• General Notes

  son of Duncan I; successor to MACBETH. In aid of Edgar Atheling, pretender to the English throne, Malcolm waged wars against England that helped ensure Scottish independence and made possible church reorganization by his wife, Margaret of Scotland.
  Some say died 1098. Slew Macbeth 1057. King of Strathclyde.
  He succeeded to the throne of Scotland by the defeat of Macbeth in 1054. During his reign he carried on almost constant warfare, most of which was successful. He gave support to his brother-in-law, Eadgar Atheling, in fighting William the Conqueror in Northumbria. In 1072, William invaded Scotland and succeeded in a temporary conquest of the country, returning to England after Malcolm did homage. Later, in 1091, Malcolm raided Northern England, in return for which William Rufus invaded Scotland, and once more Malcolm did homage. In 1092, when in Gloucester, England, he declined to do homage and returned to Scotland in anger. He invaded Northumberland in 1093, but was ambushed near the Castle of Alnwick and slain.
  Malcolm married Ingibiorg, daughter of Finn Amasson, widow of Thorlinn, Jarl of Orkney, When she died, he married Margaret. One source says she was the daughter of Edward Atheling, two others say she was the sister of Edward Atheling. Most likely she was the sister of Athelingand was the great-niece of Edward the Confessor. Duncan II was Malcolm's son by first marriage. Other sons were Edgar 1098-1107, Alexander 1107-1124 (married an illegitimate daughter of Henry I) and David I (The Saint) 1124-1153. These were children by the second marriage with Margaret. They had six sons in all.
  The reign of Malcolm III, or Canmore as he was known, began the rule of the house of Canmore. This house continued to preside for over two centuries. Canmore means big head or great chief. After the defeat of his father, Malcolm took refuge with his uncle in Northumbir and acquired Anglo-Sxon attitudes. Margaret, his second wife, had a lot of influence over him and through her he substituted Saxon for Gaelic as the court language. His dream was to expand his kingdom into England but this was not to be as William the Conqueror advanced into Scotland in 1072. He made jeweled bindings for her religious books although he could not read them.
  Margaret was a much loved and very devout queen. She had travelled widely in Europe and when she came to Scotland she was determined to change the manner of the court both in fashion and standards of behavior. Nobles were forbidden to fight or get drunk at court and she gave each noble his own drinking cup. Margaret was allowed to use her husband's money to help the poor by giving them food, shelter and clothing. She also encouraged trade with foreign merchants. Under her influence, life became more civilized. She also founded many monasteries and tried to bring her Roman Church close together with the Celtic church. Margaret was canonized in 1251.
  Malcolm's son was taken as hostage to the English court. In 1093, Malcolm decided to invade England for the 5th time. Magaret was very ill in Edinburgh Castle and begged him not to go but he would not listen. Soon after the fighting commenced, he was killed.
  Margaret received the news four days later, and being on her deathbed herself, died almost immediately. Soon after his death, Edinburgh Castle was surrounded by Highlanders employed by Donald Bane, Malcolm III's brother, who planned to capture the castle and thus enable him to become king. His plan was to kill his nephews, Margaret's sons, or to put them in prison. The brothers were trapped. They had to take their mother's body to Dumferline to be buried and didn't know how they were to manage. By good fortune or a freak of nature a heavy white mist descended upon the castle and it was so dense that they were able to sneak past the Highlanders with their mother's body. They then made their escape to France. Malcolm had ruled for 35 years but the stability he had g

Details of (King) Malcolm III's family with Margaret Athling of HUNGARY