Biography of Matilda of Anjou 1111-1154

Paternal Family Tree: Anjou aka Plantagenet

Maternal Family Tree: Matilda Chateau Du Loir Countess Maine

In 1110 [her father] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem (age 21) and [her mother] Ermengarde La Flèche De Baugency Countess Anjou were married. She by marriage Countess Anjou. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Elias La Flèche De Baugency I Count Maine and [her grandmother] Matilda Chateau Du Loir Countess Maine. He the son of [her grandfather] Fulk "Réchin" Anjou 4th Count Anjou and [her grandmother] Bertrade Montfort Queen Consort France (age 40). They were third cousin twice removed.

Around 1111 Matilda of Anjou was born to Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem (age 22) and Ermengarde La Flèche De Baugency Countess Anjou.

In 1119 William Adelin Normandy Duke Normandy (age 15) and 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. They were fourth cousin once removed.

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

In June 1119 [her illegitimate brother-in-law] Robert Normandy 1st Earl Gloucester (age 20) and Mabel Fitzhamon Countess Gloucester were married at Lisieux, Calvados, Basse Normandie. She by marriage Countess Gloucester. He the illegitmate son of [her father-in-law] King Henry I "Beauclerc" England (age 51) and Daughter Gay.

Sinking of The White Ship

On 25th November 1120 the White Ship left Barfleur in north-west Normandy, with a party of young Normans. [her father-in-law] King Henry I "Beauclerc" England (age 52) had left earlier on another ship. A mile out the White Ship foundered on a submerged rock. [her husband] William Adelin Normandy Duke Normandy (age 17), his half-siblings [her illegitimate brother-in-law] Richard Fitzroy (age 19) and [her illegitimate sister-in-law] Matilda Fitzroy Countess Perche, William Bigod (age 27), Lucia Mahaut Blois Countess Chester, brothers Geoffrey Aigle and Engenulf Aigle, half-brothers Richard Avranches 2nd Earl Chester (age 26) and Ottiwel Avranches, brothers Ivo Grandesmil and William Grandesmil and Geoffrey Ridel were all drowned.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 1121. This year came the [her father] Earl of Anjou (age 32) from Jerusalem into his land; and soon after sent hither to fetch his daughter (age 10), who had been given to wife to [her former husband] William, the [her former father-in-law] king's (age 53) son.

In 1126 [her mother] Ermengarde La Flèche De Baugency Countess Anjou died.

On 2nd June 1129 [her father] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem (age 40) and [her step-mother] Melisende Queen of Jerusalem (age 24) were married at Jerusalem [Map]. She by marriage Countess Anjou. Her father (age 54) had written to Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem requesting the marriage since he had no male heirs. She the daughter of Baldwin II King Jerusalem. He the son of [her grandfather] Fulk "Réchin" Anjou 4th Count Anjou and [her grandmother] Bertrade Montfort Queen Consort France.

On 13th November 1143 [her father] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem (age 54) died in a hunting accident. His wife [her step-mother] Melisende Queen of Jerusalem (age 38) continued to reign in her own right with their son [her half-brother] Baldwin III King Jerusalem (age 13).

In 1150 Matilda of Anjou (age 39) was appointed Abbot Fontevraud.

All About History Books

The Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough, a canon regular of the Augustinian Guisborough Priory, Yorkshire, formerly known as The Chronicle of Walter of Hemingburgh, describes the period from 1066 to 1346. Before 1274 the Chronicle is based on other works. Thereafter, the Chronicle is original, and a remarkable source for the events of the time. This book provides a translation of the Chronicle from that date. The Latin source for our translation is the 1849 work edited by Hans Claude Hamilton. Hamilton, in his preface, says: "In the present work we behold perhaps one of the finest samples of our early chronicles, both as regards the value of the events recorded, and the correctness with which they are detailed; Nor will the pleasing style of composition be lightly passed over by those capable of seeing reflected from it the tokens of a vigorous and cultivated mind, and a favourable specimen of the learning and taste of the age in which it was framed." Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

Around 5th June 1152 Eleanor of Aquitaine (age 30) visited Fontevraud Abbey [Map] where she met Abbess Matilda (age 41) (her husband's Henry's (age 19) aunt by marriage - Abbess Matilda had married [her former husband] William Adelin brother of his mother [her former sister-in-law] Empress Matilda (age 50) who had died in the White Ship Disaster).