The Matildas of England

Medieval Queens of England: Empress Matilda

Empress Matilda 

Lady of the English

Empress Matilda was an English Monarch in her own right, even though she is now a disputed queen. Matilda was born on February 7, 1102 at Sutton Courtenay in Oxfordshire. She was the daughter of King Henry I and his first Queen, Matilda of Scotland. 

Her only legitimate sibling was her younger brother, William Adelin, but with her father's many mistresses, came 22 illegitimate half siblings. (A/N: That's a big family) There is no detailed description of Matilda's appearance. Some contemporaries have stated that she was very beautiful, but this was conventional practice for many chronicles. 

In around 1108-1109, Henry V, King of the Romans proposed to Henry I that he marry Matilda. This was a good match for the King's daughter, as she would be marrying one of the most powerful rulers in Europe. 

In February 1110, 8 year old Matilda traveled to Germany and was crown Queen of The Romans. She would not marry the emperor yet, because of her young age. She stayed in Germany before her wedding and learned German culture, manners, and government. 

Matilda and the emperor were married in January 1114, when Matilda was barely 12. After the wedding however her new husband caused political conflict by arresting several German Princes. 

This outraged the Pope, and so, in 1116 , Matilda and her husband marched through the alps to settle matters with him. He'd fled by the time they reached Rome and the couple was crowned Holy Roman Emperor and Empress at St. Peter's Basillica. 

Henry V developed cancer and died on May 23, 1125. Now aged 23, the widowed Matilda was left with no choice of either becoming a nun or remarrying. She gave up her royal estates in Germany and went to Normandy. 

At the time however, England was facing a succession crisis. Matilda's only brother, William had drowned in the sinking of the White Ship, and the succession of the English throne was in doubt. King Henry had then married Adeliza of Louvain, in the hopes of fathering another son with her. Unfortunately , the couple had no children, and the succession remain at risk. 

Henry's next option was to give the crown to one of his nephews living in France. Mainly, Theobald of Blois, son of Henry's sister Adela of Normandy. After the death of her husband, Matilda returned to Normandy in 1125, when her father declared her as preferred heir. At Christmas 1126, The Barons gathered at Westminster and swore Matilda as rightful heir to the throne. 

Henry chose Geoffrey of Anjou to be Matilda's second husband. He was the son of William Adelin's widow. Matilda was unhappy with the match; she thought she was too high-born to marry a son of a count, and she was 12 years older than he was. They were married on June 17, 1127. One year later, Geoffrey was declared Count of Anjou. 

The couple were separated for 4 years after their wedding, but reconciled in 1131. Their first son, Henry was born on March 5, 1133, and would later become Henry II of England. They later had two more sons. 

Henry I died unexpectedly in 1135, aged 67. It is unknown if he had said anything about the succession before his death. Some sources claim he continued to recognized Matilda as his heir, while others say he renounced it. A/N: That's interesting. I want to believe that he continued to recognized my direct ancestor Matilda as heir. If that is true I wonder why no one listen to him and do what he wanted on his death bed? That is terrible and I agreed with Matilda that she is the rightful heir of the throne and should have gone to her and then her son Henry II but because she is a woman they didn't think she could be a good Queen in her own right. Stupid. 

When news of the King's death reached Matilda and Geoffrey, they immediately fled from Anjou to Normandy and seized several key castle. The news also reached Stephen of Blois, Matilda's cousin, who was in Boulonge. Believing himself to be the rightful king, he left for England. Within a week, he was in London and was seizing control of the kingdom.