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Birth:          1282 of Paris, France
Death:          14 Feb 1318 Marlborough Cast, Wiltshire, England
Burial:         Grey Friars, London, England

Notes
bdate per Book of French Kings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_of_France,_Queen_of_England
Margaret of France (c. 1279 – 14 February 1318)[1] was a daughter of Philip III of 
France and Maria of Brabant, was Queen of England as the second wife of King 
Edward I.
Early life[edit]

Her father died when she was three years old and she grew up under guidance of her 
mother and Joan I of Navarre, her half-brother King Philip IV's wife.[2]

Marriage[edit]

The death of Edward's beloved first wife, Eleanor of Castile, at the age of 49 in 1290, 
left him reeling in grief. However, it was much to Edward's benefit to make peace with 
France to free him to pursue his wars in Scotland. Additionally, with only one surviving 
son, Edward was anxious to protect the English throne with additional heirs. In summer 
of 1291, the English king had betrothed his son and heir, the future Edward II, to 
Blanche of France, half-sister to the French King Philip IV, in order to achieve peace 
with France. However, hearing of her renowned beauty, Edward decided to have his 
son's bride for his own and sent emissaries to France. Philip agreed to give Blanche to 
Edward on the conditions that a truce would be concluded between the two countries, 
and that Edward would give up the province of Gascony.

Edward agreed, and sent his brother Edmund Crouchback, Earl of Lancaster, to fetch 
the new bride. Edward had been deceived, for Blanche was to be married to Rudolph 
III of Habsburg, the eldest son of King Albert I of Germany. Instead, Philip offered her 
younger sister Margaret to marry Edward (then 55). Upon hearing this, Edward 
declared war on France, refusing to marry Margaret. After five years, a truce was 
agreed upon under the influence of Pope Boniface VIII. A series of treaties in the first 
half of 1299 provided terms for a double marriage: Edward I would marry Margaret and 
his son would marry Isabella of France, Philip's only surviving daughter. Additionally, 
the English monarchy would regain the key territory of Guienne and receive £15,000 
owed to Margaret as well as the return of Eleanor of Castile's lands in Ponthieu and 
Montreuil as a dower first for Margaret, and then Isabella.[3]

Edward was then 60 years old, at least 40 years older than his bride. The wedding 
took place at Canterbury on 8 September 1299. Margaret was never crowned, being 
the first uncrowned queen since the Conquest. This in no way lessened her dignity as 
the king's wife, however, for she used the royal title in her letters and documents, and 
appeared publicly wearing a crown even though she had not received one during a 
formal rite of investiture.[5]

Edward soon returned to the Scottish border to continue his campaigns and left 
Margaret in London, but she had become pregnant quickly after the wedding. After 
several months, bored and lonely, the young queen decided to join her husband. 
Nothing could have pleased the king more, for Margaret's actions reminded him of his 
first wife Eleanor, who had had two of her sixteen children abroad.

In less than a year Margaret gave birth to a son, Thomas of Brotherton who was 
named after Thomas Becket, since she had prayed to him during her pregnancy. That 
Margaret was physically fit was demonstrated by the fact that she was still hunting 
when her labour pains started.[6]

The next year she gave birth to another son, Edmund.

Many who fell under the king's wrath were saved from too stern a punishment by the 
queen's influence over her husband, and the statement, Pardoned solely on the 
intercession of our dearest consort, queen Margaret of England, appears. In 1305, the 
young queen acted as a mediator between her step-son and husband, reconciling the 
heir to his aging father, and calming her husband's wrath.[7]

She favored the Franciscan order and was a benefactress of a new foundation at 
Newgate. Margaret employed the minstrel Guy de Psaltery and both she and her 
husband liked to play chess.[8] She and her stepson, the future king Edward II (who 
was only two years younger than she), also became fond of each other: he once made 
her a gift of an expensive ruby and gold ring, and she on one occasion rescued many 
of the prince's friends from the wrath of the King.

The mismatched couple were blissfully happy. When Blanche died in 1305 (her 
husband never became emperor), Edward ordered all the court to go into mourning to 
please his queen. He had realised the wife he had gained was "a pearl of great price" 
as Margaret was respected for her beauty, virtue, and piety. The same year Margaret 
gave birth to a girl, Eleanor, named in honour of Edward's first wife, a choice which 
surprised many, and showed Margaret's unjealous nature.

In 1307, Edward went on summer campaign to Scotland. Margaret accompanied him. 
Edward died in Burgh by Sands.

Widowhood[edit]

Margaret never remarried after Edward's death in 1307, despite being only 26 when 
widowed. She was alleged to have stated that "when Edward died, all men died for 
me".

Margaret was not pleased when Edward II elevated Piers Gaveston to become Earl of 
Cornwall upon his father's death, since the title had been meant for one of her own 
sons.[9] She attended the new king's wedding to her half-niece, Isabella of France, 
and a silver casket was made with both their arms. After Isabella's coronation, 
Margaret retired to Marlborough Castle (which was by this time a dower house), but 
she stayed in touch with the new Queen and with her half-brother Philip IV by letter 
during the confusing times leading up to Gaveston's death in 1312. Margaret, too, was 
a victim of Gaveston's influence over her step-son. Edward II gave several of her 
dower lands to the favourite, including Berkhamsted Castle. In May 1308, an 
anonymous informer reported that Margaret had provided £40,000 along with her 
brother, Philip IV, to support the English barons against Gaveston.[10] Due to this 
action, Gaveston was briefly exiled and Margaret remained fairly unmolested by the 
upstart until his death in June 1312.

She was present at the birth of the future Edward III in November 1312.

On 14 February 1318 she died in her castle at Marlborough. Dressed in a Franciscan 
habit, she was buried at Christ Church Greyfriars in London, a church she had 
generously endowed. Her tomb, beautifully carved, was destroyed during the 
Reformation.[11]

Issue[edit]

In all, Margaret gave birth to three children:[12]
Thomas of Brotherton, 1st Earl of Norfolk (1 June 1300 – 4 August 1338)
Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent (5 August 1301 – 19 March 1330)
Eleanor of England (4 May 1306 – 1311)[12] Died at Amesbury Abbey, buried at 
Beaulieu Abbey.[13]

Parents
____ Philippe III "le Hardi" ("the Bold") (1 May 1245 - 5 Oct 1285)
DE BRABANT Marie (1260 - 12 Jan 1321)

Siblings
OF FRANCE Margaret (Marguerite) (1282 - 14 Feb 1318)

Marriage To PLANTAGENET Edward I "Longshanks" (17 Jun 1239 - 7 Jul 1307)
    m. 1299 

Notes

Parents
PLANTAGENET Henry III (1 Oct 1206 - 16 Nov 1272)
OF PROVENCE Eleonore (Leonor) (ABT 1222 - 25 Jun 1291)

Children by PLANTAGENET Edward I "Longshanks" 17 Jun 1239 - 7 Jul 1307
PLANTAGENET Thomas "of Brotherton" (1 Jun 1300 - 4 Aug 1338)
____ Edmund "of Woodstock" (5 Aug 1301 - 19 Mar 1330)

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