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Lady Margaret Erskine

 

 

 

 

Lady Margaret Erskine (c1510 – 1572) was a Scottish noblewoman and courtier, the mistress of King James I (1513 – 1542), she was the daughter of John, fourth Baron Erskine, and sister to John Erskine, earl of Mar, and was married (1527) to Sir Robert Douglas, of Lochleven. He was killed at the battle of Pinkie Cleugh (1547).

 

Through her liasion with the king, Margaret became the mother of James Stewart (1531 – 1570), first Earl of Moray, the half-brother to Queen Mary Stuart, and regent for James VI (I of England). She was not the king’s only mistress, but Margaret was his acknowledged favourite. After the birth of their son, King James had made enquiries concerning a papal dispensation which would enable him to marry Margaret, and make her his queen, thus legitimating their son and making him the heir (1536), but Lady Margaret having been a married woman at the time of her son’s birth rendered that solution impossible. Her son’s later legitimization (1551) was in regard only to inheritable property, and had nothing to do with rights to the succession.

 

Margaret Erskine was the model for ‘Lady Sensualitie’ in Sir David Lyndsay’s work, Ane Pleasant Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis (c1535). Lady Margaret died (May 5, 1572), aged in her early sixties.)

 

 

 

 

 

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