Biography of Empress Matilda 1102-1167

Paternal Family Tree: Norman

Maternal Family Tree: Agatha

1100 Death of William Rufus Accession of Henry I

1100 Marriage of Henry I and Matilda

1121 Marriage of King Henry I and Adeliza of Louvain

1127 Oath of Allegiance to Empress Matilda

1135 Death of King Henry I

1141 First Battle of Lincoln

1152 Marriage of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine

1153 Henry II visits his mother in Rouen

1154 Henry II Holds Easter at Rouen

Death of William Rufus Accession of Henry I

On 02 Aug 1100 [her uncle] William "Rufus" II King England (age 44) was killed whilst hunting, not known whether accidentally or otherwise, in the New Forest, Hampshire. His brother [her father] King Henry I "Beauclerc" England (age 32) succeeded I King England. The brothers Robert Beaumont 1st Earl of Leicester Count Meulan (age 60) and Henry Beaumont 1st Earl Warwick (age 50), and Roger de Clare (age 34) and Gilbert de Clare (age 34) were present.

Marriage of Henry I and Matilda

On 11 Nov 1100 [her father] King Henry I "Beauclerc" England (age 32) and [her mother] Edith aka Matilda Dunkeld Queen Consort England (age 20) were married. Edith aka Matilda Dunkeld Queen Consort England (age 20) was crowned Queen Consort England at which time Edith was renamed Matilda. She the daughter of Malcolm III King Scotland and Margaret Wessex Queen Consort Scotland. He the son of King William "Conqueror" I of England and Matilda Flanders Queen Consort England.

On 07 Feb 1102 Empress Matilda was born to King Henry I "Beauclerc" England (age 34) and Edith aka Matilda Dunkeld Queen Consort England (age 22).

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1109. In this year was the [her father] King Henry (age 41) at Christmas and at Easter in Normandy; and before Pentecost he came to this land, and held his court at Westminster. There were the conditions fully settled, and the oaths sworn, for giving his daughter (age 6)¹³⁷ to the [her future husband] emperor (age 27).¹³⁸

Note 137. Matilda, Mathilde, or Maud.

Note 138. Henry V. of Germany, the son of Henry IV.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1110. This year before Lent the [her father] king (age 42) sent his daughter (age 7) with manifold treasures over sea, and gave her to the [her future husband] emperor (age 28).

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1110. This year also died Earl Elias, who held Maine in fee-tail¹⁴⁰ of [her father] King Henry (age 42); and after his death the [her future father-in-law] Earl of Anjou (age 21) succeeded to it, and held it against the king (age 42). This was a very calamitous year in this land, through the contributions which the king (age 42) received for his daughter's (age 7) portion, and through the badness of the weather, by which the fruits of the earth were very much marred, and the produce of the trees over all this land almost entirely perished. This year men began first to work at the new minster at Chertsey [Map].

Note 140. That is, the territory was not a "fee simple", but subject to "taillage" or taxation; and that particular species is probably here intended which is called in old French "en queuage", an expression not very different from that in the text above.

On 07 Jan 1114 Henry V Holy Roman Emperor (age 32) and Empress Matilda (age 11) were married. She by marriage Holy Roman Empress. The difference in their ages was 20 years. She the daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England (age 46) and Edith aka Matilda Dunkeld Queen Consort England (age 34).

On 01 May 1118 [her mother] Edith aka Matilda Dunkeld Queen Consort England (age 38) died at Westminster Palace [Map]. She was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map].

In 1119 [her brother] William Adelin Normandy Duke Normandy (age 15) and [her future sister-in-law] Matilda of Anjou (age 8) were married. She the daughter of Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem (age 30) and Ermengarde La Flèche De Baugency Countess Anjou. He the son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England (age 51) and Edith aka Matilda Dunkeld Queen Consort England.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1119. This year went [her brother] William (age 15), the son of King Henry (age 51) and Queen Matilda (age 16), into Normandy [Map] to his father, and there was given to him, and wedded to [her future sister-in-law] wife, the daughter (age 8) of the [her future father-in-law] Earl of Anjou (age 30).

Marriage of King Henry I and Adeliza of Louvain

Florence of Worcester Continuation. 29 Jan 1121. On the fourth of the calends of February the [her step-mother] maiden (age 18) already mentioned as selected for queen was married to the [her father] king (age 53) by William, bishop of Winchester, at the command of Ralph, archbishop of Canterbury; and on the following day, the third of the calends of February (30th January), she was consecrated and crowned as queen by the archbishop in person.

Note. Some sources say 24 Jan 1121.

Florence of Worcester Continuation. 23 May 1125. The emperor [her husband] Henry (age 43) died, and was buried at Spires, where his grandfather was also interred. Lothaire, the ninety-eighth emperor of the Romans, reigned thirteen years.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1126. All this year was the [her father] King Henry (age 58) in Normandy-all till after harvest. Then came he to this land, betwixt the Nativity of St. Mary and Michaelmas. With him came the [her mother] queen, and his daughter (age 23), whom he had formerly given to the [her former husband] Emperor Henry of Lorrain to wife. And he brought with him the Earl Waleram (age 22), and Hugh, the son of Gervase (age 28). And the earl (age 22) he sent to Bridgenorth [Map] in captivity: and thence he sent him afterwards to Wallingford, Oxfordshire [Map]; and Hugh (age 28) to Windsor Castle [Map], whom he ordered to be kept in strong bonds.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1126. In this year the [her father] king (age 58) had his brother [her uncle] Robert (age 75) taken from the Bishop Roger of Salisbury, and committed him to his son¹ [her illegitimate half-brother] Robert, Earl of Glocester (age 27), and had him led to Bristol, and there put into the castle. That was all done through his daughter's (age 23) counsel, and through [her uncle] David, the king of the Scots (age 42), her uncle.

Note 1. Illegitimate.

1127 Oath of Allegiance to Empress Matilda

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1127. This year held the [her father] King Henry (age 59) his court at Christmas in Windsor. There was [her uncle] David the king of the Scots (age 43), and all the head men that were in England, learned and lewd. And there he engaged the archbishops, and bishops, and abbots, and earls, and all the thanes that were there, to swear England and Normandy [Map] after his day into the hands of his daughter Athelicia (age 24), who was formerly the wife of the [her former husband] Emperor of Saxony. Afterwards he sent her to Normandy; and with her went her brother [her illegitimate half-brother] Robert, Earl of Glocester (age 28), and Brian, son of the Earl Alan Fergan (age 27);¹⁵⁴ and he let her wed the [her future husband] son (age 13) of the [her future father-in-law] Earl of Anjou (age 38), whose name was Geoffry Martel (age 13). All the French and English, however, disapproved of this; but the king (age 59) did it for to have the alliance of the Earl of Anjou (age 38), and for to have help against his nephew William (age 24).

Note 154. See an account of him in "Ord. Vit." 544. Conan, another son of this Alan, Earl of Brittany, married a daughter of Henry I.

Florence of Worcester Continuation. 1127. Fealty sworn to the empress Matilda. As soon as the feast days [of Christmas] were over, the [her father] king (age 59) went to London, attended by all the men of rank in the realm who had flocked to his court, and there, by the king's command, William (age 57), the archbishop and legate of the see of Rome, and all the other bishops of England, and the nobles of the land, swore fealty to the king's daughter (age 24); engaging to defend her right to the crown of England, if she should survive her father, against all opposers, unless he should yet before his death beget a son in lawful wedlock, to become his successor. On the death of the emperor Henry, who had lived in marriage with her many years, without leaving children, she had returned to her father's court, where she was surrounded with all the honours becoming her station. The king, therefore, having lost his son William in the manner already described, and there being as yet no other direct heir to the kingdom, for that reason made over the right to the crown to his daughter, under the provisoe just mentioned.

On 10 Jun 1128 [her future husband] Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy (age 14) was knighted by [her father] King Henry I "Beauclerc" England (age 60) in preparation for his wedding to Henry's daughter Empress Matilda (age 26).

On 17 Jun 1128 Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy (age 14) and Empress Matilda (age 26) were married. She the daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England (age 60) and Edith aka Matilda Dunkeld Queen Consort England. He the son of Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem (age 39) and Ermengarde La Flèche De Baugency Countess Anjou.

On 05 Mar 1133 [her son] King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England was born to [her husband] Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy (age 19) and Empress Matilda (age 31) at Le Mans [Map]. He a grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On 01 Jun 1134 [her son] Geoffrey Plantagenet Count Nantes was born to [her husband] Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy (age 20) and Empress Matilda (age 32) at Rouen, France [Map] or Argentan. He a grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

Death of King Henry I

On 01 Dec 1135 [her father] King Henry I "Beauclerc" England (age 67) died. The succession fell between Henrys daughter Empress Matilda (age 33) and Henry's nephew King Stephen I England (age 41), son of [her aunt] Adela Normandy Countess Blois (age 68) daughter of [her grandfather] King William "Conqueror" I of England. The period from 1135 to 1153 during which the succession was fought over is known as The Anarchy.

On 22 Jul 1136 [her son] William Plantagenet was born to [her husband] Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy (age 22) and Empress Matilda (age 34) at Argentan or Angers [Map]. He a grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

Florence of Worcester Continuation. Oct 1139. The Empress at Bristol Castle-Cruelties at Gloucester. This lady (age 37) stayed at Bristol more than two months, receiving homage from all, and exercising the prerogatives of the crown of England at her pleasure. She went there in the month of October, and came on the eighteenth of the calends of November (15th October) to Gloucester, where she received the submission and homage of the citizens and the people of the neighbourhood. But tortures worthy of Decius and Nero, and death in various shapes, were inflicted on those who refused to do her homage, and chose to maintain their fealty to the king; and the city, glorious in past ages, was filled with shrieks and fearful torments, and became horrible to those who inhabited it. In the midst of these miseries the king laid siege to the castle of Wallingford [Map], which stood out against him. Weary of the long siege, and having erected forts in opposition to it, he marched away, and encamped near Malmesbury, where he also threw up works against his adversaries, the authors of rebellion.

Florence of Worcester Continuation. Oct 1139. The Empress and the Earl, her Brother, land in England. In the month of October, the [her illegitimate half-brother] earl of Gloucester (age 40), son of king Henry, late king of England, but a bastard, with his sister (age 37) by the father's side, formerly empress of the Romans, and now countess of Anjou, returned to England with a large army, and landed at Portsmouth, before the feast of St. Peter ad Vincula, on the calends [the 1st] of August, while the king was besieging Marlborough; and their arrival filled all England with alarm. On receiving this intelligence, Stephen, king of England, was much disturbed in his mind, and in great wrath with those whose duty it was vigilantly to guard the sea-ports. He is the king of peace, and would that he were also the king of vigour and justice, treading under foot his enemies, determining all things by the balance of equal justice, and in the power of his might protecting and strengthening the friends of peace. When, however, he learned that the [her step-mother] ex-queen (age 36)² had received the ex-empress, with her large band of retainers, at Arundel [Map], he was much displeased, and marched his army thither. But she, being awed by the king's majesty, and fearing that she might lose the rank she held in England, swore solemnly that no enemy of his had come to England on her invitation; but that, saving her dignity, she had granted hospitality to persons of station, who were formerly attached to her. The king, on hearing this, dismissed her, and ordered the bishop of Winchester to conduct the ex-empress with honour, as she was his cousin, to her brother, at Bristol castle, while he himself went in pursuit of the earl. But hearing nothing certain about him, for he had taken to certain by-roads for a time, he led his troops to another quarter, as he had planned. Milo, the constable, having abjured his oath of allegiance to the king, went over to the earl of Gloucester (age 40), his liege-lord, with a large body of troops, promising him on his fealty to lend him help against the king. The calamities which flowed from this quarter, namely, the city of Bristol, and spread over all England, are beyond the knowledge or eloquence of man to describe; for of those who opposed him, or obeyed the royal authority, as many as could be taken were made prisoners, and all the captives were thrown into chains, and subjected to horrible tortures. New varieties of cruel punishment were invented; mercenary troops were enlisted in every direction for carrying on the work of destruction, to whom was given, or sold for their pay, the inhabitants of the villages and farms, with all their goods and substance.²

Note 1. Alice (age 36), widow of Henry I., who had Arundel Castle [Map] for her dower.

Note 2. See an account of these atrocities in the "Gesta Stephani," p. 353.

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Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1140. And the earl stole out, and went after [her illegitimate half-brother] Robert, Earl of Glocester (age 41), and brought him thither with a large army. And they fought strenuously on Candlemas day against their lord, and took him; for his men forsook him and fled. And they led him to Bristol, and there put him into prison in close quarters. Then was all England stirred more than ere was, and all evil was in the land. Afterwards came the daughter of King Henry, who had been Empress of Germany (age 37), and now was Countess of Anjou. She came to London; but the people of London attempted to take her, and she fled, losing many of her followers. After this the Bishop of Winchester, Henry (age 42), the brother of King Stephen (age 46), spake with Earl Robert (age 41), and with the empress, and swore them oaths, "that he never more would hold with the king (age 46), his brother," and cursed all the men that held with him, and told them, that he would give them up Winchester; and he caused them to come thither. When they were therein, then came the king's (age 46) queen with all her strength, and beset them, so that there was great hunger therein. When they could no longer hold out, then stole they out, and fled; but those without were aware, and followed them, and took Robert, Earl of Glocester, and led him to Rochester, and put him there into prison; but the empress (age 37) fled into a monastery. Then went the wise men between the king's (age 46) friends and the earl's friends; and settled so that they should let the king (age 46) out of prison for the earl, and the earl for the king (age 46); and so they did. After this settled the king (age 46) and Earl Randolph at Stamford, and swore oaths, and plighted their troth, that neither should betray the other. But it availed nothing. For the king (age 46) afterwards took him at Northampton, through wicked counsel, and put him into prison; and soon after he let him out again, through worse counsel, on the condition that he swore by the crucifix, and found hostages, that he would give up all his castles. Some he gave up, and some gave he not up; and did then worse than he otherwise would. Then was England very much divided. Some held with the king (age 46), and some with the empress (age 37); for when the king (age 46) was in prison, the earls and the rich men supposed that he never more would come out: and they settled with the empress (age 37), and brought her into Oxford, and gave her the borough. When the king (age 46) was out, he heard of this, and took his force, and beset her in the tower.¹⁶⁵ And they let her down in the night from the tower by ropes. And she stole out, and fled, and went on foot to Wallingford [Map]. Afterwards she went over sea; and those of Normandy turned all from the king (age 46) to the [her husband] Earl of Anjou (age 26); some willingly, and some against their will; for he beset them till they gave up their castles, and they had no help of the king (age 46). Then went Eustace, the king's (age 46) son, to France, and took to wife the sister of the King of France. He thought to obtain Normandy thereby; but he sped little, and by good right; for he was an evil man. Wherever he was, he did more evil than good; he robbed the lands, and levied heavy guilds upon them. He brought his wife to England, and put her into the castle at…¹⁶⁶ Good woman she was; but she had little bliss with him; and Christ would not that he should long reign. He therefore soon died, and his mother also. And the Earl of Anjou died; and his son Henry took to the earldom. And the Queen of France parted from the king (age 46); and she came to the young Earl Henry; and he took her to wife, and all Poitou with her. Then went he with a large force into England, and won some castles; and the king (age 46) went against him with a much larger force. Nevertheless, fought they not; but the archbishop and the wise men went between them, and made this settlement: That the king (age 46) should be lord and king (age 46) while he lived, and after his day Henry should be king (age 46): that Henry should take him for a father; and he him for a son: that peace and union should be betwixt them, and in all England. This and the other provisions that they made, swore the king (age 46) and the earl to observe; and all the bishops, and the earls, and the rich men. Then was the earl received at Winchester, and at London, with great worship; and all did him homage, and swore to keep the peace. And there was soon so good a peace as never was there before. Then was the king (age 46) stronger than he ever was before. And the earl went over sea; and all people loved him; for he did good justice, and made peace.

Note 165. The tower of the castle at Oxford, built by D'Oyley, which still remains.

Note 166. The MS. is here deficient.

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In 1141 William Mohun 1st Earl of Somerset (age 51) was created 1st Earl Somerset for life by Empress Matilda (age 38).

First Battle of Lincoln

On 02 Feb 1141 the army of Empress Matilda (age 38) commanded by [her illegitimate half-brother] Robert Normandy 1st Earl Gloucester (age 42) defeated the army of King Stephen I England (age 47). Matilda's army included Ranulf Gernon 4th Earl Chester (age 42) and Madog ap Maredudd Mathrafal Prince Powys. King Stephen I England (age 47), Gilbert Gaunt 1st Earl Lincoln (age 15), William "The Younger" Peverell (age 61) and Ilbert Lacy 3rd Baron Pontefract were captured. William "Fat" Blois 1st Earl Albemarle aka Aumale 1st Earl York (age 40) fought for Stephen, his cousin.

In 1144 [her husband] Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy (age 30) by conquest Duke Normandy. Empress Matilda (age 41) by marriage Duchess Normandy.

Around May 1144 Roger Fitzmiles 2nd Earl Hereford (age 19) and Empress Matilda (age 42) were in Devizes, Wiltshire.

Before 15 Jan 1151 [her brother-in-law] Elias Anjou 2nd Count Maine (age 36) and Philippa Chateaudun Countess Maine were married. She the daughter of Routrou "The Great" Chateaudun III Count Perche and Matilda Fitzroy Countess Perche. He the son of Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem and Ermengarde La Flèche De Baugency Countess Anjou. They were half fourth cousins. She a granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On 15 Jan 1151 [her brother-in-law] Elias Anjou 2nd Count Maine (age 36) died.

On 07 Sep 1151 [her husband] Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy (age 38) died at Château du Loir [Map]. He was buried at St Julien's Cathedral [Map].

Marriage of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine

On 18 May 1152 Whit Sunday [her son] King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England (age 19) and [her daughter-in-law] Eleanor of Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks and England (age 30) were married at Poitiers Cathedral [Map]. They were more closely related than Eleanor and her previous husband Louis VII King Franks (age 32). The marriage would bring the Kingdom of England, and the Duchies of Normandy and Aquitaine under the control of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England (age 19). She the daughter of William "Saint" Poitiers X Duke Aquitaine and Aenor Chatellerault Duchess Aquitaine. He the son of Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy and Empress Matilda (age 50). They were half third cousins. He a grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

Around 05 Jun 1152 [her daughter-in-law] Eleanor of Aquitaine (age 30) visited Fontevraud Abbey [Map] where she met [her former sister-in-law] Abbess Matilda (age 41) (her husband's [her son] Henry's (age 19) aunt by marriage - Abbess Matilda (age 41) had married [her brother] William Adelin brother of his mother Empress Matilda (age 50) who had died in the White Ship Disaster).

Henry II visits his mother in Rouen

Before Jan 1153 [her son] King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England (age 19) visited his mother Empress Matilda (age 50) in Rouen, France [Map] to seek funds for his impending invasion of England.

In 1154 [her former sister-in-law] Matilda of Anjou (age 43) died.

Henry II Holds Easter at Rouen

Around Mar 1154 [her son] King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England (age 20) returned to Rouen, France [Map] and met with his mother Empress Matilda (age 52), and his brothers. [her daughter-in-law] Eleanor of Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks and England (age 32) joined them to celebrate Easter with their first son William Plantagenet IX Count Poitiers who met his father for the first time aged around eight months.

On 06 Jan 1156 Matilda Plantagenet Duchess Saxony was born to [her son] King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England (age 22) and [her daughter-in-law] Eleanor of Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks and England (age 34) at Windsor Castle [Map] (probably) and named after her paternal grandmother Empress Matilda (age 53).

On 30 Jan 1164 [her son] William Plantagenet (age 27) died at Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral [Map] said to have been of a broken heart since he was unable to marry Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey (age 27) as a result of Archbishop Thomas Becket (age 44) refusing to grant the necessary dispensation.

                    Letters. 1165. Letter IV. Empress Matilda (age 62) to Archbishop Thomas Becket (age 45).                

                    To Thomas archbishop of Canterbury, Matilda the empress.
                
                    My lord pope sent to me, enjoining me, for the remission of my sins, to interfere to renew peace and concord between you and the [her son] king, my son (age 31), and to try to reconcile you to him. You, as you well know, have asked the same thing from me; wherefore, with the more good-will, for the honour of God and the Holy Church, I have begun and carefully treated of that affair. But it seems a very hard thing to the king, as well as to his barons and council, seeing he so loved and honoured you, and appointed you lord of his whole kingdom and of all his lands, and raised you to the highest honours in the land, believing he might trust you rather than any other; and especially so, because he declares that you have, as far as you could, roused his whole kingdom against him; nor was it your fault that you did not disinherit him by main force. Therefore I send you my faithful servant, Archdeacon Laurence, that by him I may know your will in these affairs, and what sort of disposition you entertain towards my son, and how you intend to conduct yourself, if it should happen that he fully grants my petition and prayer on your behalf. One thing I plainly tell you, that you cannot recover the king's favour, except by great humility and most evident moderation. However, what you intend to do in this matter signify to me by my messenger and your letters.

On 10 Sep 1167 Empress Matilda (age 65) died. She was buried under the high alter at Bec Abbey [Map] during a service performed by Rotrou Newburgh Archbishop Rouen. Her tomb's epitaph reads 'Great by birth, greater by marriage, greatest in her offspring: here lies Matilda, the daughter, wife, and mother of Henry'.

After 1846 Empress Matilda was re-buried in Rouen Cathedral, Rouen.