Laura Carmichael’s Margaret “Maggie” Pole in The Spanish Princess exemplifies the devoted, warm, yet fiercely principled ESFJ with a 2w1 Enneagram: someone deeply committed to family, honor, and morality. Her quick judgments and strong emotional intelligence allow her to navigate the dangerous Tudor court with a mixture of kindness, shrewdness, and unyielding conscience. Maggie’s loyalty to her loved ones contrasts with her distrust of political intrigue, revealing a complex woman torn between duty and self-preservation. This analysis explores her cognitive functions and Enneagram motivations to illuminate her role as the moral compass amid the chaos of Henry VIII’s England.
A Compassionate Conscience: Extraverted Feeling
Maggie makes fierce, rapid judgments upon everyone she encounters, from her initial reaction to Catherine’s desire to lie to protect her second marriage (she catches on to her intention and warns her against it, then says she will not lie to protect her) to her warm nurturing of Prince Arthur in his emotional insecurities (telling him not to blame his wife for mistaking his brother’s letters for his own). Maggie freely expresses her unhappiness at their current state, her resentment of Catherine of Aragon, and her refusal to submit to Margaret Beaufort’s demands she tell the truth about Arthur’s marriage.
When Catherine attempts to pressure her into keeping a secret for her, Maggie responds she will live according to her conscience and do whatever is required to “keep my head attached to my neck,” since she has seen so many people executed to keep her cousin’s husband on the throne. Though she strikes up a friendship with Thomas More, she easily expresses her disapproval of his aggressive tactics against Lutherans, since she finds the practice immoral. While she does not care for the Spanish Princess, confronted by Catherine’s bewilderment at a state function, she takes the time to tell her the dance they are about to do is “like” one Catherine knows well, thus ensuring she does it properly and does not humiliate herself.
Rooted in Tradition: Introverted Sensing
Maggie warns Catherine if she proceeds with a second marriage, “The Tudor curse will take hold… no living sons!” This shows how she leans heavily on past events and family history to predict future outcomes, a classic use of Si. Despite dangerous court politics, Maggie consistently prioritizes caring for her children and seeks refuge in the countryside, showing a preference for familiar, stable environments. Maggie often reflects on the sacrifice of her brother, who died protecting England. These memories deeply influence her cautious approach to political involvement. She also has a strong sense of family and thinks they should come first, ahead of the Tudors; this leads her to chastise her son when he does whatever the king demands, rather than to defend her or his sister. Maggie understands her place in the Tudor social hierarchy and fulfills her duties with diligence, organizing family and social functions year after year. Stubborn in her views and not easily shaken, Maggie is often fearful of what the future might hold, in her lack of an ability to anticipate it.
Seeking the ‘What If’: Extraverted Intuition
Maggie is disappointed to discover Thomas More is not who she thought he was because she misread his character. His ideals and virtues and feminist views captivated her until she discovered actual physical evidence in his home of using torture devices. This disillusions her and causes her to reverse all of her opinions about him and eject him from her heart (Ne is good at a total abandonment of a previous idea in favor of a new one). She encourages her daughter to marry for love rather than solely for wealth or political gain, showing her openness to possibilities beyond pure social ambition. Maggie’s concern about the unknown consequences of Catherine’s second marriage reveals her tendency to expect potential future problems without concrete evidence.While she sympathizes with More initially, Maggie senses his aggressive tactics may backfire, showing her capacity to foresee indirect consequences. She is also curious about Lutheranism, rather than rejecting it outright the way he does. Maggie helps others navigate court life by suggesting less confrontational approaches, blending tradition with innovative social strategy.
When Conscience Meets Logic: Introverted Thinking
Maggie’s refusal to lie for Catherine stems from a logical process aligning her beliefs and actions, even if it puts her at risk. When she falls in love with Thomas More, Maggie reasons maybe God wants them to act on their feelings and seize happiness with both hands—a conclusion reached through her emotions, rather than logical detachment, since it ignores all the bits of scripture that she doesn’t feel should apply to them about adultery. Maggie cannot reconcile the cruelty of torture with her own moral framework (it is “inhumane” from a Fe point of view), leading her to withdraw affection from More despite her own personal feelings. Despite the danger, Maggie chooses honesty with the king, showing a clear internal logic that truth must prevail for justice. Maggie’s decisions consistently reflect a struggle between empathy for others and the need to maintain ethical consistency, especially under political pressure.
A Heart of Service: Enneagram 2
Maggie has a great deal of compassion for everyone, even though she intends to hate Catherine at first, because the girl’s arrival prompted her brother’s beheading, she cannot help forgiving her, comforting her, and protecting her when called upon to betray her. Out of defiance, she refuses to give in to Margaret Beaufort’s bullying demands of revealing the truth. She urges her daughter to make a ‘love match’ rather than be purely detached in her ambitions for a husband and is distressed at the idea that Ursula might simply for financial gain. She provided much love, support, and reassurance for Prince Arthur during his brief life. She is forever volunteering to help people, rushing to their side if they go into labor, or need someone to hold their hand. She tirelessly cares for Prince Arthur, offering emotional support during his insecurities and illness, embodying the classic helper who prioritizes loved ones. During the plague and other hardships, Maggie rushes to assist those who are sick or in labor, offering practical help and emotional comfort. Her self-sacrificing tendencies align perfectly with the 2’s instinct to be there for others, often at personal cost. Maggie frequently gives unsolicited advice and encouragement to those around her, pushing them to do better or make morally sound choices.
Moral Steel Beneath the Softness: The 1 Wing
Maggie is the voice of moral reason at court. She objects to the torture chamber Sir Thomas More has installed in his house, and it causes her to ‘fall out of love with him,’ because she can think of no circumstance under which he could justify using it; it is too cruel. She tells off Catherine for her deceit and eventually confesses the truth to Henry. She does her utmost not to refuse her honor, although she feels tempted when left alone with More during the plague (she loves him, and should they not give in to that love if it makes them both happy?). But his refusal to do anything to hurt his family keeps her at a distance. When pressured by Margaret Beaufort to reveal the truth about Arthur’s secret marriage, Maggie refuses to compromise her principles, showing the 1 wing’s insistence on doing what is right, even under threat. Maggie’s frustration with the court’s vicious politics and her reluctance to engage deeply stem from her 1 wing’s perfectionism and distaste for corruption and dishonesty. She holds herself and those around her to rigorous moral standards.
The Loyal Heart of Tudor England
In my opinion, Margaret Pole deserves better. This series sets her up as a traitor, a woman willing to commit adultery, and as someone who is temperamental and foolish. Traits none of the real Margaret Pole had. She was diplomatic, intelligent, and did not deserve her execution. If you want a more accurate Margaret Pole, read my novels… and check out my analysis of each episode in the two seasons, where I highlight all the historical inaccuracies. Just hit up the link below!
