n, had strength of
mind to preserve her rectitude without deviation, and her efforts were
crowned by divine Providence with success. She is justly considered one
of the most illustrious female rulers in history. Her renown even
reached the Byzantine emperor Emanuel Palaeologus, who called her _Regina
sine exemplo maxima_. But under her successors--destitute of her high
sense of duty, great ability, and consistent virtue--her triumphs proved
a snare instead of a blessing. The great union she created dissolved in
a short time, and its downfall was as sudden as its elevation had been
extraordinary. She was born in 1353. Her father was, as we have seen,
Waldemar Atterdag, her mother Queen Hedevig, and she became queen of
Denmark and Norway in 1387. She was no sooner elected queen of Denmark,
and homaged on the hill of Sliparehog, near Lund, in Ringsted, Odensee,
and Wiborg, than she sailed to Norway to receive their homage. But a
remarkable occurrence is mentioned by historians as occurring about this
time. A report prevailed that King Olaf, the Queen's son, was not dead;
it was propagated by the nobility, and very likely set on foot by them,
in order to punish Margaret for her liberality to the clergy. An
impostor claimed the crown of Denmark and Norway, and gained credit
every day by making discoveries which could only be known to Olaf and
his mother. Margaret, however, proved him to be a son of Olaf's nurse.
Olaf had a large wart between his shoulders--a mark which did not appear
on the impostor. The false Olaf was seized, broken on the wheel, and
publicly burned at a place between Falsterbo and Skanor, in Sweden, and
Margaret continued uninterruptedly her regency.

But the Queen, not wishing to contract a new marriage, and comprehending
the importance of having a successor elected to the throne, proposed her
nephew, Eric, Duke of Pomerania. This proposal the clergy and nobility
approved, and they elected him to be king of Denmark and Norway after
Margaret's death. Meanwhile Albert, King of Sweden, having, on account
of his preference given to German favorites, incurred the hatred of his
people, the Swedes requested Margaret to assist them against him, which
she promised to do if they in return would make her queen of Sweden.
Moreover, Albert had highly offended the Danish Queen; had, though
hardly able to govern his own kingdom, assumed the title "king of
Denmark," and laid claim to Norway, too; and when she blamed him f