Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby

Lady Margaret Beaufort was a key figure in the Wars of the Roses and the mother of King Henry VII, the first monarch of the Tudor dynasty. A descendant of King Edward III, she inherited a disputed claim to the English throne, which she passed on to her son Henry Tudor. Her strategic actions during the Wars of the Roses played a pivotal role in securing the throne for her son, who defeated King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. As the mother of the king, Lady Margaret exercised significant political influence and was a patron of the arts and education, founding two Cambridge colleges and influencing the Tudor period’s cultural landscape.

Born to John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, and Margaret Beauchamp, she became the sole heiress to her father’s fortune and his claim to the throne at a young age. Her marriages were politically motivated, with her union to Edmund Tudor solidifying her son’s future claim to the throne. Throughout her life, Margaret supported her maternal half-siblings and maintained a close relationship with her son, King Henry VII, influencing court politics and governance.