The Controversial Matriarch of the Tudor Dynasty | Margaret Beaufort | Part 1

The Tudors were a royal family that dominated the late medieval era, but how did they go from minor Welsh nobility to monarchs of England? It all started with the mother of Henry VII, Margaret Beaufort. A teen mother and widow by the age of thirteen, Margaret would elevate herself beyond the low expectations of her sex, and ensure her son's place on the throne of England. This video looks at her early years, and the events of the Wars of the Roses that would effect both herself and her baby son...
**SILLY ERROR** Apologies for my mistake in saying Katherine Swynford was John of Gaunt's second wife, when she was in fact his third! I will attempt to edit this out, but a big thank you to the viewer who spotted it! ***
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Sources and Related Books:
Margaret Beaufort: Mother of the Tudor Dynasty by Elizabeth Norton - amzn.to/42Nm9VM
Uncrowned Queen: The Fateful Life of Margaret Beaufort, Tudor Matriarch by Nicola Tallis - amzn.to/3pasg8J
The House of Beaufort: The Bastard Line that Captured the Crown by Nathan Amin - amzn.to/3NdRR8L
Red Roses: Blanche of Gaunt to Margaret Beaufort by Amy Licence - amzn.to/3pcxtNu
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Some of my images in this video were made with Midjourney.
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[@wardarcade7452]

25:09- From her Westminster Abbey sarcophagus statue, it appears that Margaret Beaufort was no more than 4 feet 8 inches in height- even back then rather tiny for a full-grown woman. Hence, it's also quite likely, that in addition to the childbirth of Henry when she was far too young having rendered her barren thereafter, it's likely the trauma resulted in her growth being stunted for literally the rest of her life!

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

That's a good point! I agree that her young pregnancy will absolutely have created physical problems for Margaret.

[@Sarah-1628]

I just have to randomly add how much I love/admire Jasper Tudor! He has always shown what the true definition & meaning of what a true “knight” is in my opinion 💯🙌👏 Starting at the very beginning of everything I’ve ever learned about him. From stepping into his brothers shoes with helping his pregnant sister in law; to then staying around after Henry’s birth. Then onto keeping Henry safe & raising him rest of his life as his “father figure” & teaching him all he knew. Jasper deserves so much more credit!!!!

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

He really does! Jasper is definitely one of history's less known 'good guys'. If it was a smaltzy romance, he and Margaret definitely would have fell in love and got married, in my humble opinion. 😊

[@user-uj1ix8zl6j]

I studied the Tudors from Edward III to Queen Elizabeth I. So the Plantagenets, Wars of the Roses, Princes in the Tower, Richard III, through the Henry VI, Elizabeth of York, Henry VIII, and his Queens through to Elizabeth I. It was way more than I expected it, so many Margarets,Elizabeth’s etc. So I didn’t complete the study. But I continue to absorb as much as I am able by reading biographical material on the subjects. I wish I had known when I was younger that I had this desire to understand the period. I was less able to keep the names straight when I took up the study.😢

[@ODDwayne1]

The names aren't easy. But with time, I began being able to keep everything sorted out. It helped understanding the timelime and overall situation of each era. That way you can picture the characters in their situations. Keep enjoying and keep learning. 👍

[@youtuber5305]

Wasn't Margaret's official reason for going along with the marriage of her son to E. of York to finally unite previously rival families? But could she have also realized that if the princes in the t. ever showed up later, that E. of Y. wouldn't have admitted to recognizing them because that would cause her to sacrifice her position as queen to become just another sister of a king?

[@sarahudson108]

Bet she would have been proud of her great grand daughter Elizabeth Ist

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

I agree, she definitely would have been proud of how far her family went, and also how Elizabeth went about being a monarch. There's certainly a lot of characteristics I think Elizabeth gained from Margaret Beaufort, I think! Margaret was just as stubborn and intelligent, but obviously didn't get the chance to actively be queen in the same way as her great-granddaughter.

[@josephwinder6878]

I know Elizabeth is a very popular and liked historical figure but seriously she was mad, like her half sister, her father and granny. Absolute psychopaths. They were all ruthless bloodthirsty murderers that would do anything to keep power. Henry was quite obviously a megalomaniac and a twisted fruit loop. Bloody Mary, a murderess Catholic cultist and finally Elizabeth, could not even attempt to produce offspring, the most important job she had. And she was power hungry, murderous, deceitful.

[@kimberlypatton205]

Beautifully presented and entertaining! History is fascinating and you present it in a way that is full if information. Thanks for a lovely video, the portraitures are exquisite! I can hardly wait until Sunday for part 2( even though I know about it already!)Great job!

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Thank you so much, I hope you enjoy the next part as well. 😊 And yes, the problem with retelling history is definitely that all the spoilers are out! 🤣

[@momof3plusdsg]

I know it's superficial of me, but I've been obsessed with her since I read 'The Red Queen'. I haven't learnt much about her, but I've thought about her a lot since I first learnt about her in 2015. She's so fascinating! I'm Danish, so of course our history lessons were focused on our own history.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Not superficial at all! Even if it's historical fiction, if it gets you interested in someone historical, it's good from that angle. 😊 She is such a complex figure, but often gets overlooked, you're right. And same here, when I was at school, our history always focused on 'English' history (not even Scottish/Welsh/Irish unless the two connected), but I think it's getting better now, with history focused outwards too. I only really know about Danish history that encompasses the Anglo-Saxon period in our own timeline! And Caroline Matilda of Great Britain who was such a tragic figure.

[@brontewcat]

If you want to know more about her, Nicola Tallis has written a biography of her called ‘Uncrowned Queen’. As Tallis notes there is not one shred of contemporary evidence that hints at her involvement in the Princes in the Tower’s disappearance. It seems that in an attempt to revive Richard III’s reputation, his supporters fell into the same trap as those who blackened Richard’s reputation did, they started accusing other people, when there was even less evidence to support those theories than the theory Richard was responsible.

[@momof3plusdsg]

@@brontewcat Thanks for the suggestion, I'll look into it.🙂

[@Chipoo88]

One of my favorite Tudor ladies: so badly maligned by popular culture

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

I think there's always a little truth in some rumours, but in Margaret's case, so much gets left out about her as well. I find it happens a lot with women from the past, especially those who didn't hide the fact they wanted power like Margaret did - no one had an issue with men wanting it!

[@Chipoo88]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople completely agree!

[@ginnycee13]

M. Beauford & M. of Anjou were strong women for sure, but I hate their guts, being a King Richard III fan. Beauford was a vicious traitor. If Richard lll was really as evil, as the Tudor propaganda spreads, he wouldn't have allowed her to commit treason three times & pardon her every time. She should have been h-nged or turned into a crisp together with her ugly brat!

[@brontewcat]

I think the ‘popular culture’ is down to a certain historical fiction author. As far as I am aware there was nothing at the time that remotely suggested the image she now has.

[@sandrastevens4418]

​​​@@HistorysForgottenPeople The Fictional more than Fact series of the White Queen, the White Princess and The Spanish Princess didn't help. She is definitely made the bad wanna be Queen in the Books as well as the Series. Philippa Gregory maligns her terribly, and that is sadly what some people take as true history. Even to the point where people are now thinking Richard III did not make his Nephew's disappear. But Margaret Beaufort and the Duke of Buckingham did. Which makes no sense at all. Richard III had his Brothers marriage Edward IV to Elizabeth Woodville as null and void and his nephews declared 📜 as bastards. If he was not planning to snatch the Throne.

[@lfgifu296]

Hello and have a good Sunday!! A most formidable Lady indeed

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Hi Aelfgifu, you have a good Sunday too! 😊 She really was - I probably use the word too much, but with Margaret, I definitely mean it. I admire her for her tenaciousness and ability to push herself into important politics, but I also might have feared meeting her down a dark alley! 😂

[@crocodiledundee8685]

Great video as always (I knew a bit about Margaret’s story but not about her being first pregnancy at 13!) BTW what are you thoughts on Isabella of France.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Thank you! 😊 Yeah, it was pretty awful even by the standards of the day, and I imagine there were a few raised eyebrows in Edmund Tudor's direction! Hmm...Isabella of France is a tough one. I admire her astuteness in politics and intelligence, and I guess it's also impressive in an era that was male-dominated that she overthrew her husband. I also don't really blame her for having an affair, especially as she really did try to support Edward II early on, despite his obvious affection for Piers Gaveston. But killing her husband off went too far, probably, and was the reason I think a lot of people went against her after that. But although she was imprisoned after her son, Edward III, took the throne, she was released very quickly, despite her lover Mortimer being executed! Whether that shows her son believed her innocence, or simply didn't believe a woman could be the mastermind, we don't know. I think she was a very impressive woman who found herself in a very difficult place, but ultimately went a bit too far once she was in a place of power.

[@crocodiledundee8685]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople thanks for answering. I’ve been curious for a long while what your thoughts on her were.

[@genericamerican7574]

⁠@@HistorysForgottenPeoplea bit of a double standard. What’s for thee but not for me. It was too easy to kill off a wife but not a husband. I guess it’s how you go about it and how well they’re at propaganda.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

@@genericamerican7574 For what it's worth, I want to make it clear I'm not okay with husbands bumping off wives, either! 😂 It definitely was a double standard, especially when you consider what later kings such as Henry VIII got away with. When I say she went 'too far', I mean for the general populace, who I think up until that point were willing to put up with what was happening as they weren't too happy with her husband, either. (And a lot of that in itself stemmed from homophobia, although he also wasn't an effective ruler).

[@MissMentats]

I don’t want to wait 7 days 😭

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Sorry, but I have to sleep, haha! 😂 I promise it will be worth the wait.

[@MissMentats]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople delayed gratification is not my strong point but at least I have something to look forward to 🥹 thank you

[@MichelleBruce-lo4oc]

Hi. Awesome live history video I enjoyed it. How are you? I'm doing well. Your history videos are always enjoyable and educational. Have a great day see you next video greetings from Canada 😊

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Hi Michelle, glad you enjoyed it, as always! 😊

[@marshavilkas3512]

Awesome video, but wasn't Katherine Swynford John of Gaunt's third wife? I thought his second wife was Constance of Castile?

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Oh my goodness, you're right - silly error on my part! Thank you so much for spotting it, I'll make a note in my description and see if I can edit that in some way.

[@ladyagnes9430]

Yes she was his long-term mistress, then eventually became his wife. She was recognized as his wife but it was determined that none of their children or at least not the ones born before the marriage were considered eligible for the throne. Margaret Beaufort line was from that one of the illegitimate ones from that and yet sheet but he John of gaunt acknowledge them so

[@jaimiesalid3141]

You are correct.

[@leeannproctor2966]

I know less about edmund tudor, will you be doing a segment on him?

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Probably not as there's not much known about him, but never say never! I sometimes do videos with more than one person in, so he could pop up in one of those.

[@lfgifu296]

I’m sure you will address this in the other part (or maybe not, who knows👀) but do you think she was responsible for the murders of the Princes (or rather King and Prince) in the Tower?

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

I don't want to go TOO much into it, (as you say, I will go over it in one of the other videos, definitely!) but while I admire her on a lot of levels...yeah, I kind of suspect she was at least involved. I don't necessarily think she ordered 'kill the boys', but I feel that she might have privately suggested the idea that the two boys out of the way would make it easier for her son. That could easily have simply meant hiding them in another country, or kidnapping them, or it might have meant doing away with them. I certainly think she was involved in some way insofar as expressing her opinion, but that is only my personal opinion as obviously it's such a difficult thing to decide upon!

[@ladyagnes9430]

But she was so pius.....I just can't imagine that she'd have anything to do with murdering two little children. Yes she was ambitious for her son but that storyline was made up with the White Queen I think by Philippa Gregory

[@neverwise]

​@Lady Agnes I agree with you. She was devout to the point of obsession and the murder of two children would have sent her to hell. I believe it was Richard. He cancelled the coronation of his nephew, he imprisoned them both after forcing the younger brother out of sanctury on false pretences, and he usurped the crown.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

@Lady Agnes I do agree - I perhaps worded it wrong, but essentially, I don't think she wanted to kill the boys. I do believe Margaret might have wanted them out of the way, but as I mentioned, there were kind ways to do that, such as vanishing them away to the continent and telling everyone it was for their education. And wanting them out of the way also doesn't mean she actually did anything. But I find it hard to believe she wasn't at least involved in the discussion, if you see what I mean. Someone else ordered the killing of those two boys (which is what I believe happened to them), but I don't think it was Margaret, and I think she would have been horrified at what occurred.

[@yorkie23D7]

​@@ladyagnes9430I agree with you. I don't think it would have been in her nature to do this. She was very religious and seems to have been a kind person but she was fun too, she loved card games and gambling and the finer things in life . I am inclined to believe Thomas More's account that it was Richard III.

[@hyperactivehyperbole]

22:21 what is she supposed to be holding? A giant egg? Is it her stomach playing perk-a-boo? A football? It’s driving me insane.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

LOL if you find the answer, please let me know! 😂 That's one of my Midjourney AI images (as there are no images of Margaret from her lifetime), and it just would NOT create an image of her without some sort of 'egg' in her arms. I feel like Midjourney was trying to use symbolism for 'pregnant'!

[@hyperactivehyperbole]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople I think you’re right lol

[@animallover6645]

I really dislike the duke of York, first he was only a direct descent from female lines, so that should cancel him out in the first place and thought he also knew best, like dude just admit you want the crown.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

At least it wasn't as bad as Richard III's later 'reluctance' to take the crown after denouncing his nephews in the Tower as illegitimate and ensuring his other nephew Edward Plantagenet couldn't become king because of his dad's attainder (George, Duke of Clarence). "Oh, you mean there's only me left who can claim the crown? This is SUCH a surprise!"

[@beth7935]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople Exactly! "OMG guys, Bishop Stillington just told me Edward's kids are illegitimate! What a shock! I had no idea!"

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

@@beth7935 Hahaha! Cue very shocked face, eyes wide, hands clasped to either side of his face as he gives an over-exaggerated gasp! 🤣

[@cassiecavataio2982]

She was such an amazing woman

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

She was definitely a force to be reckoned with!

[@RachaelMarieNewport]

​@HistorysForgottenPeople great video, but one minor historical correction. John Beaufort did not have a claim to the crown. The Beaufort children of John of Gaunt were made legitimate after they were grown, but they were barred from the succession as part of that process. Had the other heirs not died out, killed off in war, or other situations with the Wars of the Roses, Henry Tudor would never have come to the crown. Plus his real primary claim was winning by battle not the blood claim.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

@@RachaelMarieNewport You're right in that it certainly wasn't a clear claim. Nevertheless, Margaret Beaufort's claim came through John of Gaunt, if she had one. I don't think I said in the video that John of Gaunt himself had a claim, and certainly hers could be described as a 'disputed' claim, but by the time she helped put Henry in place, it was more readily welcomed by those wishing to be rid of Richard III. When she was younger certainly no one would have even thought of it, which is why I make it clear through the other parts to this series also that her main aim was merely to gain Henry his rightful title of 'Earl of Richmond' back, as well as return him to England and his inheritance. While Henry VII's claim was by conquest, his link to John of Gaunt lent weight at the time he claimed the crown (as seen by use of the Beaufort portcullis in imagery to remind everyone of the distant link to Edward III), alongside his marriage to Elizabeth of York who also had a claim through different lines of the same family.

[@ODDwayne1]

I've been really inspired with deep respect for her and Woodville as well. I'm addicted to them. 😂🎉

[@lucieelizabethannwesson7016]

Murdered the two princes in the Tower

[@HeyYouShouldSmile]

Nobody knows for sure who was responsible for their disappearance

[@emilybarclay8831]

How did she get men past Richard, and why did he never investigate their deaths if he wasn’t responsible? Why would she murder two boys when it didn’t benefit her at all?

[@brontewcat]

There is not one shred of evidence she was involved, and there was not one rumour at the time she was involved. It is a theory first suggested over 100 years later that she was a possible contender. In fact it was almost impossible she had anything to do with them as she had no access to the Tower at the time.

[@amandadassonville4043]

I think she was a nasty bit of nearly nothing and didn't care how she used and abused so she could get what she wanted. Not impressed with her at all. 🐝

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

May I ask why you have that opinion of her? Most of the actual sources for Margaret Beaufort either describe her as pious and strong-willed, or simply as Henry's devoted mother, although many point out her political skills. Only one major source outright condemns her, and that was from the 17th century written by George Buck, and aside from his own skewed bias, his great-nephew by the same name was known to have a record of forgery, making the documents rather suspect. I'm certainly not saying she was perfect, but she has absolutely been the victim of historical misinformation, and modern attempts to sensationalise her in an imagined role she couldn't have been in.

[@amandadassonville4043]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople it is exactly that pious extreme hammering that tells me more. People who 'It's God's Will' are mostly the worst conniving people. A good example is Rasputin. He also left a trail of destruction behind him. These people truly believe they are Gods gift and all they do and get away with is because God ordained it. Maybe it had something to do with God allowing someone to impregnate her at 12. I think she was a bit off her rocker. 🐝

[@sabrinastratton1991]

For a girl of her time how else was she gonna get ahead?

[@magical_universe793]

If i was forced to have a baby at 13 i would be a serial killer

[@brontewcat]

@@HistorysForgottenPeopleWell said.

[@josephwinder6878]

I think she was quite insane. That madness was her gift to her son and granddaughters. The tudors were mental. Mental illness often passes down theough females.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Do you have sources for this? I saw nothing like that in any research on Margaret Beaufort.

[@josephwinder6878]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople there's more to life than academic research. I have a brain. I see mental health issues every day of my life in my career. The Tudors are classics. I'm almost 100% certain there would be no evidence. Even today's modern royal family hid it's mentally ill. I look at their actions, even in the day people were shocked and horrified by the Tudors.

[@altinaykor364]

I'm actually seeing madness in you and all of your wrong words