Margaret of Huntingdon, Duchess of Brittany facts for kids

Margaret of Huntingdon (born 1145, died 1201) was an important Scottish princess. She became the Duchess of Brittany through her first marriage. Margaret was the sister of two Scottish kings, Malcolm IV and William I. She was also the wife of Conan IV, Duke of Brittany, and the mother of Constance, Duchess of Brittany. After her second marriage, Margaret was known as the Countess of Hereford.

Early Life and Family

Margaret's parents were Henry of Scotland, who was the Earl of Huntingdon and Northumbria, and Ada de Warenne. She was likely the oldest daughter in her family. Margaret was named after her great-grandmother, Saint Margaret of Scotland, a very famous queen.

First Marriage and Children

In 1160, Margaret married Conan IV, Duke of Brittany. This made her the Duchess of Brittany and the Countess of Richmond. Brittany was a powerful region in France at that time.

Margaret and Conan had several children together:

• Constance, Duchess of Brittany (born around 1161, died 1201). She later became a very important duchess herself. Constance had three children with her first husband, Geoffrey Plantagenet, including Arthur I of Brittany.
• At least two other children who sadly died when they were very young.
• William (died after 1199/1201).

Conan, Margaret's first husband, passed away in February 1171. Margaret was only 26 years old when she became a widow.

Second Marriage and Family

Soon after, in 1171, Margaret married her second husband, Humphrey III de Bohun. He was a very important person in England, known as the Hereditary Constable of England. This meant his family had a special role in the king's army and household. After this marriage, Margaret began to call herself the Countess of Hereford.

Margaret and Humphrey had two children:

• Henry de Bohun, 1st Earl of Hereford (born 1176, died 1220). He later became an Earl and was one of the nobles who signed the Magna Carta. This was a famous document that limited the power of the king.
• Matilda (died after 1184/1185).

Humphrey, Margaret's second husband, died in late 1181.

Third Marriage and Later Life

Margaret married for a third time to an English nobleman named Sir William fitz Patrick de Hertburn. He gained control of lands in Washington, Durham, in 1183.

Margaret and Sir William had three children:

• Walter de Washington
• Sir William de Washington (born around 1183, died around 1239). The famous Washington family in America, including George Washington, is believed to be descended from this William.
• Marjory de Washington.

Margaret passed away in 1201 and was buried at Sawtry Abbey in Huntingdonshire, England. Her third husband had died a few years earlier, around 1194.

Portrayals in Literature

Margaret of Huntingdon appears as a character in the historical novel Devil's Brood (2008) by Sharon Kay Penman.