[MR] Wikipedia: Orkney and Shetland Pawned

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends, Especially Fellow Scots:

On this date in 1472, the Orkney and Shetland Islands officially became
Scottish territory, completing Scotland's borders as we know them today
(less the Island Man, which passed to England in 1399). How this happened
is an interesting tale.

After several years of dithering and negotiations, Margaret of Denmark
(daughter of King Christian I of Denmark, Norway and Sweden) was married to
James III, King of Scots. Their wedding was agreed in 1468 and took place
at a vague date in 1469 In Holyrood Abbey, Edinburgh. It is surprising that
the date is not better recorded, but even King James' birth date is rather
vague.

Naturally Margaret was accompanied by a rather substantial dowry. Or should
have been. The truth is her father was, to use a polite term, "financially
embarrassed". So Christian offered the Orkney and Shetland Islands to
Scotland as surety against a future settlement of Margaret's dowry. The
cash never came, and the two island groups were formally annexed by
Scotland on 20 February 1472.

The Scottish land grab was probably the best part of the royal marriage, as
James and Margaret really didn't hit it off. Eventually they separated,
with James living in Edinburgh, and Margaret at Stirling with her three
sons.

Even though she was a major fashion diva, Margaret proved to be a capable
and popular queen, certainly more successful than her bumbling husband.
James III wasn't Scotland's worst king, though he was definitely in the
running (that title usually goes to John Balliol, Edward I's puppet).

Sadly, Margaret died on 14 July 1486 at the age of 30. The cause was never
determined. There were nasty rumors she was poisoned by John Ramsay, 1st
Lord of Bothwell, but this was probably a lie floated by his political
opponents. Margaret is buried in the now-ruined Cambuskenneth Abbey near
Stirling. Her tomb was restored by Queen Victoria in the 19th century.

Margaret's story is at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_of_Denmark,_Queen_of_Scotland .

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆