Lady Margaret Butler facts for kids

Arms of the Butler family, Earls of Ormond.

Lady Margaret Boleyn (born around 1454 – died 1539) was an important Irish noblewoman. She was the daughter of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond.

Margaret married Sir William Boleyn. Her oldest son, Thomas Boleyn, became the father of Anne Boleyn. Anne Boleyn later became the second wife of King Henry VIII of England. This made Margaret the great-grandmother of Elizabeth I of England, who became a famous queen.

Lady Margaret's Life

Margaret was born at Kilkenny Castle in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Her parents were Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond, and Anne Hankford.

She had two sisters, Anne and Elizabeth. Margaret and Anne believed they should inherit their father's lands and the title of Earl of Ormond. However, their cousin, Piers Butler, controlled the family lands in Ireland. He also had support from the Irish Council. This disagreement about who should inherit the lands lasted for many years.

In 1465, Margaret married William Boleyn. They had ten children together. Their son, Thomas Boleyn, became a very important person at the King's court. He married Elizabeth Howard. Their daughter was Anne Boleyn, who became Queen of England. This means Margaret was the great-grandmother of Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Later in her life, around 1519, Margaret had times when she was not able to manage her own properties well.

Margaret was the last of the Boleyn family to live in Hever Castle. After she died, the castle was given to Anne of Cleves in 1540. Margaret's lands were then claimed by her only grandchild who was still alive, Mary Boleyn, and her husband, William Stafford.

Margaret's Children

In Books and Stories

Margaret Butler appears as Grandmother Boleyn in the 2002 book The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. In the story, she is shown as a clever and sometimes difficult woman. She lives at the Boleyn family home, Hever Castle, and asks about life at the King's court.

See also

• Butler dynasty