31 May 1443 : The Birth of Margaret of Beaufort
“A woman who was maritally raped at 12 went through a horrendous body-damaging birth at 13, had to marry no less than four times, because of politics and the need to survive, and spent half her life fighting for the freedom and return of her only son.
A woman who believed having a lot of money was God’s way of using you to help the poor and less fortunate, who took in the homeless, cared for the sick, who allowed anyone to eat and drink at her table at Christmas, who threw the best parties that food made the table groan with the weight of it.
A woman who was an advocate of other women, giving money so poor women could get married, defending and helping Cecily when she married against the king’s wishes, protected her granddaughter from being maritally raped as she was.
A woman who was intelligent and helped found colleges at Cambridge and Oxford, who translated books from French into English, who supported and funding the development of the printing press, who encouraged the access of knowledge and reading to all.
A woman who was smart enough to make alliances where others hadn’t, who secretly communicated with Elizabeth Woodville for an outcome that benefited them both, who continued to fight for her son even when everything was taken from her. [And a woman who by all accounts got along well with her daughter-in-law.]
A woman who survived the constant political upheaval throughout her life, survived an attainder of treason, survived changing of kings, survived a horrific birth, survived being parted from her son, survived seeing loved ones die around her, including her own beloved son.
A woman who is now portrayed in popular culture as a multiple murderer, a borderline sociopath, and a mean-spirited over-ambitious religious nut.” (x)
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