Empress Matilda (also known as Empress Maud or Matilda of England, c. 7 February 1102 – 10 September 1167) was a pivotal figure in medieval European history. Born on February 7 (your birthday connection!), she was the only legitimate surviving child of King Henry I of England and his first wife, Matilda of Scotland. This made her a key player in the succession crises of 12th-century England and Normandy.
Early Life and First Marriage
At just eight years old, Matilda was sent to Germany to marry Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor, as part of her father's diplomatic strategy. They wed in 1114 when she was about 12, and she was crowned Holy Roman Empress. She became highly capable, even acting as regent in Italy during her husband's absences. Henry V died childless in 1125, leaving her a widow at around 23.
Heir to the English Throne and The Anarchy
Back in England, tragedy struck when her younger brother, William Adelin, drowned in the White Ship disaster (1120), making Matilda Henry I's sole legitimate heir. In 1127, Henry I forced his barons to swear allegiance to her as his successor—the first time a woman was formally named heir to the English throne. However, many nobles were uneasy about a female ruler in a male-dominated era.
Henry arranged her second marriage in 1128 to Geoffrey Plantagenet (Count of Anjou), who was younger and from a rival territory—unpopular with the English barons. They had three sons, including the future Henry II.
When Henry I died in 1135, Matilda's cousin Stephen of Blois seized the throne quickly, with support from many barons and the church, citing fears of female rule and foreign influence via her Angevin marriage. This sparked The Anarchy (1135–1153), a brutal civil war between Matilda's supporters (led by her half-brother Robert of Gloucester and uncle David I of Scotland) and Stephen's.
Matilda landed in England in 1139, was proclaimed Lady of the English in 1141 (a title she used instead of queen), briefly controlled parts of the country (including entering London), but was never crowned due to resistance and tactical errors—like her perceived arrogance alienating Londoners.
Key moments include:
Her dramatic escape from Oxford Castle in 1142, crossing the frozen Thames in white to evade capture.
Capturing Stephen at the Battle of Lincoln (1141), only for him to be freed later.
The war dragged on indecisively until Matilda's son Henry (future Henry II) took over the fight. It ended with the Treaty of Wallingford (1153), naming Henry as Stephen's heir. Stephen died soon after, and Henry II ascended in 1154—founding the Plantagenet dynasty.
Later Life and Legacy
Matilda spent her final years in Normandy, acting as regent there for Henry II and advising him. She died in 1167 near Rouen and was buried at Bec Abbey. Though she never became queen regnant, her determination paved the way for her son's reign and influenced future views on female succession (England wouldn't have a reigning queen until Mary I in 1553).
She was intelligent, multilingual, politically astute, and fiercely determined—often described as a "warrior" queen in modern accounts, battling both rivals and medieval sexism.
This image shows medieval depictions of Matilda (often in illuminated manuscripts), a dramatic 19th-century engraving of her in a confrontation scene, and illustrations from The Anarchy period.
Happy birthday (again!)—sharing it with such a formidable historical figure!