The Real Scottish Queen Who Became Lady Macbeth

Shakespeare wrote the play Macbeth in the early 1600s as a work of fiction. But there was historical inspiration from the annals of Scottish royalty, including a real king named Macbeth from the 11th century. The most intriguing character in the play is Lady Macbeth, whose lust for power for her husband led her to murder and madness. The inspiration for Lady Macbeth was a woman named Gruoch, whose husband, Gille Comgáin, was a regional ruler in Scotland and had a first cousin and rival named Macbeth. All three were related to Scottish King Malcolm II in one way or another. That seems like a tenuous connection, but it's only the beginning of the story. 

A deadly feud between Gille Comgáin and Macbeth's family led to the death of Macbeth's father, followed years later by Comgáin's death, along with 50 of his men. What could mend the rift between these two clans? It happened when Gruoch married Macbeth, who became king a few years later. We don't know much about Gruoch, or her motivations, but Shakespeare gave her plenty in the form of a murderous thirst for power 600 years later. Read what we do know about the Scottish queen Gruoch at History… the Interesting Bits! -via Strange Company