"One of the earliest known Scottish queens was none other than the notorious Lady Macbeth. Was she really the wicked woman depicted in Shakespeare's famous play? Was St. Margaret a demure and obedient wife? Why did Margaret Logie exercise such an influence over her husband, David II, and have we underestimated James VI's consort, Anne of Denmark, frequently written off as a stupid and wilful woman? These are just a few of the questions addressed by Dr. Marshall in this study." "Much has been written about the various kings who ruled over Scotland, but this is the first book to deal exclusively with the queens, the few who were monarchs in their own right and also the consorts. Queenship is currently an important aspect of gender studies, and the lives of these largely forgotten women form lively and revealing miniature biographies while at the same time illuminating the author's main theme: how did women chosen to be the brides of Scottish kings react to their usually arranged marriages, and how did they confront the overwhelming difficulties that all too often followed?"--BOOK JACKET.