Count of Anjou; the origin of the name Plantagenet -- he wore the yellow broom flower (planta genista) in his helmet as an emblem.285,163

Henry I nominated Matilda for the throne after his male heir was drowned in the tragedy of the “White Ship.” While initially the nobility agreed to the succession (England had no Salic law), eventually the ruling Council declared a woman unfit to rule, and offered the throne to Stephen of Blois, nephew of Henry I and grandson of William the Conqueror. The decision thrust England into fourteen years of civil war, as Matilda fought for her right to throne. After Stephen’s son died in 1153, he agreed to a compromise with Matilda: he kept the throne until his death (in 1154), at which point it went to Matilda’s son, Henry of Anjou, who became Henry II.

Matilda’s reign lasted only eight months, and her power base was mainly in London. The civil war ended in deadlock and compromise.284

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Matilda seemed poised, in 1141, to become the first queen regnant in English history. Her failure to do so was due both to her mistakes as well as the misogyny of twelfth century life. Two of her contemporaries, Urraca of Castile (in 1109) and Melisende of Jerusalem (in 1131) inherited their fathers’ crowns. Matilda therefore *could* have acceded to the throne, but her arrogance and lack of consistent military success against her cousin Stephen of Blois was her downfall.205

Henry I’s eldest child, Matilda received a “blue-stocking” education, first in England in her cultivated mother’s court, then in Germany, after her betrothal in 1110, at the court of Archbishop Bruno of Trier. It was a difficult life; Matilda later recalled being beaten regularly by a terrifying aunt.205

The marriage alliance with Germany was of considerable diplomatic importance to Henry, who gained an ally against France and status (very important to a king whose authority rested on a coup d’etat) as the emperor’s father-in-law. For Matilda, her marriage to the emperor was a defining moment. For the next fifty years, and long after her first husband’s death, she used the title “Empress,” and her son Henry, destined to become Henry II of England, was known as “Henry FitzEmpress” (“son of the Empress”). She was no passive consort; she witnessed royal acts, channelled petitions to the emperor, acted as regent, and, upon her husband’s death, was entrusted with the royal insignia. When Lothar of Supplinger was elected the new king of Germany (emperors were elected by the nobility and Church), Matilda returned to Henry I’s court, laden with jewels and expecting a second marriage no less illustrious than the first.205

Matilda also returned to England with considerable political experience and knew what it meant to rule. Henry had no other legitimate children and, at 60, was unlikely to father any more. After considering other male members of his extended family, he decided to entrust the throne to Matilda. This was not a unique decision, and for a man who secured his kingship through his own skill, it was not unexpected. Oaths of allegiance to Matilda as the rightful heir were extracted in 1127, 1131, and 1133. To help secure her position, she married Count Geoffrey of Anjou in 1128. But Geoffrey was to have no power of his own; the oaths of allegiance were sworn to Matilda alone.205

Matilda was unenthusiastic about the marriage, as Anjou was 10 years her junior, but the alliance made political sense. Matilda was also notoriously sour and her husband notoriously shallow. Despite the urgency to solidify the Henrician line, Matilda and Geoffrey lived apart between 1129 and 1131 and it was not until 1133 that Henry FitzEmpress was born.205

But all Henry's plans came to nothing when, in December 1135, he died and his nephew Stephen of Blois staged a coup d'etat. In perhaps his most politically astute move, Stephen had himself anointed, which effectively nullified the nobles' oaths of allegiance to Maud. But she did not give up. Thanks to Stephen's ineptitude, she was given ample opportunity to strike back. Landing in Bristol in September 1139, she attracted the support of many nobles.205

Her power remained centered in the West Country and her supporters' estates, while Stephen's remained centered around London. For the next ten years, military and political impasse prevailed as neither side could declare decisive victory. There was a brief break in Matilda's favor in 1141 when, at the Battle of Lincoln, Stephen was captured and confined to a prison in Bristol. From there he released his vassals from their allegiance and many, including the papal legate, accepted Maud as "Lady of the English." During this time more of Normandy fell to her husband, who eventually wrested control of Normandy away from England entirely in 1144. But Matilda's performance as "Lady of the English" was disappointing and Stephen's wife, another Matilda, kept resistance alive through continued military and political actions. Maud eventually was installed briefly at Westminster, but her high-handedness, arrogance, and lack of tact enraged the nobility and Londoners alike. When she threatened Londoners with a heavy tax, they attacked Westminster, forcing her to flee to Oxford. A few weeks later, she escaped the Rout of Winchester only through the gallantry of her half-brother, Robert of Gloucester, who was captured by Queen Matilda's forces. When Robert was exchanged for Stephen, Maud's position was worse than ever. Having tasted what her reign might be like, few of her previous supporters were willing to continue to press her claim.205

Maud still did not give up, however. She sent pleas of assistance to her husband, who ignored them. She continued to court nobles disaffected by Stephen's continued ineptitude. And upon the landing of her son, Henry FitzEmpress, in England in November 1142, Maud concentrated her hopes on him. After Robert of Gloucester's death in 1147, Maud settled in Normandy and continued her support of her son from there.205

The remainder of her life was spent supporting Henry, acting as vice-regent in Normandy, and in diplomatic dealings with Germany and France. She refused to retire quietly to a life of inaction, which may have contributed to her negative reputation. Her qualities of energy, arrogance, tenacity, and bravery, seen as commendable in men, were considered totally unsuitable for a woman. Described by contemporary writers as a striking, forceful, and unbending woman, her attempts to rule in her own right were seen as unfeminine. Yet ultimately, Matilda was successful: all subsequent monarchs of England have been her descendants, not Stephen's.205