Lady Margaret Beaufort, a powerful figure during the Wars of the Roses and matriarch of the Tudor dynasty, was born Margaret Beaufort on May 31st, 1443, at Bletsoe Castle in Bedfordshire, England. The great-granddaughter of King Edward III, Margaret was highly sought after as a potential bride due to her lineage and wealth. She married three times, most significantly to Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, with whom she had her only son, Henry Tudor.
Margaret actively supported her son’s claim to the throne during the Wars of the Roses. Following Henry’s victory at Bosworth Field in 1485, she became the King’s Mother and wielded considerable influence. A devout woman and patron of the arts, Margaret funded educational institutions like Christ’s College, Cambridge, and translated religious texts. She died on June 29th, 1509, at Westminster Abbey, leaving behind a legacy of political intrigue, religious piety, and educational philanthropy.
