Malcolm III was but a child when his father, King Duncan, was slain by Macbeth. For a number of years he was free to devote his energies to the consolidation of his kingdom. England was then ruled by the peaceful Edward the Confessor. After his first wife, Ingibiorg, died, Malcolm married in 1069 Margaret, sister of Edgar the Atheling. In 1093, he invaded Northumberland and was ambushed and slain at Malcolm's Cross. After Malcolm's death, there were fierce struggles between his relatives and the sons of Margaret for the throne, during which the kingdom was divided for a time under 2 rulers..

David was a powerful ruler. He administered the government so firmly that the kingdom was unified along lines which continued for many years. His fame is due chiefly to his domestic policy. He assimilated the national religion to the Roman model and gave so many large grants of land to men of Norman, Scottish, and Danish birth, that the governing race of the country was changed. He also gave a priority to the development of burghs. Under him, Scotland flourished and excited the rivalry of England.

After William was captured while invading Northumberland, he was forced to acknowledge Henry II, King of England, as Lord Paramount of Scotland. The English suzerainty lasted until 1189.

Under Alexander II and Alexander III, Scotland made steady progress along all the lines of national development. Alexander III defeated Haco, King of Norway, at the Battle of Largo in 1265, and the Hebrides and the Isle of Man were added to Scotland. Throughout the period of disaster and misery that followed the death of Alexander III, his reign came to be regarded as the golden age of Scotland.

Alexander III's daughter Margaret married Eric II of Norway. Their daughter, Margaret the Maid of Norway, at age 3 was Alexander III's only living descendant when he died. By the regency appointed to manage the affairs of the kingdom, it was arranged that she should be married to the heir of Edward I of England, but, on her way back home, she died in the Orkney Islands. There were then 13 candidates for the vacant throne. The 3 major claimants agreed to let Edward I of England decide who would be awarded the Scottish crown. His decision 12 November, 1292, at the Castle of Berwick, was John Balliol, the grandson of the eldest daughter of the brother of William the Lion - under the condition of vassalage to Edward I. Four years later, Edward I decided there should be no King of Scots, and appointed a governor to handle the affairs of Scotland. The War of Scottish Independence resulted in Robert the Bruce being King of an independent Scotland.

Now Stuart Kings of Britain

1653 - 1658 - Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector
1658 - 1659 - Richard Cromwell as Lord Protector

William and Mary were named joint sovereigns. When Mary II died in 1694, William III ruled on his own until his death.

The family changed their name to Windsor in 1917, in order to veil their German heritage during World War I. Windsor was the surname of King Edward III (who died in 1377).