Monday, August 25, 2008

Question from Elizabeth M. - Dorothea Stuart

Can anyone tell me anything about DOROTHEA STUART? Apparently, she was a daughter of Queen Margaret Tudor? But I have seen a source that says she was one of the short-lived daughters born to Margaret and her first husband, James IV, and I have seen another that says she was a daughter of Margaret and her third husband, Henry Stuart, Lord Methven. Anybody know?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

According to the sources I have been able to consult, including the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Dorothea Stewart (incorrectly spelled Stuart) was the illegitimate daughter of Henry Stewart, Lord Methven and Henry's mistress, Lady Janet Stewart, daughter of John Stewart, the Earl of Atholl.

Dorothea was born to Lady Janet prior to Margaret Tudor Stuart Douglas Stewart's death in 1541. Dorothea was later legitimated in 1551.

Therefore the adult Dorothea Stewart was not related in blood to Margaret Tudor.

It is possible, however, that one of Margaret's several daughters conceived by James IV and who died immediately after birth had been named Dorothea.

kb said...

My knowledge agrees with phd historian's. The Dorothea Stewart that I am aware of was not the daughter of Margaret Tudor Stuart Douglas but the illegitimate daughter of Lady Jane Stewart.

This doesn't mean there weren't other Dorothea Stewarts.

Anonymous said...

In Alison Weir's Britain's Royal Families she mentions that Margaret Tudor had a daughter by Lord Methven.
She lists:
Dorothea (d.young) and then mentions her existence is iffy.

Anonymous said...

There was more than one Dorothea Stewart. One was the illegitimate daughter of Henry Stewart, the other was Margaret Tudor's legitimate daughter by her third husband. That's probably why it sometimes seems confusing