Margaret, or Marguerite, c 1279-1318, was the daughter of Phillip III of France and his wife Maria of Brabant. Her father died when she was 3, so Margaret was brought up by her mother and by Jeanne of Navarre, the wife of her older half-brother Phillip IV. Meanwhile in England, Edward and his wife Eleanor of Castile had forged a bond of union that saw them through the deaths of several of their children, the Plague, a Crusade, and a few other ups and downs in between. Then Eleanor died in 1290, when Edward was 49 years old. Royal business stopped for several days as the King grieved his wife, and planned a unique tribute, 12 stone crosses tracing the route of her funeral procession to London. Edward's heart didn't want to take another chance, but his mind knew he had only one son. Eventually, he would have to marry again for the sake of the realm.
He set his sights on France in an effort to play off the larger kingdom on the Continent against the Scots in his backyard. He betrothed his son, the future Edward II to Blanche, Margaret's sister. However, Edward became aware that Blanche was considered a great beauty and decided to take Blanche as his own wife. The French king agreed, also agreeing to give up Gascony to the English. Edward sent his brother, Edmund Crouchback, Earl of Lancaster, to bring Blanche across the Channel for her wedding. The only problem was that Blanche was already betrothed to Rudolph, the oldest son and heir of the King of Germany. Phillip offered Margaret instead. Edward called off any weddings and declared war on France. Five years later, with the Pope's mediation, a truce was agreed. It provided that Edward would marry Margaret and his son would marry Phillip's daughter Isabella. The English would retain Guyenne, as well as Eleanor of Castile's dower lands in Ponthieu and Montreuil as the dower for Margaret and later Isabella.
Edward was 60 and Margaret was about 20 when they married in Canterbury Cathedral in 1299. She was invested with the crown of England, or given the right to wear it as queen consort, but not formally crowned. Edward soon had to hurry off to Scotland and, to his delight, Margaret chose to follow. Their son, Thomas of Brotherton was born in 1300, with a brother Edmund, born in 1301, they would also have a daughter. Like her husband, Margaret was fond of chess and minstrels. She was a patroness of charities, including the Franciscan order. She and her stepson, the future Edward II, got along well and whenever Edward Senior and Junior got into an altercation, Margaret could smooth things over. Edward I wasn't a man to be trifled with and wasn't above ordering anyone who crossed him up to be put to death. He was also a strict enforcer of English law. Many reprieves from the period attest that the pardon was granted due to the intercession of Margaret. Unfortunately for her, Edward died in 1207, leaving her a 26-year-old widow with three children all dependent on the now Edward II for their survival.
Margaret could have married again, but stated that, "after Edward, all men are dead to me." She became more pious and more involved with the Franciscan Order in England. Friction developed between her and Edward II when he gave his favorite, Piers Gaveston, the Earldom of Cornwall, which Edward I had intended for their son Thomas. Gaveston also helped himself to some of Margaret's dower properties in England. But Margaret had remained in touch with her brother Phillip IV and her niece Isabella, Edward's wife. Margaret threw her support and a generous monetary donation behind the barons' efforts to unseat Gaveston, which eventually led to his exile and enabled her to reclaim her property. She was present at the birth of the future Edward III in 1312.
Margaret died at Marlborough and was buried in the habit of the Franciscan Order at Christ Church Greyfriars, in London. Her tomb was destroyed in the Reformation.
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