Individual Details
Matilda Queen of England
(Abt 1102 - 10 Sep 1167)
Matilda was born in Winchester about 1102, the daughter of Henry I, king of England, and Matilda (Edith) of Scotland. She may have been a twin with her brother William, her father's heir. Diplomacy had her engaged in 1109 to Holy Roman Emperor Heinrich V and she was married to him in 1114 when she was just over eleven years old. Eleven years later the emperor died, leaving her a childless widow.
On 25 November 1120 Matilda's brother William drowned, along with his younger brother Richard and their entourage while crossing the Channel in 'The White Ship', a disaster which was to lead to a bitter struggle for succession following Henry's death in 1135. In 1126 Matilda was declared heir to her father. In the following year he married her off, then about twenty-four years of age, to the fourteen-year-old Geoffrey V, comte d'Anjou. Although apparently somewhat reluctant, she bore him three sons.
When her father died in 1135 Matilda should have become queen-regnant. However, her cousin Stephen de Blois intervened. Though he had sworn to support Matilda, he had himself crowned king on St. Stephen's Day 1135 in London, with the support of its citizens. Pope Innocent II acknowledged Stephen who had bribed a great many of the barons as well as Matilda's uncle, David I, king of Scots to obtain their support. In the ensuing civil war, Matilda was supported by her illegitimate half-brother Robert, earl of Gloucester, who became her military commander. In February 1141, Stephen was captured and imprisoned at Bristol and on 7 April 1141 Matilda was proclaimed 'Lady of the English'. However, Stephen's supporters captured the earl of Gloucester and exchanged him for Stephen. Stephen had himself re-crowned and the civil war continued.
In 1144 Matilda's husband Geoffrey of Anjou took Normandy, and in 1150 he invested their son Henry as its duke. In 1153 Henry, by now twenty years old, took Matilda's place as claimant to the English throne while Matilda retired to Normandy. In 1153 a treaty was signed at Westminster that Stephen would remain king for life but Henry would be his successor. In 1154 Stephen died and Henry succeeded him as King Henry II. Matilda, who remained in Normandy, died at Rouen in 1167.
Source: Leo van de Pas
On 25 November 1120 Matilda's brother William drowned, along with his younger brother Richard and their entourage while crossing the Channel in 'The White Ship', a disaster which was to lead to a bitter struggle for succession following Henry's death in 1135. In 1126 Matilda was declared heir to her father. In the following year he married her off, then about twenty-four years of age, to the fourteen-year-old Geoffrey V, comte d'Anjou. Although apparently somewhat reluctant, she bore him three sons.
When her father died in 1135 Matilda should have become queen-regnant. However, her cousin Stephen de Blois intervened. Though he had sworn to support Matilda, he had himself crowned king on St. Stephen's Day 1135 in London, with the support of its citizens. Pope Innocent II acknowledged Stephen who had bribed a great many of the barons as well as Matilda's uncle, David I, king of Scots to obtain their support. In the ensuing civil war, Matilda was supported by her illegitimate half-brother Robert, earl of Gloucester, who became her military commander. In February 1141, Stephen was captured and imprisoned at Bristol and on 7 April 1141 Matilda was proclaimed 'Lady of the English'. However, Stephen's supporters captured the earl of Gloucester and exchanged him for Stephen. Stephen had himself re-crowned and the civil war continued.
In 1144 Matilda's husband Geoffrey of Anjou took Normandy, and in 1150 he invested their son Henry as its duke. In 1153 Henry, by now twenty years old, took Matilda's place as claimant to the English throne while Matilda retired to Normandy. In 1153 a treaty was signed at Westminster that Stephen would remain king for life but Henry would be his successor. In 1154 Stephen died and Henry succeeded him as King Henry II. Matilda, who remained in Normandy, died at Rouen in 1167.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Events
| Birth | Abt 1102 | ||||
| Marriage | 3 Apr 1127 | Le Mans - Geoffrey V Plantagenet Count d'Anjou | |||
| Death | 10 Sep 1167 | Rouen |
Families
| Spouse | Geoffrey V Plantagenet Count d'Anjou (1113 - 1151) |
| Child | Henry II King of England (1133 - 1189) |
| Father | Henry I King of England (1068 - 1135) |
| Mother | Princess Mathilda of Scotland (1079 - 1118) |