Empress Matilda (1102-1167)

Rouen Cathedral, Rouen…

I haven’t found her yet, but I needed to stop and take stock because I am totally overwhelmed. I’m in the cathedral and I caught the last half hour of the mass and even though I didn’t understand any of it, I still felt the weight of the ritual, it was reassuring seeing the people shake hands and give the kiss of peace, and the organ music, that finished me off, I couldn’t stop crying. I think it’s a visceral reaction to something bigger than myself – not a deity, but the noise, the height, the mass of history over my head, towering and swirling. The organ, the choir, the call and response of the congregation, no wonder people feel safe here, no wonder its seen as a refuge. It is enveloping, all encompassing. There’s no noise from outside, it’s a world all of its own, cut off entirely from all reality but the one created here. It would be easy to promise anything. Being surrounded by the artistic and architectural message that you are at once insignificant but included, that you are a speck but one in a million-speck family. What a strange feeling it must be to believe yourself unconditionally loved, to be capable of no crime, no atrocity so great that you cannot be forgiven and loved again. What strength that must give to a believer. What power. It’s almost like justification – the idea that all action is preordained and therefore there is nothing a devout person can do that is outside of God’s plan. You can do no wrong and you have the entire church hierarchy to back you up.

Later, Rouen Cathedral, Rouen…

It took me two circuits of the cathedral and some frantic googling, but I’ve found her and I’m crying again. I’m not sure I’ll ever not feel like this. It’s weird because again, the thing I’m looking at doesn’t contain her remains, they’re probably somewhere else. There’s no effigy, just a plaque on the wall. Her plaque is in a little side-chapel that I can’t get into. It’s in Latin and underneath, with no explanation is a modern piece of needlework with a French translation. As always, there’s a feeling of anti-climax. I also feel that I’m doomed to always be looking at something next to something more interesting. A tour just stopped by me to look at the tomb of Henry the Young King, Matilda’s oldest grandson. Richard I is just around the corner. In Fontevraud, all the attention was on Richard. In the Louvre, Eleanor’s vase sits next to Abbot Suger’s something or other, which is on the audio-guide so everyone stops there.

I think it’s interesting that her personality is seen as so wildly different by the two countries she ruled. As Empress (whether she really was or not) she was seen as good, charitable, loving and wise enough to rule over the Holy Roman Empire as regent for two years. But when she attempted to rule England she was resisted and seen as un-womanly, mean, aggressive. It wasn’t just about her fighting, Matilda of Boulogne and Queen Adeliza took and held castles. It was how she treated people. Did that change when she came home, or having been raised at the German court, was that how she always was, and in Germany it was seen as a positive. She was literally hounded out of London on the eve of her coronation because she demanded the residents pay taxes to her. Perhaps she learned to rule in the manner of her husband, who was unpopular with the various nobles and popes of his acquaintance. Maybe being empress of Germany, Bohemia, Burgundy and Italy didn’t backwards translate to little England. Maybe she had grown too large, too grand in her outlook, her abilities and yes, her expectations of her position to ever fit into English society, even as its queen. She expected, demanded to be treated as an empress, when she had not yet proven her right to be queen yet. It must have taken some courage from the men around her to back her. I wonder what her and Eleanor thought of each other. What an example to set her daughter-in-law. How much did Eleanor learn, good or bad, from her? Matilda was raised to be a queen, was a queen, and on stepping back when Heinrich V died, was repeatedly told by all the people she trusted that she would be queen again. No-one can blame her for her actions, and that while fighting she raised a son to be one, if not the, greatest Norman king is remarkable. The top line of her tomb reads ‘great by birth, greater by marriage, greatest by motherhood’, referring to the three kings in her life, her father, her husband and her son. But this reduces her to only a daughter, a wife and a mother. She was intelligent, astute, charitable, kind, wilful, proud, belligerent, dynamic, single-minded and strong, both physically and emotionally. Matilda, Lady of the English and very nearly Queen of England, I honour you.

The Life of the Empress Matilda (or what we know of it)

As with many of the sources for queens who ruled before the change to 1st January as the turn of the new year, there is some discrepancy around dates

1102

7 February: Matilda is born at Sutton Palace to Matilda of Scotland and Henry I of England

1109

Envoys from Heinrich V, King of Germany arrive in England asking for Matilda’s hand in marriage
24 May: Contracts are completed for the marriage of Matilda to Heinrich V, ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, including a dowry of 10,000 marks to be raised in taxes on land
June: Matilda’s betrothal to Heinrich V takes place, with one of the envoys standing proxy for Henry
17 October: Matilda attends her first royal court, in recognition of her elevated status as Heinrich V’s future wife, and witnesses her father Henry I’s charter creating the see of Ely

1110

February: Matilda leaves England for Germany via Boulogne: she meets Heinrich V for the first time at Liege
10 April: Matilda and Heinrich V are formerly betrothed
25 July: Matilda is crowned Queen of Germany, and Queen of the Romans at Mainz
Summer: Matilda is established in her own household at Aula Palatina, in Trier, to be raised in good language and custom by the Archbishop Bruno

1114

7 January: Matilda and Heinrich V are officially married at a ceremony in Worms, as Matilda comes of age

1115

Christmas: Matilda and Heinrich V hold court at Speyer

1116

Matilda and Heinrich V travel towards Rome, staying at Canossa Castle for a year while Henry invades Italy and fights with the Pope

1117

13 April: Heinrich V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. There is some question as to whether Matilda is also crowned. She asserts she was, but there is no evidence

1118

Matilda rules as Imperial Regent in Italy while Heinrich V departs for Germany
1 May: Matilda’s mother, Matilda of Scotland dies

1119

Matilda travels to Lotharingia to reunite with Heinrich

1120

25 November: Matilda’s brother and Henry I’s heir, William Adelin, dies in the White Ship disaster. Matilda becomes her father’s only heir

1121

24 January: Matilda’s father, Henry I marries his second wife, Adeliza of Louvain

1122

Matilda and Heinrich V are present at the Council of Worms
Matilda attempts to travel to England but her passage is blocked by Charles I of Flanders
Spring: Matilda and Heinrich V travel down the Rhine attempting to suppress unrest
Christmas: Matilda and Heinrich V hold court at Strasbourg

1125

23 May: Heinrich V dies of cancer in Utrecht. Matilda is left in charge of the Imperial insignia, but without an heir she can no longer rule as regent
December: Matilda’s father Henry I recalls her to Normandy: they travel to Windsor for Christmas

1127

January 1: Henry I compels his great council at Westminster to accept Matilda as his heir – the nobles agreed as long as Matilda is not married off to a foreign power without their consent
December: The royal court swears an oath of allegiance at Northampton to Matilda as her father’s heir to his crown and lands in England and France

1128

17 June: Matilda is married to Geoffrey of Anjou at Le Mans Cathedral. Many nobles believe their oath to Matilda is broken because they had no say in her marriage.

1129

15 July: Matilda’s husband Geoffrey of Anjou repudiates her and sends her to Rouen with her household

1131

May: Matilda witnesses her father Henry I’s charter to the abbey of Cluny
June: Matilda returns to England with Henry I and Queen Adeliza
June: Matilda is recalled to her husband Geoffrey of Anjou’s household
8 September: The barons and nobles agree for Matilda to be returned to her husband, at Northampton Great Council. They also renew their oath to Matilda as Henry I’s heir

1133

25 March: Matilda gives birth to her first child, a son named Henry, known as Fitzempress, at Le Mans
Easter: Matilda’s son Henry Fitzempress is baptised at Le Mans cathedral

1134

Spring: Matilda and Henry I quarrel about his not paying her dowry of Norman castles
1 June: Matilda gives birth to her second child, a son named Geoffrey, known as Fitzempress, at Rouen
Autumn: Matilda escapes from the continuing arguments with her father by travelling to Angers
1 December: Henry I dies in Normandy. On his deathbed he confirms Matilda as his heir.
December: Stephen, Henry I’s nephew and Matilda’s cousin, is informed by High Bidgod that on his deathbed Henry I disinherited Matilda and adopted him as his heir. Bidgod was not present at Henry’s deathbed
December: Believing Bidgod’s account, William Corbeil, Archbishop of Canterbury declares all oaths sworn to Matilda void
December: Stephen arrives in England and declares himself King having secured the royal treasury
22 December: Stephen is crowned king of England by the Archbishop of Canterbury at Westminster

1136

Spring: Matilda learns of her cousin Stephen’s actions and claims the crown for herself. She begins advancing into Normandy to forcibly take her dowry castles
March: Matilda’s staunchest supporter and half-brother Earl Robert of Gloucester, declares his support for Stephen
22 July: Matilda gives birth to her third child, a son named William, known as Fitzempress, at Argentan
1 October: Matilda heads a company of 200 men to support Geoffrey of Anjou’s attack on Le Sap

1137

July: Matilda’s cousin Stephen, and husband Geoffrey of Anjou conclude a 3-year truce

1138

May: Matilda’s half-brother Robert, Earl of Gloucester returns to her camp, being left unimpressed by Stephen’s kingship
Summer: Matilda requests aid from her uncle, David I of Scotland. His army is eventually defeated, but the brutality of his men becomes associated with Matilda’s rule

1139

April: Matilda appeals to the pope to uphold her claim to the English crown. At the Lateran Council, Bishop Ulger declares Matilda’s claim valid and that Stephen had perjured himself. Archdeacon Arnulf declares that Matilda is unfit as the product of an incestuous union. The pope, who has apparently been bribed, finds for Stephen.
June: Matilda is urged to invade England with her husband Geoffrey of Anjou by Henry of Blois, Stephen’s brother, after Stephen confiscates the castles of three bishops
August: Matilda sends Baldwin de Redvers to capture Wareham Castle in Dorset as a distraction for Stephen
30 September: Matilda, Earl Robert and 3,000 troops land at Littlehampton in Sussex and move immediately to Arundel Castle where Queen Adeliza is living.
Autumn: Matilda is permitted to leave Arundel Castle and removes to Bristol under noble escort
November: Matilda removes to Gloucester Castle, recently taken by her half-brother Earl Robert

1141

February: Matilda’s supporters capture Stephen at Lincoln Castle bring him to her at Bristol Castle, where he is held prisoner for the next 9 months.
2 March: Matilda and Stephen’s brother Henry of Blois sign a pact of peace at Wherwell Abbey, Hampshire. It states that he would accept her as queen as long as she makes him her chief counsellor
3 March: Matilda arrives at Winchester, and she is granted the rule of the capital and Winchester Castle
30 March: Matilda holds her Easter court at Oxford
7 April: A legatine court is held at Oxford, hosted by Henry of Blois at which he argues that Stephen was permitted to rule while Matilda was in Normandy but she is now their true queen, under pain of excommunication. She is elected ‘Lady of the English’
9 April: Matilda refuses a deputation of London citizens requesting the freedom and reinstatement of Stephen.
June: Matilda enters London and rides in procession to Westminster to be received by the citizens. Shortly after she threatens to revoke Stephen’s grant making London a self-governing city
24 June: Londoners revolt against Matilda, supporting Queen Matilda’s forces encamped outside the city. Matilda, with Earl Robert, Henry of Blois and King David I escape on horses to Oxford, leaving everything behind. During their flight Matilda quarrels with Henry of Blois and he leaves her court
31 July: Matilda, Earl Robert and King David leave Oxford with their forces hoping to imprison Henry of Blois at Winchester. At the same time, Queen Matilda of Bouloge arrives with her forces to defend Henry of Blois
2 August: On Matilda’s orders, Earl Robert and others besiege Wolvesey Castle, but are blockaded by Matilda of Boulogne. Henry of Blois firebombs the town and the abbeys of Hyde and Nunnaminster are destroyed
14 September: Matilda’s forces are forced to withdraw from the siege due to disease and lack of provisions. The party is chased by men of Henry of Blois who gave orders for them to be captured and killed. She escapes to Devizes, but Winchester is sacked by London residents
September: While fleeing, Matilda’s half-brother Earl Robert is captured by Queen Matilda’s forces
1 November: Matilda arrives at Bristol and Stephen is released in exchange for the freedom of Robert, Earl of Gloucester
7 December: Henry of Blois convenes a legatine court at which Matilda’s right to the crown is quashed and Stephen restored. The nobles are release from their oaths of fealty.

1142

Easter: A truce is declared and Matilda settles at Devizes
14 June: Matilda convenes a court where she is told by her husband Geoffrey of Anjou’s messengers that he favours her endeavours but is essentially too busy pacifying Normandy to come to England
24 June: Matilda’s half-brother Earl Robert arrives in France to discuss the matter with Geoffrey of Anjou. He is entangled in Norman battles but permits his oldest son, Henry Fitzempress to travel to England
14 September: Stephen arrives at Oxford and demands Matilda’s surrender
26 September: Matilda is beseiged at Oxford Castle as Stephen’s men fire the town
December: Matilda, dressed in white is lowered from Oxford Castle by rope, sneaks through the beseiging soldiers and walks across the frozen river Thames and a further 9 miles on foot to Abingdon, and then by horse to Wallingford Castle, where she meets with Earl Robert and her son Henry Fitzempress

1147

Spring: Geoffrey of Anjou sends his 14 year old son Henry Fitzempress to England with a small force to relieve Matilda at Wiltshire. The plan fails and Henry is forced to ask Stephen for funds to return to Normandy
31 October: Matilda’s half-brother and closest ally Earl Robert of Gloucester dies of a fever at Bristol

1148

February: Matilda travels from Devizes to Arundel and from there to France. The crossing is so violent she vows to found an abbey wherever they land. She eventually re-dedicates the abbey of St. Marie of the Vow at Cherbourg.
10 June: Matilda formally apologises to Bishop Joscelin for occupying his castle at Devizes

1151

Summer: Matilda and Geoffrey of Anjou visit Louis VII of France at his court to ratify a peace treaty and agree to the secession of Normandy to Henry Fitzempress
14 September: Matilda’s second husband Geoffrey of Anjou dies of a chill after swimming in the Loire

1152

18 May: Matilda’s oldest son Henry Fitzempress marries Eleanor of Aquitaine

1153

January: Matilda meets Eleanor of Aquitaine when the newlyweds visit the Empress at Rouen
August: Stephen and Henry Fitzempress agree a treaty providing that on Stephen’s death, Henry will succeed to the throne.
6 November: Stephen formally acknowledges Henry Fitzempress as his heir

1154

25 October: Matilda’s cousin Stephen dies of acute appendicitis at Dover Priory. He is succeeded as King of England by Matilda’s son, Henry II

1155

Michaelmas: Matilda returns to England after an absence of 7 years

1156

2 February: Matilda attends a fraught family gathering at which Geoffrey, her son, argues that Henry II had reneged on their father’s wish that he should become Duke of Anjou on Henry’s accession

1157

15 June: Matilda re-founds the Cistercian abbey of Notre-Dame du Voeu at Valasse

1158

26 July: Matilda’s son Geoffrey Fitzempress dies at Nantes. Matilda donates land to the abbey of Valasse in his memory

1164

30 January: Matilda’s son William Fitzempress dies, allegedly of a broken heart

1165

Spring: Matilda advises Henry II in his ongoing battle with Thomas Beckett over the trial of clergymen in ecclesisatical courts. Beckett asks her to be a mediator but she tactfully declines
April: Matilda opposes Emperor Frederick Barbarossa’s request that Henry II’s daughter Matilda marry Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony

1166

Matilda founds the Cistercian abbey of La Noe near Evcreaux
August: Matilda negotiates a truce between Henry II and Louis VII of France over funds for the Holy Land

1167

August: Matilda’s health, which has been in decline for a while takes a turn for the worse while she is at Notre-Dame de Pre.
10 September: Matilda dies of a debilitating fever. She is sewn into an ox-hide and buried before the high altar of the Virgin Mary at Bec-Hellouin, presided over by the Archbishop of Rouen

References

Castor, Helen (2011) She Wolves: the women who ruled England before Elizabeth. London, Faber & Faber
Weir, Alison (2017) Queens of the Conquest: England’s medieval queens. London, Jonathan Cape
Hilton, Lisa (2008) Queens Consort: England’s medieval queens. London, Weidenfeld & Nicholson

Letter from Empress Matilda to Thomas á Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, A. D. 1165

Here, Matilda basically scolds Thomas á Beckett for holding out against the very reasonable demands of his lord the king, her son Henry II. In reality, Henry had made this mess himself by not listening to Thomas in the first place, but in hearing her voice, her impatience, her frustration here, do we get a little of what kept her fighting, and honestly, what lead to her being hounded out of London. She was imperial. She never let anyone forget it.

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 king, my son, 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 you 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 dully 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 me by my messenger and your letters.

Taken from Letters of Royal and Illustrious Ladies of Great Britain by Mary Anne Everett Green