Margaret , Maid of Norway (1286 - 1290)
Name: Margaret , Maid of Norway
Father: Eric II, King of Norway
Mother: Margaret, daughter of Alexander III
House of: Canmore
Born: April 9, 1283 at Tonsberg, Norway
Ascended to the throne: March 19, 1286 aged 2 years
Crowned: Not crowned
Married: Did not marry
Died: September 26, 1290, on board ship passing by the Orkneys, aged 7 years, 5 months, and 18 days
Buried at: Bergen, Norway
Succeeded by: Interregnum 1290 -1292 then John Balliol
Margaret (Maighread) known as ‘The Maid of Norway’ was just under 3 years old when her grandfather Alexander died in 1286 and she succeeded to the title of Queen of Scotland. She was born in Norway and had never set foot in Scotland.
A marriage deal was negotiated in 1290 with King Edward I that she would marry his young son the future Edward II. In September she sailed from Norway but never arrived, as she died aged 7 of sea sickness in or near the Orkneys during the voyage.
Her death left turmoil as there was no clear successor to the Scottish throne.
Timeline for Margaret , Maid of Norway
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1286 | Margaret, Maid of Norway, inherits the throne from her grandfather Alexander |
| 1290 | Margaret dies in the Orkneys en route from Norway to Scotland. Edward I of England is asked to select a successor |