Empress Matilda
Empress Matilda, born on February 7, 1102, in Winchester, was the daughter of King Henry I of England and Matilda of Scotland. Following the death of her brother, William, she became her father's designated heir, a decision that sparked a civil war after Henry I's death when her cousin Stephen of Blois claimed the throne. Matilda's early life was marked by a marriage to Holy Roman Emperor Henry V when she was just twelve, and after his death, she returned to England to claim her birthright. Despite societal norms that made female rule unprecedented, Matilda's determination led her to fight for her position, resulting in a protracted conflict known as the Anarchy, where she faced significant opposition from Stephen’s supporters.
Throughout the struggle, Matilda exhibited resilience, even capturing Stephen at one point, but ultimately returned to Normandy in 1148 after years of conflict. Her efforts laid the groundwork for her son, Henry II, to ultimately ascend to the throne after the Treaty of Wallingford in 1153. Although Matilda never officially reigned as queen, her legacy as a pioneering female figure in English history is notable, reflecting her tenacity in a male-dominated society. She passed away on September 10, 1167, in Normandy, leaving behind a significant historical impact.
Empress Matilda
Royalty
- Born: February 7, 1102
- Place of Birth: Winchester, Hampshire, England
- Died: September 10, 1167
- Place of Death: Normandy, France
- Significance: Empress Matilda was the daughter of King Henry I of England. When her brother died, her father attempted to make her his heir. After her father's death, her cousin claimed the throne. This plunged England into civil war.
Background
Empress Matilda was born on February 7, 1102, in Winchester, Hampshire, England, to Henry I, the king of England and duke of Normandy, and his wife, Matilda, queen of Scotland. Matilda's brother, William, was born just a year later. Matilda had little chance for a childhood. At age seven, her father had her betrothed to the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry V, who was about sixteen years her senior. When she was eight, Matilda left for Henry V's court in Germany. They were married right before she turned twelve.
Matilda traveled with her husband from Germany to Italy, where she was crowned in St. Peter's Basilica. Henry V seemed to trust his new bride. He left her in charge of his territories in Italy when he had to return to Germany. By 1119, Matilda was reunited with her husband. The following year, Matilda's brother, William, died in a shipwreck. This left her father, Henry I, without a male heir.
In 1125, when Matilda was just twenty-five, her husband died from cancer. Matilda and Henry V had no children together. Without an heir to look after in Germany, Matilda was called back to England to her father's court.
Battle for the Throne
Henry I had many other children, but none of them were within the bounds of his marriage with his wife, Matilda of Scotland. William had been his only legitimate son. This left his daughter, Matilda, as his heir. At the time, having a woman rule in her own name was unheard of. However, Henry I made his barons swear that they would support his daughter as the rightful heir to the English crown. There was resistance to this idea within royal circles. Some people wanted to see Matilda's cousin, Stephen of Blois, as Henry I's heir. Like Matilda, Stephen was the grandchild of William the Conqueror. As a male, some people thought that he had more of a right to the throne than his female cousin did.
While the battle of succession was waged, Henry I betrothed Matilda to Geoffrey Plantagenet, or Geoffrey of Anjou, who was ten years younger than she was. Anjou was a region in France. They were married in June 1128, and Matilda gave birth to their first son, the future King Henry II, in 1133. Another son, named for his father, was born the following year, and a third, named William, followed in 1136.
Prior to her third child's birth, Matilda and her husband got into an argument with her father concerning who had control over castles on the borders of Normandy and Anjou. This caused a rift between father and daughter that was not mended by the time Henry I unexpectedly died in December of 1135.
Civil War
Henry I's barons had sworn three separate oaths to support Matilda's right to the throne while he was still alive. Following his death, allegiances changed quickly. Matilda and Geoffrey worked to secure their lands in France, but trouble was already brewing back in England. One of Henry I's barons, Matilda's cousin Stephen of Blois, had rushed to London upon hearing of the king's death. Stephen wasted no time in securing support for his claim to the throne, easily persuading the king's barons to withdraw their support of his cousin. Within the month of Henry I's death, Stephen had already had a coronation.
For her part, Matilda was not about to give up the throne without a fight. At first, Matilda tried to appeal her case as Henry I's true heir to the Second Lateran Council. Although the pope had final say in the matter, he declined to rule in the case but clearly showed a preference for Stephen.
In 1139, Matilda invaded England. What followed was a civil war, during which many powerful people often switched sides to suit their own needs or wants. Several rebellions took place, and Matilda's forces were even able to capture Stephen at one point. Yet, Matilda gave him up in exchange for the safety of her loyal half-brother, Robert of Gloucester.
Matilda was almost captured in 1142, but she evaded her enemies. She remained in England for six more years in an attempt to defeat Stephen's forces. However, she returned to Normandy in 1148. There, she focused her attention on her eldest son, Henry, who had taken control of Normandy from his father by that point. Henry invaded England himself in 1149 and again in 1153. As this was going on, Stephen was attempting to ensure his bloodline's succession following his death. He was so determined to keep the throne from his cousin's family that he even attempted to have his own son, Eustace, crowned king in 1152 while he himself was still alive. By the time Henry invaded for the second time in 1153, Eustace had died during an accident while plundering a church.
This loss made Stephen more willing to negotiate, and he named Henry as his heir in the Treaty of Wallingford in 1153. Stephen died the following year, and Henry became King Henry II of England.
Impact
Although she never officially became queen herself, Matilda was an important figure in English royal history. Unwilling to give up just because she was a woman, her fierce spirit was remembered for centuries following her death.
Personal Life
Matilda's second husband, Geoffrey, died in 1151. After her son took the throne, Matilda remained in Normandy, overseeing the region in Henry's absence. She frequently offered her son advice on how to rule, though. She died in Normandy on September 10, 1167.
Bibliography
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Kentlyn, Sue. "Empress Matilda." Encyclopedia of Motherhood, edited by Andrea O'Reilly, vol. 1, SAGE Reference, 2010, pp. 348–49.
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Selwood, Dominic. "On This Day in 1102: Empress Matilda—Fearsome Fighter, Wife and Mother—Was Born." Telegraph,7 Feb. 2017, www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/07/day-1102-empress-matilda-fearsome-fighter-wife-mother-born/. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
"Stephen and Matilda (r. 1135–1154)." The Home of the Royal Family, www.royal.uk/stephen-and-matilda-r-1135-1154. Accessed 18 Sept. 2017.