By CHE, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
One of Queen Margaret’s greatest legacies was the enduring faith of her sons and their descendants. William of Malmesbury could say in 1127: ‘Never have we been told among the events of history, of three kings – and at the same time brothers – who were of holiness so great, and savoured so much of the nectar of their mother’s godliness…’ Of the three brothers: Edgar, Alexander and David, it was David whose own reputation most reflected that of his mother’s faith.
David I came to power in 1124 and reigned for 29 years. He seems to have been an extraordinary king. He poured out his support for the church, showing both a deep spirituality and pragmatism. It was in the time of King David and his brothers that many of the great abbeys and cathedrals were built, such as St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh in 1125. The Augustinians received a special land-holding a mile down from Edinburgh Castle, which became known as Holyrood Abbey. It was probably King David I who built a chapel at the castle in honour of his mother: today this is known as St Margaret’s Chapel, and it is the oldest remaining building in Edinburgh. Wanting to do more in his mother’s name, he chose a place for her Black Rood, a splinter of Christ’s cross encased in a crucifix in a box, so when the church was built in 1128 it was called Holyrood Abbey.
There is, however, an additional legend connected with this church. David loved to hunt deer below Arthur’s Seat. One day a white stag was spotted, so he was determined to hunt and kill it. Unfortunately for him, this stag, when cornered, went for his horse, and the king was flung to the ground where he expected to be gored to death. Instead he saw a cross shining between the antlers of the stag and he left the scene unharmed. That night, it was said, St Andrew spoke to him in a dream, telling him to build a church there at that spot to house the Black Rood.
David, like his mother, had a strong business and administrative sense. He invited French lords over to Scotland to help him build a feudal system, and also established 36 burghs (counties) in Scotland and the church parish system. He invited English, French and Flemish traders into the nation to develop international trade and introduced the first silver coins for currency. In a very real sense he brought Scotland into the European culture of the Middle Ages. In the words of John of Fordun, in his Chronicle of the Scottish People: ‘His memory is blessed through all generations, for there never, from time immemorial, arose a prince like him… in a spirit of prudence and firmness, he wisely toned down the fierceness of his nation… for he was a glorious king.’