Margaret of Anjou at the Jardin du Luxembourg, Paris

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Margaret of Anjou (23 March 1430 – 25 August 1482) was the wife of King Henry VI of England. As queen, she held power from 1445 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471. Born in Lorraine's Duchy, Margaret was a daughter of René I of Naples and Isabella, Duchess of Lorraine. She was one of the key players in England's dynastic civil wars known as the Wars of the Roses and led the Lancastrian faction at times personally. Due to her husband's frequent bouts of insanity, Margaret took charge of the kingdom in his place. It was she who called a Great Council in May 1455 that excluded the Yorkist faction headed by Richard, Duke of York, sparking a civil conflict that lasted over thirty years and caused thousands of deaths, including her only son Edward of Westminster at the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471. Margaret was taken prisoner after the Lancastrian defeat at Tewkesbury. In 1475, she was ransomed by King Louis XI of France, her cousin. She moved to France and lived as a poor relation of the French king until she died there at age 52. This object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory that creates a digital archive of fully printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from across the globe for public access free. Scan The World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items around you and want to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.