated her regent so long as she did not remarry.
1513 (21st September)
Margaret’s son, James, was crowned King James V at the Chapel Royal, Stirling Castle.
1514 (30th April)
A son, Alexander, was born to Margaret and posthumously to James IV of Scotland at Stirling Castle. He was styled Duke of Ross.
1514 (July)
Margaret had managed to establish peace with England.
1514 (6th August)
Margaret secretly married Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus, at Kinnoul Church. The marriage was kept secret because under the terms of James IV’s will, Margaret would lose the regency of James V if she remarried.
1514 (late August)
Margaret’s marriage to Archibald Douglas became known and she was stripped of the regency which was given to the Duke of Albany who was in France at the time.
1514 (September)
The Scottish Privy Council decided that by marrying Margaret had forfeited the right to bring up her sons. Margaret refused and took prince James and Prince Alexander to Stirling Castle.
1515 (May)
The Duke of Albany returned to Scotland from France.
1515 (July)
The Duke of Albany was formally made Regent of Scotland for the young King James V.
1515 (August)
Margaret was forced to surrender her sons, James V and Alexander into the care of the Duke of Albany. Margaret, concerned for her life, fled to England accompanied by her husband. They went to Harbottle Castle where they were given shelter by Lord Dacre, Warden of the Marches.
1515 (8th October)
A daughter, Margaret, was born to Margaret and Archibald Douglas at Harbottle Castle, Northumberland. She was known as Margaret Douglas.
1515 (18th December)
Margaret’s son, Alexander, died at Stirling Castle. Margaret learned the news while in England.
1515 (late December)
Margaret’s husband, Archibald Douglas, returned to Scotland and made peace with the Duke of Albany.
1516 (during)
Margaret went south to London. She stayed at Scotland Yard in Whitehall, traditional London residence of Scottish Kings. Together with the Duke of Albany, Cardinal Wolsey and her brother, Henry VIII, she began to negotiate a peace treaty between England and Scotland.
1517 (June)
With peace between England and Scotland successfully negotiated, Margaret returned to Scotland. However, she was not fully trusted by the council and was only allowed to visit her son, James, under supervision. Having returned to Scotland she soon learned that her husband had been openly living with Jane Stewart and she began trying to gain a divorce from Archibald Douglas.
1517 (late)
Margaret wrote to her brother, King Henry VIII, asking for his help and support in obtaining a divorce. However, he refused to offer any support.
1521 (during)
With no support from her brother in her bid to gain a divorce, Margaret had worked with her husband’s opponents and had managed to settle the differences between herself and the Duke of Albany.
1524 (during)
When Albany went to France, Margaret took back the Regency and took James V to Edinburgh.
1524 (August)
The Scottish Parliament declared that the Regency was over and that James would rule as King.
1524 (November)
Margaret was recognised as chief councillor to King James V.
1524 (November)
Margaret’s relationship with her husband, the Earl of Angus, continued to deteriorate and when he turned up in Edinburgh demanding to be allowed to attend Parliament she ordered cannons to be fired on him, forcing him to retreat.
1525 (February)
Under pressure from members of the council, Margaret was forced to allow the Earl of Angus a seat on the Council.
1525 (late February)
The Earl of Angus took custody of the young King James V and began to rule on his behalf.
1527 (11th March)
Margaret was finally able to divorce Archibald Douglas when the Pope gave his approval to the divorce.
1528 (3rd March)
Margaret married Henry Stewart who had been her treasurer.
1528 (June)
Margaret’s son, James V, took control of Scotland, removing himself from Angus who fled into exile. He appointed Margaret one of his senior advisers.
1528 (June)
James V created Margaret’s husband, Henry Stewart, Lord Methven.
1534 (May)
Peace was agreed between England and Scotland. Margaret had been instrumental in the bringing about of this treaty.
1536 (early)
Margaret arranged a meeting between her son James V of Scotland and her brother, Henry VIII of England. Henry travelled to York for the meeting but James, mistrustful of the English, refused to attend the meeting.
1536 (during)
Margaret’s marriage to Henry Stewart had broken down. Stewart was continually unfaithful and spent large sums of Margaret’s money. She wanted a divorce but James V would not sanction a divorce.
1537 (1st January)
Margaret’s son, King James V, married Madeleine, daughter of King Francis I of France at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
1537 (2nd July)
Margaret’s daughter-in-law, Madeleine of France, died at Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh.
1538 (12th June)
Margaret’s son, James V, married Mary of Guise, daughter of Claude I of Guise at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Fife.
1538 (June)
Margaret got on very well with her new daughter-in-law and made regular appearances at court.
1541 (18th October)
Margaret died of a stroke at Methven Castle. She was buried in the Cathusian Abbey at Perth.
Published Nov 20, 2017 @ 11:43 am – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for this page:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2017 – 2020). Margaret Tudor 1489 – 1541. https://www.thetimelinegeek.com/margaret-tudor-1489-1541 Last accessed [date]