Malcolm III Canmore (c.1031-1093) and wife, Margaret (c.1045-1093)

One of the earliest stories I read on the Scottish Royal family was that of the great love between Malcolm III and his wife, Margaret. I was elated to discover that I was descended from a couple of such great compassion for one another. Canmore or Ceann Mor means "Great Head". It is unknown exactly why Malcolm received such a name, but it is suggested that perhaps Malcolm was deformed in such a way as to have a larger than average head. Yet despite this possible flaw in his physical appearance, he managed to gain the love and admiration of his wife, Margaret.

Dunfermline Tower Rendition

Margaret, the sister of Edgar the Atheling, was granted, along with Edgar (Saxon heir to the throne of England), their mother, Agatha and sister, Christine, asylum in Scotland when their ship was wrecked on Scotland's shore during a storm as it made its way to Hungary. The site of the ship's landing was later named Margaret's Hope in the bay of the Forth about four miles from Malcolm's Tower. The exact date of this landing is unknown, though it is believed that it was during the years 1067-70. Edgar was fleeing England following the event of William the Conqueror's invasion. It was during this fortuitous visit that Malcolm, a widower, fell in love with the beautiful Margaret, who had determined she would spend the rest of her days in a convent. After much wooing, he made her his bride.

Saint Margaret's Chapel

Malcolm and Margaret were married on the day after Easter, 1070 at Dunfermline in Malcolm's Tower (probably Culdean's Church), where later, Malcolm, at the instigation of Margaret, would build Dunfermline Abbey. At the time of the marriage, Malcolm was 47 while his beautiful bride was 24. A poem was written to honor the newlyweds.

"And holy voice invoked Heaven's care To bless thro' life the Royal Pair!
For many days the nuptial feast Spread joy around in every breast,
And senachies were loud in song, With voice and harp to cheer the throng.
A theme so fertile could inspire The brethren of the holy choir;
Their strains, amid the joyour time
May thus be sung in modern rhyme." - (Dunf. Ab., pp.39-40.)

Margaret was a very pious woman and spent many hours in prayer. She would often go to a cave to pray. Ignorant of the cause for Margaret's frequent absence, Malcolm followed her only to find her in prayer for her husband's safety and well-being. A chapel was built for Margaret at Edinburgh Castle where she would daily make her devotions. In 1250, the church named her a saint and she became Saint Margaret.

Saint Margaret's Chapel

At Margaret's instigation, Malcolm and Margaret looked after the poor, the orphaned, the indigent of Scotland. It is noted that on one occasion 300 hungry peasants were invited within the castle to feast. Of Margaret it was
said, "Every morning she prepared food for nine little children, all indigent orphans. On her bended knees she fed them. With her own hand she ministered at table to crowds of poor persons, and washed the feet of six children every evening.

Malcolm was illiterate. Many hours were spent in the couple's lives as Margaret read poetry and Biblical verses to her adoring husband. At the time of their marriage, Scotland was a very primitive country in which the peoples were "unclothed, tattooed, painted and adorned". Margaret brought with her the civility she had learned while growing up in Hungary as well as the Saxon traditions of her home in England.

Saint Margaret

November 1093 brought death to the household of Malcolm and Margaret. Malcolm III was slain Nov 13th, while besieging the Castle of Alnwick. His death was at the instigation of Robert de Moubray, a Norman, either by Moubray himself or by one of his servants. Moubray then took the body to the Priory of Tynemouth where he had it interred. In 1115, Malcolm's body was exhumed and reinterred at Dunfermline. Malcolm and Margaret's son and heir, Edward was mortally wounded in the confusion following his father's death and died either that or the next day. The prince's body was then wrapped in hide and transported to Dunfermline for burial. Immediately, upon the arrival of the dead prince's body, Donald Bane began to besiege Edinburgh. Perhaps he had been behind the deaths of Malcolm and his son, Edward. Upon hearing the news of the death of her beloved husband and son from her son Ethelrede, Margaret's health immediately worsened, as she had been suffering from consumption, and after receiving Holy Sacrament, Margaret died November 16th, three days after the death of her husband. It was said that she died of inconsolable grief as quoted below:

"As thys dede all thys ware doune Come wrything til Saynt Margret soune.
The Revelatyoune that west maist
That scho had of the Haly gast
Than wyth devot and gud intent Scho tuk the Haly Sacrament
Of Goddis Body blyst werracy
Wyth the last unctyoune; and that dai
Of al charges scho yhald hyr gwyte
And til the Creatoure hyr Spyryte
In-til the Castelle of Edynburch,"
&c. - (Wynton's "Orygynale Cronikil" vol.ii.pp.271,272.)

As Edinburgh lay under siege, Ethelrede and other attendants were forced to leave the castle through a secret door on the west side and under the cover of fog and mist, managed to carry her body to the Dunfermline Church which she and her husband had built.

Seven children remained to carry on the line of Malcolm and Margaret: David I "The Saint", Edmund, Ethelrede, Edgar, Alexander "The Fierce" and Eagdyth Matilda and Mary. Edgar, Alexander and David all ascended the throne.