Margaret of Scotland

Margaret Of Scotland, daughter of king Edward III, fled to Scotland with her brother, Edgar Edelings, when William the Conqueror invaded England, and in 1070 there married king Malcolm, who afterwards died fighting against William II of England, she following him only four days later to the grave (Nov. 16,1093). She was canonized by Innocent IV in 1251, and in 1673 Clement X made her the patron saint of Scotland. According to the statement of her confessor Theodoric, Margaret of Scotland was very active, generous, and even lavish in helping the poor. She had regularly 300 persons dependent on her charity, and did much towards softening the native rudeness of the Scottish nobility. She founded a number of churches, working herself in adorning them, and gained her place in the Martyrologium Romanum by her efforts to unite the Church of Scotland with that of Rome, and to civilize the country. She had worked no miracles, but her children were accounted such; among them was David I, 'splendor generis," who Romanized Scotland. In after times her cathedral was destroyed by the Puritans, and her relics were scattered; such portions as were subsequently collected were transferred by Philip II to the Escurial. The "toast of Margaret" is named after her; pope Eugenius IV in 1430 attached to it an indulgence of forty days. but with the express condition that this toast should be the last. Margaret is commemorated June 16 by, the Church of Rome. — Herzog, Real-Encyklop. 9:54. (J. N. P.)