Historic Heroines 4: Margaret Beaufort; power, preferment and family protection

Date: 20th April 2021

Medieval historian Dr Lynda Pidgeon explores the relationship between King Henry VII’s devoted mother Margaret and members of her extended family; a care for her blood relations which sometimes conflicted with concern for her son.

Medieval historian Dr Lynda Pidgeon explores the relationship between King Henry VII’s devoted mother Margaret and members of her extended family; a care for her blood relations which sometimes conflicted with concern for her son.

Margaret’s Beaufort’s half siblings were members of the St. John family of Lydiard Park which brought them close to the throne without posing a threat to the Tudor dynasty. However life at court was complicated and potentially dangerous and Margaret steered a careful path.

Lynda has published articles on the Woodvile family, Richard III and medieval marriage and taught on the Wars of the Roses and medieval life in part-time adult continuing education. A member of the Richard III Society, she was their Research Officer for eight years and is a member of the Research Committee. She has also appeared in the National Geographic History Channel Mystery Files: The Princes in the Tower episode.