Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. This is a must read for Tudor fans, very well written. ~ Shelly Myers (Reviewer) , NetGalley

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. This was a very good, readable history of Margaret Tudor, one of the lesser talked about Tudors. Margaret was an interesting woman, surrounded and involved in many historical events. Ms. Watkins does a good job of telling of Margaret’s life in an interesting and engaging way. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more of her books! ~ Jessica N (Reviewer) , NetGalley

Sarah-Beth Watkins paints a fascinating picture of this fiery Tudor queen, who loved fine clothes, dancing and special occasions. She uses letters and excellent historical research to bring Queen Margaret to life. I was sorry to finish the book! ~ Lisa Sanderson, Book Addiction

Margaret Tudor is brought to life in this book. We are given a fascinating insight into the complex world of royal families and their strategic political planning. Margaret Tudor, sister of Henry VIII, is married to James IV at a very young age in order to foster good links with Scotland. The book appears to be extremely well researched. There is a lot of detail and many quotes from original letters and papers of the time. I found some of the detail made quite heavy reading occasionally, but on the whole I really enjoyed it. Margaret is often put in a very precarious position and this book explains how she negotiates her way through each problem she is faced with. She leans quite heavily on her brother for support and you get an idea of their relationship. ~ Jill Green-Morgan, NetGalley

A great historical informative book on the Tudors. There is so much information that I haven’t known, so much history in this book, it was a fantastic read if you are interested in Tudor history. ~ Vanesa Dukovic, NetGalley, GoodReads, Amazon

Margaret Tudor is in someways the forgotten Tudor. Daughter of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York, she was the Queen of Scotland for a time and it was through her that the Stuart kings ascended the throne. Yet in many modern retellings, including The Tudors, her story forgotten or worse, merged with her sister's tale. This book attempts to remedy that. Using correspondence and chronicles of the time, Watkins weaves together a complex tapestry of the woman who was Margaret Tudor. Starting from her birth, we explore Margaret's world and her place in it. We meet everyone who would later influence her life and her choices. It helps explain her complexity and also her historical importance. And make no bones about it, Margaret is important. I picked up this book because I have an inordinate love of Tudor history. It was my focus in college, and my historical focus in my post-graduate education. I was not disappointed. The author has clearly done their research (which is good considering this is a non-fiction book) and has gone out of her way to include little tidbits into Margaret's life. I especially enjoyed the inclusion of her letters other documents which both humanized Margaret and also provided historical context to the book. ~ Michelle Louise, NetGalley

Margaret’s story starts off with a mundane feel, but the author, Sarah-Beth Watkins, reminds the reader that Margaret is a Tudor and so, of course, Margaret’s story is going to be full of drama—guaranteed! Watkins does not disappoint. She shows Margaret’s good intentions, poor taste in men, and exciting intrigue. At times, it is hard to side with our heroine, but the reader will feel sorry for her. But when all the shady characters and conspiracies meet, the reader is led to a satisfying finish and will conclude that Margaret was a remarkable woman, whose fight for her family’s future was worth it. ~ Sarah Patten, herstoryline.com

Margaret’s life was very fascinating, and it is sad that she is mostly a forgotten woman in Tudor history. ~ Lauralee Jacks, History From A Woman's Perspective

Of all the Tudor children, Margaret is the I am the least familiar with. Always relegated to the shadows of her domineering brother and beautiful, but tragic sister, this feisty lightening bolt of a woman never seems to be given much thought in books about the period. In this little gem of a biography, she is finally given her due. Combining careful research with an engaging narrative style, Sarah-Beth Watkins takes the reader on a journey through the hardships and triumphs of this elusive Tudor woman. Watkins' thoughtful prose lends gravity to the heartbreak so prevalent in Margaret's life. I hadn't realized how much tragedy had befallen the queen until now. Never one to take these events lying down, Margaret's strength endures, as evidenced by the selected excerpts of primary sources woven throughout the book. These excerpts are perfectly chosen to move the narrative forward without bogging the reader down. The only thing that would make Margaret Tudor: Queen of Scots better is if it were longer. I so thoroughly enjoyed my time in 16th century Scotland, that I wasn't ready for it to end. Highly recommend! ~ Adrienne Dillard, Author of Cor Rotto: A novel of Catherine Carey and The Raven's Widow: A novel of Jane Boleyn

This is the biographical story of King Henry VIII's lesser known older sister, Margaret Tudor, her rise to power as the Queen of Scotland and her continued struggles with being torn between England and Scotland. Ms. Watkins does a wonderful job of telling this woman's story. I was impressed at her ability to overcome tragedy, which entered her life in a number of instances from losing her children to early deaths to being betrayed by those closest to her. She is definitely one of those women who is strong willed and not afraid to go after what she wants. She was devoted to her son. I liked that the book wasn't overly bogged down with historical detail tangents that had little or nothing to do from Margaret, which you can sometimes find in these historical biographies. The author includes excerpts from letters written by the main character which helps portray her voice. I also enjoyed how the author ended the book by reminding the reader of Margaret's ultimate dream of uniting England and Scotland which was eventually achieved through her future family members after her death. If you're interested in the Tudor family, I recommend picking up this book. ~ Marissa Giles, GoodReads

This is a sympathetic and engaging biography of King Henry VIII's sister, who certainly led a tragic life. Margaret faced it courageously and her great inner strength enabled her to fight on through her terrible travails. It's good that she had a little bit of peace before she died with her son and daughter-in-law and her grandchildren. Full review here: https://bookaddiction.blogspot.com/2018/12/margaret-tudor-queen-of-scots-life-of.html ~ Lisa Sanderson, Book Addiction

An intelligent, well written and researched story of a forgotten Tudor Princess and a Scottish Queen. You think of Tudor England and that means Henry v111, and his six wives. Maybe you know about his brother Arthur,perhaps Mary, who married the French King, but poor Margaret, went to Scotland and became a lost Tudor. Although the book details many feminine details about her life,her love of court life,fine dresses and jewellery ,fine food and travels around the kingdom,which are delightful to read, Margaret quickly learnt the skills of diplomacy in her new role. Coming from a Protestant court to a Catholic country,she had to learn how to keep good relations with the English and her domineering brother Henry, and his letters of advice,her disloyal courtiers and following the death of her husband James 1v and her remarriage to Archibald Douglas,6th Earl of Arran,she had to keep the Scottish crown for her only son,James V. This was all against the threat of border raids from the English,the threat of invasion from France and the knowledge that her husband was unfaithful to her and plotted against her regency and his desire to take over that role for himself . She must have used all her feminine wiles to keep the peace for so long! I love Tudor history and take many long holidays in Scotland and mainly visit places connected with Mary,Queen of Scots. I know most of these places described in this book, but didn't know the connections between them and Margaret Tudor ,but did know that she was the grandmother of Mary,Queen of Scots. I think I will do a lot more exploring next year on my annual visits as she seemed such a strong and determined person,ready to sacrifice her health and reputation to see her son on the throne of Scotland. A most enjoyable read,it has really brought this forgotten Queen back to life. ~ Daphne Sharpe, GoodReads

Biographies of kings and queens tend to chronicle their lives primarily as entwined with the historical and political contexts in which they lived, a focus that sometimes necessitates omitting everyday details of their personal lives. By contrast, in the early chapters of this biography, the author’s inclusion of specific details concerning the food, clothing, entourages, activities, and festivities in the life of Margaret Tudor leave a colorful impression. At times, the beginning chapters read like a romance novel, complete with descriptions of Margaret’s luxurious trousseau and a full record of the vows spoken at her betrothal by proxy. Thankfully, the author also provides a complex, nuanced portrait of the political scene, fraught by tensions, conflicts, and wars among England, France, and Scotland. We see this scene afresh from the perspective of Margaret, who at thirteen years of age was married to King James IV of Scotland, a politically motivated union intended to help broker peace between Scotland and England. In fact, however, shifting alliances and unstable relations among England, Scotland, and France often put Margaret and her brother Henry VIII at odds with one another: and Margaret’s husband, James IV, was killed during one of many conflicts between England and Scotland. Following an ill-considered second marriage, Margaret, who began life in the lap of luxury, endured hard years filled with unfaithfulness in the men she loved, painful separations from her children, and financial difficulties occasioned by schemes to deprive her of her rightful income. The course of her life and legacy is well presented in this biography. ~ Cynthia Haller , Educator at York College, City University of New York/NetGalley

I already knew a fair bit about Henry VIII, but I knew next to nothing about his older sister Margaret, who became Queen of Scots. This is a thoroughly researched, well-presented account of her life, which was surprisingly eventful and interesting. I found the writing style informative, but fairly easy to read, apart from the original correspondence texts. Having said that, those fragments of letters were fascinating in their own way, seeing how people communicated in the past. I would thoroughly recommend this biography to anyone interested in British history or ‘kings and queens’. ~ Lola Et La Vie, https://lolaetlavie.wordpress.com/2017/12/04/book-thoughts-margaret-tudor-queen-of-scots-sarah-beth-watkins/

A few months ago, I read a book by Sarah-Jane Watkins about Catherine of Braganza, which I really liked. So, when I saw Watkins had published another book, I jumped on the chance to read it. A Watkins book, a history of a woman and a lesser known at that? Right up my alley! Here, Watkins tells the life of Margaret Tudor, who was the sister of Henry VIII. The Tudors in general and Henry VIII in particular are a well-loved topic. I much prefer the Victorian period myself, although I do find the Tudors quite interesting. Tudor publications often deal with Henry and his wives, so I was quite pleased to learn about a lesser known figure. And learn I did. My only knowledge of Margaret Tudor before I read this book was the character played by Gabrielle Anwar in the TV show The Tudors, who is actually a mix of Margaret Tudor and her sister Mary Tudor, and isn’t exactly historically accurate. I do love the TV show despite its historically inaccuracies, it’s great fun. The book is quite short at 168 pages and the writing style is easy to read, so it is accessible to any reader. The text is enhanced by the addition of several letters written by or to Margaret, as well as a few pictures at the end of chapters. We’re also told at the end what happens to Margaret’s direct descendants. I found myself rooting for the characters, although it isn’t fiction, and was even getting annoyed at their decisions – the diplomacy of the time is very much similar to a soap opera… A recommended read! ~ Camille, Camille's Bookish Adventures

I had never given Margaret Tudor much thought beyond being a sibling of Henry VIII. Watkins' biography reveals a colorful life as Queen of Scotland. She went on to marry two more times after her first husband's demise, and even procured a divorce from the second husband and wanted one from her third. The biography also illuminates her daughter's struggles with many of the same factions as Margaret herself. The story also details the complex relations among the Scots, English, and the French. ~ Janilyn Kocher , NetGalley

Margaret Tudor, Henry VIII’s older sister, can be considered a forgotten Tudor. Henry and her wives are extremely popular and researched, her younger sister Mary is also known, but Margaret tends to be left out, which is a pity because her life was truly turbulent and interesting. Sarah-Beth Watkins's work is a short but well focused biography. Her writing style is nothing spectacular, but it is simple and accessible and makes for an easy read. The historical research is good; also, the author quotes several letters written by Margaret herself, and this gives an insight into her personality without making the read too arduous. Margaret was a determined and strong willed woman, devoted to her son, who had to learn to live in a very different country from the one she was born in. It is true she sometimes made unwise decisions, but she had to face many difficult situations, and often without allies. She had many admirable traits; and also a remarkable bad luck in love! I would recommend Sarah-Beth Watkins's book. It is a short but well constructed biography and it will serve you well if you are interested in this unjustly forgotten woman. ~ Elena Vivenzi , GoodReads

There have been a seemingly never ending stream of books about the Tudors in recent years but certain of the Tudor family have somewhat gone under the radar. Two in particular I would argue would be Mary Tudor (initially before his death married to the King of France) and Margaret Tudor the wife of James IV of Scotland. This neglect is now addressed by Sarah-Beth Watkins concise and very readable biography "Margaret Tudor, Queen of Scots" subtitled "The Life of King Henry VIII’s Sister". Margaret was born in 1489 and for political reasons inorder to cement the ties between England and Scotland a marriage was arranged with James V of Scotland by proxy on 25 January 1503 when she was just 13 years old. This is a story of political intrigue and Machiavellian twists and turns as Scotland becomes intrinsically caught up in a power struggle between England and France (the "Auld Alliance"). This would lead Scotland to fight the calamitous battle of Flodden in 1514 where James IV would perish and leave Margaret at the mercy of her mostly hostile Scottish nobles and her scheming and unreliable brother Henry VIII. Two fairly disastrous marriages would follow, first to Archibald Douglas the 6th Earl of Angus and then to Henry Stewart, 1st Lord Methven. For long periods of her life Margaret felt "she was stuck between England and France" and was used whether willingly or nor by one side or another. The two constant motivations of her life was to was to bring about better relations and understanding between England and Scotland and to ensure the ascendency to the throne of her son the eventual James V of Scotland. This fast moving and continually shifting saga is very well told in this book and there are extracts from letters written at the time which gives an added understanding to the events taken place. I enjoyed the book and would certainly recommend it to those who enjoy history and to those seeking to gain a deeper appreciation of this fascinating period of history ~ G Heard, NetGalley

At school, history was always one of my most disliked subjects, I dreaded it. I found everything about it so incredibly tedious and clock-watched for the whole hour! As I have grown up, this has changed dramatically and I am very pleased it did so. I don't quite know when it changed but I do wish I could've enjoyed my history lessons more when at school. This book is part of my foray into the true history genre. I know there are many many more, a plethora of other related history that I would like to read too and would like to fill in the gaps in my knowledge of Kings and Queen's. I see that Sarah-Beth Watkins has written a few more books on history that I am interested in reading. I thought that I may find this a tad boring but I was pleasantly surprised and will not hesitate to pick up similar books in future. I enjoyed the fact that it was every bit a true story, it meant I was learning something and as an enthusiastic learner I loved this aspect of it! Margaret Tudor, the older sister of Henry VIII, had a extremely turbulent and thoroughly eventful life but as her brother Henry also lived a complicated existence Margaret has been written about a lot less. Sarah-Beth Watkins helps to remedy this by writing this fantastically engaging book full of meticulously compiled research and a readable and simple narrative. I love the including of Margaret's correspondence in the form of letters, it really helps in understanding Margaret's frame of mind and situation at the time they were written. Margaret Tudor was Henry VIII's older sister and became the Queen of Scotland after her marriage to James IV in 1503. Her life was troubled and fraught with tension. She was continually caught between her country of birth and the country she ruled. After James IV's death, she made the disastrous decision to marry the Earl of Angus, threatening her regency and forcing the Scottish council to send for the Duke of Albany to rule in her stead. Over the years Margaret's allegiance swung between England and Scotland making her brother Henry VIII both her ally and her enemy at times. Although Margaret wished for peace between the two countries, these were tumultuous years and she didn't always make the wisest choices. Yet all she did, she did for her son James V and her absolute conviction he would rule Scotland as its rightful king. There has always been a fascination with the Tudors but Margaret is usually in the background - mentioned in many books chronicling the lives of her relatives, this book puts her at the forefront and finally she is more than a peripheral figure. Her brother Henry VIII has received the most attention over the years. Even her sister Mary has been written about in depth while Margaret has continued to be a passing thought in period books. This is why I am glad her life has been written about so beautifully but it was far from a bed of roses. Margaret's life was scattered with a lot of testing times and heartbreak and the author portrays this extremely well. It is difficult to imagine what it would have been like experiencing the amount of tragedies that she did. Although she could have easily given up and given in her strength shines through and she stands strong. These themes are prevalent in her letters to various people and in some cases they are rather emotional. Revealing her true thoughts and innermost feelings. It is a rather short book which manages to have depth but not be bogged down in detail - this is a feat in itself. I loved this so much that I didn't want it to end in all honesty. I was sad to leave 16th century Scotland but I am positive I will return to it soon. Highly recommended. I voluntarily accepted an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. ~ Lou B, NetGalley

Inform yous, in a most factual and well written manner her [Margaret Tudor's] story. A life that is full of conflict and I can imagine that she was quite weary at the end of her life, she had gone through so much, but I admire her strength and tenacity, she fought for what she wanted and above all wanted the very best for her children. She was definatly born into an era of men, they dominated her world and she was pushed and pulled around by them, but I applaud her for standing up for what she believed was just and right. Watkins was thorough in her research and backed up her writing with excerpts of letters written by Margaret and received by her, which were interesting to read. I will keep this book, so I can reference through it again at my leisure, for it is a book that is well worth a read, particularly if you want to know more about this sister or indeed just this time period. ~ Julie Wright, Tudor Rose https://tudor-rosebookworm.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/book-review-margaret-tudor-queen-of.html#more

An intriguing historical account of the machinations of King Henry VIII and his attempt to join the countries of Scotland and England, using his sister Margaret. She married James IV and gave birth to the future James V, who she thought eventually would rule both England and Scotland together, but this never came to pass. Margaret came across, as both strong and vulnerable, especially in later years. Margaret is not as well known as her granddaughter Mary, but an important player in the lives of the Tudor dynasty. Recommended. ~ Eileen Hall, NetGally

This is the biographical story of King Henry VIII's lesser known older sister, Margaret Tudor, her rise to power as the Queen of Scotland and her continued struggles with being torn between England and Scotland. Ms. Watkins does a wonderful job of telling this woman's story. I was impressed at her ability to overcome tragedy, which entered her life in a number of instances from losing her children to early deaths to being betrayed by those closest to her. She is definitely one of those women who is strong willed and not afraid to go after what she wants. She was devoted to her son. I liked that the book wasn't overly bogged down with historical detail tangents that had little or nothing to do from Margaret, which you can sometimes find in these historical biographies. The author includes excerpts from letters written by the main character which helps portray her voice. I also enjoyed how the author ended the book by reminding the reader of Margaret's ultimate dream of uniting England and Scotland which was eventually achieved through her future family members after her death. If you're interested in the Tudor family, I recommend picking up this book. ~ Marissa Giles, NetGalley

I love Tudor romance fiction and this was an amazing journey! ~ Sheena Brown, NetGalley

Praise for Sarah-Beth Watkins' companion title The Tudor Brandons: Impressively detailed research combined with a remarkable storytelling talent on the part of author Sarah-Beth Watkins,The Tudor Brandons is a consistently compelling and exceptionally informative read from beginning to end. ~ Midwest Book Review