NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A stunning portrait of Margaret Douglas, niece of Henry VIII, who used her sharp intelligence and covert power to influence the succession after the death of Elizabeth I, from the renowned author hailed as “the finest historian of English monarchical succession writing” ( The Boston Globe ) “A substantial, detailed biography of a fascinating woman who lived her extraordinary life to the full . . . will appeal to anyone with an interest in powerful women of the Tudor period.”—Philippa Gregory, The Washington Post ONE OF THE INDEPENDENT ’S BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR Royal Tudor blood ran in her veins. The life of Lady Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox, was steeped in intrigue, drama, and tragedy—from her auspicious birth in 1515 to her parents’ bitter divorce, from her dangerous love affairs to her appointment as lady-in-waiting to four of Henry VIII’s six wives. In an age when women were expected to stay out of the political arena, Margaret helped orchestrate one of the most notorious marriages of the sixteenth century, defiantly warred with two queens—Elizabeth of England and Mary, Queen of Scots—and was instrumental in securing the Stuart ascension to the English throne for her grandson, James VI of Scotland. Drawing on decades of research and myriad original sources—including many of Margaret’s surviving letters—Alison Weir brings this captivating character out of the shadows and presents a strong, alluring woman who fearlessly operated at the very highest levels of power. “This is a substantial, detailed biography of a fascinating woman who lived her extraordinary life to the full, taking desperate chances for love and for ambition. It will appeal to anyone with an interest in the powerful women of the Tudor period.” —Philippa Gregory, The Washington Post “Tackling the family from an unexpected angle, Weir offers a blow-by-blow account of six decades of palace intrigue. . . . Weir balances historical data with emotional speculation to illuminate the ferocious dynastic ambitions and will to power that earned her subject a place in the spotlight.” — The New York Times Book Review “[A] noteworthy biography . . . Through considerable research and with great clarity, Weir reveals how the strong-willed Margaret encapsulated the best and worst of the ambitious Tudor dynasty.” — Publishers Weekly “An abundantly detailed history from an author steeped in England’s past.” — Kirkus Reviews “[Weir provides] a refreshing perspective on an otherwise familiar period in British history.” — The Times (London) “With a fine eye for period detail, Weir chronicles the romances, scandals and intrigues that saw five Tudor reigns.” — The Lady (London) Alison Weir is the New York Times bestselling author of several historical biographies, including Elizabeth of York, Mary Boleyn, The Lady in the Tower, Mistress of the Monarchy, Henry VIII, Eleanor of Aquitaine, The Life of Elizabeth I, and The Six Wives of Henry VIII, and the novels The Marriage Game, A Dangerous Inheritance, Captive Queen, The Lady Elizabeth, and Innocent Traitor . She lives in Surrey, England, with her husband. CHAPTER 1 “A Fair Young Lady” Margaret Tudor was the eldest daughter of Henry VII, the first Tudor King of England, and his Queen, Elizabeth, heiress of the royal House of York. She had been born in November 1489 and was just thirteen when, in 1503, in the interest of forging good relations with Scotland, England’s traditional enemy, she had been married to James IV, King of Scots, who was sixteen years her senior and renowned for his lechery. Four of their six children died in infancy, but in 1512 Margaret Tudor bore a son, also called James, who thrived. However, the following year James IV invaded England, seeking to take advantage of Henry VIII’s absence on a campaign in France. The English were not unprepared, however, and a large force under the command of Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey, marched north to confront James. The two armies met on September 9, 1513 at Flodden in Northumberland, and by the end of the day King James and the flower of the Scottish nobility lay slaughtered in the field. It was one of the most cataclysmic events in Scottish history, immortalized in ballads such as “The Flowers of the Forest,” in which it is claimed that twelve thousand were slain. Nearly every notable family lost at least one of its sons, and the impact of this disastrous defeat would be felt for generations. Scotland was now under the nominal rule of an infant, James V, and subject to yet another long minority; such had been its fate for more than a century, as king after king had succeeded in childhood. It was a kingdom dominated by huge interrelated families, notably the Stewarts, the Douglases and the Hamiltons, and this age-old clannish system of kinship groupings had nurtured a fierce sense of family. Allowed virtual autonomy during a succession of regencies, the factious Scottish