Scottish Queens, 1034 – 1714: The Queens and Consorts Who Shaped a Nation

by Rosalind K. Marshall

The lives of the Scottish queens, both those who ruled in their own right, and also the consorts, have largely been neglected in conventional history books.

One of the earliest known Scottish queens was none other than the notorious Lady MacBeth. Was she really the wicked woman depicted in Shakespeare’s famous play? Was St Margaret a demure and obedient wife? Why did Margaret Logie exercise such an influence over her husband, David II, and have we underestimated James VI’s consort, Anne of Denmark, frequently written off as a stupid and wilful woman? These are just a few of the questions addressed by Dr Marshall in her entertaining, impeccably researched book.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Scotland, Medieval, Royalty, Historical

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Dr Rosalind K. Marshall, is a well-known writer and historian. She has written widely on the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, specialising in women’s history, and is the author of seventeen books, including The Days of Duchess Anne, John Knox, Queen Mary’s Women and Scottish Queens. She is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and research associate of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, to which she has contributed more than fifty articles.

Reviews

[BAM doesn’t answer to her real name · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why do these history books that discuss family ties and hierarchy even bother giving the females names because one is going to be Margaret, one is going to be Mary, and then a toss up for either Joan, Elizabeth, or Anne. The men are just as bad. In this book I’d lke to introduce you to David, David, David, Malcolm, David, and a couple of James’

[Becks! · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐'s

Quite informative, but a pretty dull read.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very easy to read as a casual historian. This was very well researched and sited.
This is a fun way to learn a very condensed version of Scottish Royal history.

[Helen Carolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering the paucity of information available on many of the queens this still made for an interesting read. Some of the queens I was already familiar with, but Ms Marshall goes back to Norman times to introduce us to queens I'd never even heard. All in all an enjoyable read.

[Toni Kely-Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is very accessible, highly readable book providing brief overviews of the Scottish Queens between the years 1034 and 1714. But my problem with this book was I often felt the information being presented wasn't always accurate and then there were the statements and personal views and values of the author that irritated me.

One raised my eyebrows "He was beginning to tire of his arrogant, demanding wife" (not sure what evidence there was for that description but I must seek out more information about this queen to see why she would be described this way by the author) I mean maybe she was just intelligent, and ambitious for her family - not sure that makes her arrogant and demanding?

So I then skipped to the conclusion to find this statement "Like it or not, and whether we blame females or sexual stereotyping, women have always had different priorities from men and most have put personal relationships before the pursuit of power" I'm glad I didn't devote any more time to this book nor would I recommend it.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly readable and very concise account of the 31 women who were Queen of Scotland between the years 1034 and 1714. 

It's pretty much a "no frills" book as the author was constrained to a predetermined word count by the publisher but that isn't a bad thing. As such the author never goes off on tangents about irrelevant issues nor does she try to imagine what the lady in question might have felt or might have done.

I found it to be an enjoyable and informative account of these women and I will certainly read more from this author.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot! Living in Scotland for 2 years now and didn't know much about the royalty at all. The portraits in the Portrait Gallery and at Hollyrood have more significance now that I know who some of these people are! Fantastic read. Well paced. Really interesting women I'd like to dive deeper on.

The Queens:
Gruoch (Macbeth)
Suthen (Duncan I)
Ingebjorg (Malcolm III)
St. Margaret (Malcolm III)
Ethelreda (Duncan II)
Sybilla (Alexander I)
Matilda (David I)
Ermengarde (William I the Lion)
Joan Plantagenet (Alexander II)
Marie de Coucy (Alexander II)
Margeret Plantagenet (Alexander III)
Yolande (Alexander III)
Isabelle de Warenne (John Balliol)
Margaret, Maid of Norway
Elizabeth de Burgh (Robert I)
Joan of the Tower (David II)
Margaret Logie (David II)
Euphemia Ross (Robert II)
Annabella Drummond (Robert III)
Joan Beaufort (James I)
Mary of Gueldres (James II)
Margaret Tudor (James IV)
Madeleine de Valois (James V)
Mary of Guise (James V)
Mary Queen of Scots (Francis II of France, Darnley, Bothwell)
Anne of Denmark (James VI and I)
Henrietta Maria (Charles I)
Catherine of Braganza (Charles II)
Mary of Moderna (James VII and II)
Mary II (William II and III of Orange)
Anne (Prince George of Denmark)

[Marla · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mixed Bag

Maybe too much was covered in too little space but whatever the reason, there were parts that were confusing, choppy and dull. There were other areas, probably where more was known about the person, that were clear and interesting. However, the one constant was poor editing. The worst example, was found on page 126 (copied directly from the book): “‘Queen of Scots’ was the title used by female monarchs and consorts of Scotland before 1603, but for most of us these words mean only one person, Mary Smart,” I find that sort of error tough to forgive.

Overall, this served as an introduction to several historical figures I was not familiar with but it was written in such a way that would not entice me to learn more. I will, because I love history, not because this book piqued my interest. The positives were the citing of sources and numerous pictures of historical figures.

Because finishing this book was a struggle for me, I would not recommend it to others.

[Pam Shelton-Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice overview of the queens of Scotland and especially interesting were the earlier and lesser known women. It utilized good sources and though some, like Mary Queen of Scots, has had many books solely on her life, she is part of the sequence of women who were part of Scottish history. I would have preferred that it stopped with Anne of Denmark who was the last of the queens who actually lived in Scotland, but overall I enjoyed reading this.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid overview of Scottish queens over quite a long period. Good for those just starting to read about Scottish history but anyone with more extensive background in European history will not find the level of detail they are likely looking for.

[Hettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very readable. Provides a very basic, rushed run-down of Scottish Queens from 1034-1714. Great for basics. Some slight inaccuracies and assumptions but nothing substantial

[Finuala · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75

Not bad as an introduction to the Queens of Scotland, though a couple of niggling errors. The main problem for me though is that I didn't feel particularly engaged. The writing didn't draw me in which left me feeling like I didn't care. There were a couple of points where I felt myself avoiding the book altogether. This is at odds with my interests because I'm fascinated with women's history, especially the women who were able to make changes to the direction of a people and a country. I guess I'm saying the writing is a bit flat; in someone else's hands the narrative would pull you in and fascinate, but this just, didn't. I'm kinda disappointed.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot of interesting information in this volume, but I found it very uneven. Granted, there is a dearth of historical documentation about the lives of this set of women, some more than others, but the way it was treated was quite superficial throughout. A detailed description of Margaret of Denmark's luxurious wardrobe doesn't really make up for the lack of information about her character. Likewise with most of the other queens, most of whom didn't keep a record of their luxurious clothing. The most enjoyable section, for me, was the last few chapters, where the post-1603 queens received attention they don't normally get. It's to be hoped that a few English people read this and were educated about the exact nature of the Union and how and why it came into being, as well as becoming acquainted with often-overlooked figures like Mary II.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have the Kindle version of this book, but listened to the audiobook through my audible subscription. Overall this is a comprehensive overview of examining the lives of consorts and regnant Queens of Scotland. Tragically, so little is known of the women who helped married and raised the early Stuart Kings, but Marshall does the best she can with the limited evidence to paint a picture of these women within the world in which they lived.

There were a few assessments about the character of these women that I did not feel could be supported by the evidence presented in this book, particularly about Margaret Tudor. However, the determination of the later Stuart consorts was clear, and Marshall's discussions of Marie de Guise and Madaline de Valois.

If you are looking for a fun overview of Stuart consorts this is an interesting read and a great starting point.

Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child death, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of a parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, War, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was very informative regarding the lives of Scottish queens beginning with Gruoch (Lady MacBeth). Each queen was given a chapter to note her accomplishments, at least those we know about, and her relationship with her husband and the Scottish people.

I read this in ebook format on the Kindle and noted numerous spelling and punctuation errors. Having so many of these errors throughout the book cost it a star. A couple of spelling or punctuation problems can be overlooked, though if a professional proofreader was used, shame on them in this case.

[Carolyn Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this volume of short biographies of Scottish queens from Lady MacBeth to Queen Anne. Marshall excels at highlighting little known sources about the more obscure queens consort in Scottish history. I thought the book could have included some thematic chapters about the changing role of a Scottish queen consort over time compared to English or French queens consorts. Queens regnant such as Mary, Queen of Scots, Mary II and Anne are discussed alongside queens consorts and the differences between the role of consort and regnant should have been explored in more detail.

[Raluca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would say that the book deserves more stars for the content but the way it was presented made reading it at often times a dull affair and it doesn’t dive so much into detail (if that many were recorded about the lives of some of the queens, the consorts in particular) as to excuse the exposition. It was however an interesting introduction into the lives of historic characters that often took a backseat to important events or rather are not talked as often about for their achievements and influence.

[Katie Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

From Lady Macbeth to Queen Anne and the Act of Union, this is a book that charts the queens of Scotland. It's on the shorter side (a third of it is bibliography and index), and it does feel a bit unbalanced (because of just how much more information is available for the later queens vs the earlier ones). However, it is well-researched and clearly presented, and remains tightly focused on the queens.

[Kelly Burns · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me this book was missing a lot of detail on the lives of the earlier Scottish queens, that said the research and lack of sources may have been the cause of this. I’ve read a lot on Mary Queen of Scots and even Marie de Guise so I bought this book really to fill in the medieval blanks. Unfortunately it only dedicated very little to this period.

[JP · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heading to Scotland for my second trip in a few months so reading all the history I can find. This was a interesting if not terribly in-depth look at Scottish queens over years. In many cases there isn't much know about some of the earlier queens and the author does well out the known vs unknown vs speculated. A good read.

[Rowan Creech · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and intimate history of the Queens of Scotland. I enjoyed this walk through history and being able to relive the lives of the queens. It was also enlightening to see how women in power were treated by men throughout the history of the monarchy. Very enlightening.

[Ruth Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an account of all the Scottish Queens. Their loves, their children, their politics , their lives before , during and after Coronation.
I very much enjoyed each and every one of them. It keep me interested and engaged.

[David Samuels · Rating 2 out of 5]

This reads more as a survey of Scottish history that cursorily covers bullet points of major Scottish queens. Nothing you can't find on Wikipedia.

[Blubonnet1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

04/29/2023

[Brian Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good informational book

[Kavanand (Reading for Two) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the lesser known Queens of Scotland (and some better known ones).

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but not engaging, sadly. Mostly due to the distracting accent of the narrator.

[L · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really shows how women were a commodity to be traded and breed. Amazing how often many were pregnant, miscarried, had stillborn or short lived children

[Fara]

Fuck that was sad

[Farah Mendlesohn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worked hard with very little material but sometimes we were left with a chapter about a king containing about three paragraphs about his queen(s).

Interesting tho.