Monthly Archives: September 2016

King Stephen of England

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

King Stephen of England; Credit – Wikipedia

King Stephen of England, born Stephen of Blois, was born in Blois (now in France) in either 1092 or 1096. The County of Blois was in northern France and bordered the Duchy of Normandy, the County of Anjou, the County of Poitou, and the Ile de France, the area controlled by the King of France.

Northern France around the time of Stephen’s birth; Credit – Wikipedia

Stephen was the fourth of the eleven children of Stephen II, Count of Blois and Adela of Normandy and England, a daughter of King William I of England (the Conqueror).

Stephen’s family tree, with his mother Adela at the top, and, left to right, William, Theobald, and Stephen; Credit – Wikipedia

Stephen’s father died in 1102 during the Crusade of 1101 fighting in the Second Battle of Ramla. After his father’s death, Stephen and his siblings were brought up by their capable mother who served as regent during the minority of her eldest son. Stephen was raised in his mother’s household rather than being sent to a close relative as was the common practice. He was taught Latin, history, and Biblical stories by his tutor William the Norman.

Stephen’s uncle. King Henry I of England; Credit – Wikipedia

Stephen’s maternal uncle was King Henry I of England. Even though Stephen’s family had regional power, as the third surviving son in the family, he could use the support of a powerful patron such as King Henry I of England. Around 1113 – 1115, Stephen first visited his uncle’s court in England. He soon became a favorite of his uncle who bestowed upon him lands won in battle, the County of Mortain (in France) and Alençon in southern Normandy. In 1125, King Henry I arranged for Stephen to marry Matilda of Boulogne, the only surviving child and heiress of Eustace III, Count of Boulogne and Mary of Scotland, daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland and Saint Margaret of Scotland.  Matilda would be the Countess of Boulogne in her own right. Boulogne was a county within the Kingdom of France from 896 – 1501, centered on the city of Boulogne-sur-Mer, a coastal city in Northern France.

Stephen and Matilda had three sons and two daughters:

Five years before the marriage of Stephen and Matilda, a terrible tragedy caused a succession crisis in England.  The White Ship, carrying King Henry I of England’s only legitimate son William Ætheling, sank as it left France to sail to England, and William Ætheling drowned.  Empress Matilda was King Henry I’s only legitimate child, and on Christmas Day of 1126, Henry had his barons swear to recognize Empress Matilda and any future legitimate heirs she might have as his successors.

The sinking of the White Ship; Credit – Wikipedia

After the sinking of the White Ship, Stephen and his wife Matilda stayed close to King Henry I and lived most of the time in England realizing that Stephen was very close to the throne.  Henry’s daughter Empress Matilda had left England as a child to marry Holy Roman Emperor Henry V.  The marriage was childless and Holy Roman Emperor Henry V died in 1125.  After her husband’s death, Empress Matilda went to the royal court in Normandy (Kings of England were also Dukes of Normandy). Eventually, King Henry I made arrangements for his daughter to marry Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou in 1128.  The marriage was not a happy one.  The couple often lived apart and failed to produce a child until 1133.

Stephen’s first cousin, Empress Matilda; Credit – Wikipedia

On December 1, 1135, King Henry I of England died.  Stephen quickly crossed the English Channel from Boulogne to England, accompanied by his military household.  With the help of his brother, Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester, Stephen seized power in England and was crowned king on December 22, 1135.  Matilda of Boulogne was unable to accompany her husband because she was pregnant, so she was crowned on Easter Day, March 22, 1136.  Empress Matilda did not give up her claim to England and Normandy, leading to the long civil war known as The Anarchy between 1135 and 1153.

Coronation of King Stephen; Credit – Wikipedia

During the civil war, Matilda of Boulogne proved to be her husband’s strongest supporter.  Matilda was as strong and resourceful as Stephen was weak and indecisive. When England was invaded in 1138, Matilda rallied troops from Boulogne and its ally Flanders, and successfully besieged Dover Castle.  She then went north to Durham, where she made a treaty with King David I of Scotland in 1139.  After Stephen was captured at the Battle of Lincoln in 1141, she rallied Stephen’s supporters and raised an army with the help of William of Ypres, Stephen’s chief lieutenant.  It was Matilda of Boulogne who recaptured London for Stephen and forced Empress Matilda to withdraw from the siege of Winchester, leading to Stephen’s release in 1141 in exchange for the Empress’ illegitimate brother and chief supporter Robert FitzRoy, 1st Earl of Gloucester.

Battle of Lincoln; Credit – Wikipedia

By the mid-1140s, the fighting had slowed down and there was a stalemate and the succession began to be the focus.  Empress Matilda returned to Normandy in 1147.  In the same year, the Empress’ husband and her eldest son Henry FitzEmpress, the future King Henry II,  mounted a small, unsuccessful mercenary invasion of England.  Empress Matilda remained in Normandy where she focused on stabilizing the Duchy of Normandy and promoting her son’s rights to the English throne.

Matilda of Boulogne died of a fever on May 3, 1152, at Hedingham Castle in Essex, England.  She was buried at Faversham Abbey in Kent, England which she and her husband had established.  Perhaps if she had not died and her husband had not lost his strongest supporter, the result of the civil war would have turned out differently.

On August 17, 1153, Stephen and Matilda’s eldest surviving son Eustace died.  Ironically, this was the same day that the first child of Henry FitzEmpress, the future King Henry II, and Eleanor of Aquitaine was born.  The child, William IX, Count of Poitiers, survived for only two years, but he was followed by seven siblings, two of whom became Kings of England.

King Stephen standing with a falcon, and King Henry II seated on his throne; Credit – Wikipedia

Shortly after Eustace died in 1153, Stephen and Henry FitzEmpress reached a formal agreement known as the Treaty of Wallingford (or Winchester or Westminster).  The treaty allowed Stephen to keep the throne until his death but forced him to recognize Empress Matilda’s son Henry FitzEmpress, as his heir.

The supposed tomb of King Stephen, his wife Matilda, and their son Eustace at St. Mary of Charity Church; Credit – www.findagrave.com

Stephen survived his wife by a little more than two years.  He died apparently of appendicitis at Dover Castle on October 25, 1154, and a line of 14 Plantagenet kings who ruled until 1485 started.  Stephen was buried with his wife Matilda and his son Eustace at Faversham Abbey which Stephen and Matilda had founded. All three tombs were lost when Faversham Abbey was demolished during the Dissolution of the Monasteries during the reign of King Henry VIII. Their remains were reportedly thrown into the nearby Faversham Creek. Their empty tombs were unearthed in 1964 near what had been the center of the choir. At St. Mary of Charity Church, the parish church in Faversham, there is a tomb where it is said that the remains of King Stephen, his wife Matilda, and his son Eustace were reinterred after the destruction of Faversham Abbey.

Sharon Kay Penman’s excellent historical fiction novel When Christ and His Saints Slept deals with The Anarchy and most of the historical figures mentioned here are characters.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

England: House of Normandy Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Françoise d’Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon, 2nd wife of King Louis XIV of France

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Françoise d’Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon, source: Wikipedia

Françoise d’Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon, was the second and morganatic wife of King Louis XIV of France. She was born in Niort, France, on November 27, 1635, to Constant d’Aubigné and Jeanne de Cardilhac. When she was born, her father was imprisoned for conspiring against Cardinal Richelieu. Françoise was baptized in the Catholic Church, with Suzanne de Baudéan (daughter of the Comtesse de Neuillant) and the Duc de la Rochefoucauld serving as her godparents.

When her father was released from prison in 1639, the family traveled to Martinique, an island in the Caribbean, where they spent the next several years. After the deaths of both of her parents, the sister of Françoise’s father, Louise, Madame de Villette, raised her as a Protestant. When Françoise’s godmother Suzanne de Baudéan, then in the service of Queen Anne, the wife of King Louis XIII of France, found out about this, she quickly ordered that Françoise be moved to a convent to receive a Catholic education. Although she hated the convent, Françoise became close to one of the nuns, who persuaded her to take her first communion.

Paul Scarron, Françoise’s first husband. source: Wikipedia

On a trip to Paris, she met Paul Scarron, who would become her first husband. Scarron, a noted poet and novelist, was significantly older than Françoise and suffered from severe paralysis and deformity, probably a result of polio. The two began to correspond, and soon Scarron offered to marry her or to pay her dowry to enter a convent. Françoise accepted his proposal and, after marrying in 1652, she quickly found herself at the highest levels of Parisian society.

After her husband died in 1660, Françoise continued to receive the pension he had been granted from Queen Anne. The Queen increased the pension so Françoise could maintain her position in society. However, after Queen Anne died in 1666, her son, King Louis XIV, discontinued the pension. With no source of income, Françoise prepared to leave France to serve as a lady-in-waiting for the new Queen of Portugal, Maria Francisca of Savoy, who was married to King Afonso VI of Portugal, and later to his brother, King Pedro II of Portugal. However, before leaving, she met Madame de Montespan, the clandestine lover of King Louis XIV. The two became close friends, and Madame de Montespan persuaded the King to reinstate Françoise’s pension, thus allowing her to remain in Paris.

In March 1669, Madame Montespan had her first child with King Louis XIV. Because of the secrecy of their relationship, and the fact that he was very much married to Queen Marie-Thérèse, Montespan placed the baby in the care of Françoise, and endowed her with a substantial income and a full staff of servants. Françoise’s care of the couple’s second child got her noticed by King Louis XIV. In 1673, she was appointed as Royal Governess. In 1674, King Louis XIV provided her with the funds to purchase an estate, Château de Maintenon, and the following year, he created her Marquise de Maintenon. Within a few years, Françoise and King Louis XIV had become very close, and she soon replaced Madame de Montespan in his affections. Even the Queen was pleased, having been treated rudely by Montespan, but receiving great respect and admiration from Françoise.

King Louis XIV, painted by Pierre Mignard. source: Wikipedia

Several months after Queen Marie-Thérèse died, Françoise and King Louis XIV were married in a private ceremony conducted by the Archbishop of Paris. As the marriage was morganatic, she was never formally acknowledged as his wife or Queen of France. Still known as Madame de Maintenon, Françoise held considerable political influence, and the King often consulted with her when making decisions. She also held great influence over the King in more personal matters. Despite his earlier penchant for numerous mistresses, he remained faithful to Françoise for the remainder of his life and supported many of her religious views. Devoutly religious, she was granted the right of visitation over all the convents in France in 1692 by Pope Innocent XII.

In 1684, she founded a school, the Maison Royale de Saint-Louis in Saint-Cyr, just west of Versailles, France. At her request, King Louis XIV endowed the school, and Françoise herself oversaw every detail of its establishment. The Maison Royale was designed to be a school for girls from poorer noble families, much as Françoise had been in her childhood.

Françoise, painted by Louis Elle (the elder). source: Wikipedia

Following King Louis’s death in 1715, Françoise retired to Saint-Cyr and was granted a large pension for the rest of her life. Because of her influence, she often received visitors from all around Europe. One of these visitors was Peter I, Emperor of All Russia, who made a notable visit shortly before her death. Françoise died at Saint-Cyr on April 15, 1719, and was buried in the school’s chapel.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Maria Theresia of Austria, Queen of France

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

,Maria Theresia of Austria, Queen of France –  source: Wikipedia

Maria Theresia was the first wife of King Louis XIV of France. She was born on September 10, 1638, at the Royal Monastery of El Escorial in Madrid, Spain to King Felipe IV of Spain and his first wife Elisabeth of France, daughter of King Henri IV of France. As the Spanish monarchs at the time were part of the House of Habsburg, she was styled as Archduchess of Austria, as well as Infanta of Spain and Portugal.

The youngest of eight children, Maria Theresia was the only one of her siblings to reach adulthood:

  • Maria Margaret of Austria, Infanta of Spain (born and died 1621)
  • Margaret Maria Catherine of Austria, Infanta of Spain (born and died 1623)
  • Maria Eugenia of Austria, Infanta of Spain (1625 – 1627)
  • Isabella Maria Theresa of Austria, Infanta of Spain (born and died 1627)
  • Balthasar Charles of Austria, Infante of Spain, Prince of Asturias (1629 – 1646)
  • Francis Ferdinand of Austria, Infante of Spain (born and died 1634)
  • Infanta Maria Anna  Antonia of Austria, Infanta of Spain (born and died 1636)

She also had five younger half-siblings from her father’s second marriage to Mariana of Austria:

As Spain allowed for females to ascend the throne, Maria Theresia was heiress-presumptive to the Spanish throne from 1646 until 1657, between the death of her elder brother Balthasar Charles in 1646 and the birth of her younger half-brother Felipe Próspero in 1657. For five days in 1661, she was again heiress-presumptive following Felipe Próspero’s death and the birth of King Carlos II.

Maria Theresia of Austria, painted c1684 by Juan Bautista Martínez del Mazo. source: Wikipedia

Maria Theresia was brought up in a very strict Catholic household. Her mother died when she was six, and two years later, her only surviving sibling Balthasar Charles also died. The following year, her father married Mariana of Austria who had been her brother’s fiancée, as well as his first cousin. Mariana was just four years older than Maria Theresia, and the two were very close.

As part of the Treaty of the Pyrenees of 1659, which ended the Franco-Spanish War, Maria Theresia was betrothed to King Louis XIV of France, son of King Louis XIII of France and Anne of Austria. Maria Theresia and Louis were first cousins twice over – his father and her mother were siblings, and his mother and her father were siblings. She was forced to renounce any rights to the Spanish throne and was to receive a large financial settlement in exchange. This money was never paid, and became a major factor that led to the War of Devolution in 1668.

The marriage of Louis XIV of France and Maria Theresia of Austria. source: Wikipedia

The couple was married on June 9, 1660, at the Church of Saint John the Baptist in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France. Taking the French version of her name, Marie-Thérèse, the new Queen and her husband made their Joyous Entry into Paris on August 26, 1660. They had six children, only one of whom lived to adulthood:

Louis and Marie-Thérèse had six children:

Queen Marie-Thérèse with her mother-in-law (and aunt) Queen Anne, painted by Simon Renard de Saint André. source: Wikipedia

As Queen, Marie-Thérèse was groomed by her mother-in-law, and aunt, Queen Anne. However, she had little interest in taking on the role, preferring to spend time with her court of Spanish ladies, playing cards, and gambling. She remained very devout, often inviting members of the King’s court to pray with her. Intensely private, she was humiliated by her husband’s numerous, and very public affairs and his countless illegitimate children. She took a great interest in caring for the sick and disadvantaged in France. She often visited hospitals and provided dowries for girls from the poorer noble families. She also served as Regent several times when the King was away.

By 1680, King Louis XIV had taken Madame de Maintenon as his mistress, and this brought about a change in the King’s relationship with Marie-Thérèse. He became more attentive and caring of his wife, much to her delight. She was also treated with great respect and reverence by Madame de Maintenon – something she had not seen with any of his prior mistresses and returned that respect. Sadly, those happier times would be relatively short-lived.

At the end of July 1683, Queen Marie-Thérèse fell ill, the result of an abscess in her left arm which was not treated correctly. Septicemia quickly set in, and the Queen died at the Palace of Versailles on July 30, 1683. She is buried at the Basilica of St. Denis near Paris.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

France Resources at Unofficial Royalty

King Louis XIV of France

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

King Louis XIV of France; Credit – Wikipedia

King Louis XIV of France, often known as Louis the Great or the Sun King, was the longest-reigning French monarch, reigning from 1643 until he died in 1715. He was born on September 5, 1638, at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France, the elder son of King Louis XIII of France and Anne of Austria.

Louis had one younger brother:

Louis as Dauphin, painted by Claude Deruet in 1643. source: Wikipedia

At just four years old, he became King following his father’s death on May 14, 1643. His father had decreed that a Regency Council should be established, led by the Queen. However, Queen Anne had that overturned and served as the sole Regent for her young son. Despite coming of age in 1654, King Louis XIV didn’t fully assume his role as King until 1661, following the death of his chief minister, Cardinal Mazarin. An ardent believer in the divine right of kings, King Louis XIV quickly assumed full control of the monarchy. He was one of France’s most powerful sovereigns and established France as one of the leading powers of Europe.

When Louis assumed his role as King, France was nearly bankrupt, having endured several foreign wars and years of civil unrest. The King brought in a new finance minister who worked to reduce the country’s debt and increase its coffers, through more efficient taxation. Within several years, the country’s finances were restored. The King also boosted commerce and trade in France and invited many foreign businesses and artisans to France. He worked to improve and modernize the military and focused on the physical and mental well-being of the soldiers. His reign saw France become the primary power in Europe, and three major wars took place – the Franco-Dutch War, the War of the League of Augsburg, and the War of the Spanish Succession.

Queen Marie-Thérèse with their only surviving child, Louis, le Grand Dauphin, c1665. source: Wikipedia

Louis XIV married for the first time on June 9, 1660, at the Church of Saint-Jean the Baptist in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France. His bride, Maria Theresia of Austria, was the daughter of King Felipe IV of Spain and Elisabeth of France. The couple was double first cousins.

Louis and Marie-Thérèse had six children:

Louise de La Baume Le Blanc, Duchess de La Vallière et de Vaujours. source: Wikipedia

In addition, the King had several mistresses and illegitimate children. With Louise de La Baume Le Blanc, Duchess de La Vallière et de Vaujours, he had five children:

Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, Marquise de Montespan; Credit – Wikipedia

And with Françoise-Athénaïs de Rochechouart de Mortemart, Marquise de Montespan, he had seven children:

His children with Madame de Montespan were raised by Françoise d’Aubigné, Madame Scarron (later created Marquise de Maintenon). Soon, she replaced Madame Montespan in the King’s affection. After the death of Queen Marie-Thérèse in 1683, King Louis XIV married Madame de Maintenon in a private ceremony conducted by the Archbishop of Paris. Because the marriage was morganatic, she was never publicly acknowledged as his wife or as Queen.

Louis XIV’s reign saw the monarchy assume authority over the aristocracy and the church, becoming a true absolute monarchy. While the Pope remained in control of ecclesiastical law, the King invalidated all papal regulations and made himself the authority within France under the Declaration of the Clergy of France in 1681.

King Louis XIV receiving Louis de Bourbon, Grand Condé at Versailles following his victory in the Battle of Seneffe. Painting by Jean-Léon Gérôme, source: Wikipedia

The King took complete control of the aristocracy, providing residences at Versailles for those who paid court to him. Having them close allowed the king to determine who was loyal to him and who was not. His constant entertaining of the aristocracy helped to determine public opinion while keeping them under a very watchful eye. He also banned the private armies, often established by the nobility to plot against the monarchy.

In 1685, King Louis XIV issued the Edict of Fontainebleau. This formally revoked the Edict of Nantes of 1598, which had granted religious and political freedom to the Huguenots. Many believe this was at the urging of Madame de Maintenon, a very staunch Catholic. The Edict of Fontainebleau ordered the destruction of Huguenot churches and the closing of all Protestant schools. Many Huguenots converted to avoid persecution for which they were financially rewarded, while many others fled the country.

King Louis XIV was a huge supporter of the arts. He supported and protected numerous writers and artists, and commissioned over 300 formal portraits and over 20 statues of himself during his lifetime. A lover of dance, particularly ballet, he founded the Académie Royale de Danse in 1661, and the Académie d’Opéra in 1669. He also assumed the patronage of the Académie Française.

Hôtel des Invalides. source: Wikipedia

King Louis XIV built the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris and made many renovations to some of the royal palaces, including the Palais du Louvre, also in Paris. Perhaps his best-known building project was the Palace of Versailles. Having inherited the hunting lodge built there by his father, Louis oversaw several building campaigns resulting in the magnificent palace that still stands today. In 1682, he officially made Versailles the home of the Royal Court.

After reigning for 72 years and 100 days, King Louis XIV died on September 1, 1715, at the Palace of Versailles, and was buried at the Basilica of St. Denis in Paris. Louis XIV outlived most of his immediate legitimate family. His last surviving legitimate son Louis, Le Grand Dauphin died in 1711. Barely a year later, Louis, Duke of Burgundy, Le Petite Dauphin, the eldest of the Dauphin’s three sons and then heir to Louis XIV, followed his father in death. Burgundy’s elder surviving son Louis, Duke of Brittany joined them a few weeks later. Thus, on his deathbed, Louis XIV’s heir was his five-year-old great-grandson, Louis, Duke of Anjou, Burgundy’s younger son, who succeeded his great-grandfather as King Louis XV.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

France Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Matilda of Scotland, Queen of England

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2016

Matilda of Scotland, Queen of England; Credit – Wikipedia

Matilda of Scotland, the first wife of King Henry I of England, was born around 1080 at Dunfermline in Scotland. Christened with the Anglo-Saxon name Edith, she was one of the eight children of King Malcolm III of Scotland and his second wife, Saint Margaret of Scotland.  Her godfather was Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy, the eldest son of King William I of England (the Conqueror), and her godmother was Matilda of Flanders, the wife of King William I of England (the Conqueror). The infant Matilda pulled at Queen Matilda’s headdress, which was seen as an omen that the younger Matilda would be a queen one day. In fact, she would marry Queen Matilda’s son and Robert Curthose’s brother, King Henry I of England.

Matilda’s father is the Malcolm character in Shakespeare’s play Macbeth.  Her mother, Saint Margaret of Scotland, was born an Anglo-Saxon princess. Margaret’s father was Edward the Exile (also called Edward Ætheling), the son of Edmund Ironside, King of the English, and had the best hereditary claim to the English throne during the reign of the childless Edward the Confessor. In 1057, Edward the Confessor, the childless King of England, discovered that his nephew Edward the Exile, believed to have been killed, was still alive and summoned him to England in 1057 as a potential successor. However, Edward died within two days of his arrival in England, and the cause of his death has never been determined. Murder is a possibility, as he had many powerful enemies. His three children, Margaret, her brother Edgar the Ætheling, and her sister Cristina, were then raised in the court of Edward the Confessor, who died in January of 1066.

Saint Margaret of Scotland and King Malcolm III of Scotland depicted on a frieze by the Victorian painter William Hole; Credit – Wikipedia

Following the death of Edward the Confessor’s successor Harold Godwinson, King of England at the Battle of Hastings, Margaret’s brother Edgar the Ætheling, who was the last of the Anglo-Saxon House of Wessex, was elected King of England. As William of Normandy’s (the future King William I of England, the Conqueror) position grew stronger, it became evident to those in power that King Edgar should be abandoned and that they should submit to William. In 1068, Edgar, along with his mother Agatha and sisters Margaret and Cristina, fled to Northumbria. Supposedly, Agatha wanted to return to her native Hungary. However, a storm blew their ship off course, and they sought refuge from King Malcolm III of Scotland. Malcolm’s first wife Ingebjorg Finnsdotter died around 1069, and shortly thereafter, he married Margaret. Margaret and Malcolm’s children had a strong genetic connection to the Anglo-Saxon kings. Bearing in mind that William the Conqueror’s new dynasty in England was not secure, Margaret and Malcolm gave four of their sons Anglo-Saxon royal names, and named the other two sons after Alexander the Great and the biblical King David.

Matilda’s seven siblings:

Matilda had three half-brothers from her father’s first marriage to Ingibiorg Finnsdottir.

At about the age of six, Matilda, then still called Edith, and her sister Mary were sent to be educated at Romsey Abbey in Hampshire, England, where their maternal aunt Cristina was the Abbess. The girls also were educated for a time at Wilton Abbey in Wiltshire, England, which had a connection to their ancestors from the House of Wessex.  Both girls learned English, French, and some Latin, and were literate enough to read the Bible. As the daughter of the King of Scots, Matilda had several suitors, including William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey, and Alan Rufus, 1st Lord of Richmond, and possibly even King William II Rufus of England.

On November 13, 1093, Matilda’s father King Malcolm III of Scotland and her eldest brother Edward were killed at the Battle of Alnwick. Malcolm was succeeded by King Donald II of Scotland, his eldest son from his first marriage, but he was killed in battle in 1094. Thereafter, three brothers of Matilda succeeded to the Scottish throne. Weakened from her constant fasting and austere life, Matilda’s mother Margaret was already ill when her husband and eldest son went off to battle. She died at Dunfermline just three days after her husband and son’s deaths. Margaret was canonized as a saint in 1250 by Pope Innocent IV.

Sometime in 1093, Matilda left Wilton Abbey. This is known because Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, wrote to Osmund, Bishop of Salisbury, ordering that Matilda return to Wilton Abbey. The Archbishop of Canterbury mistakenly thought that Matilda had taken vows as a nun. There is no mention of Matilda in any chronicle from 1093 to 1100. Her whereabouts during that period are unknown.

On August 2, 1100, King William II Rufus of England was killed in a hunting accident, and his younger brother succeeded as King Henry I. Henry was about 32 years old and needed a bride, and his choice fell upon Matilda of Scotland, motivated by one reason. Through her mother, Matilda would merge the bloodline of the Anglo-Saxon kings with Henry’s Norman bloodline. However, Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury still had that problem thinking Matilda had taken vows as a nun, so he called a council of bishops to determine if Matilda and Henry could marry. Matilda testified that her parents had sent her to the abbeys to be educated and that she had never taken vows. Her aunt Cristina, Abbess of Romsey Abbey, had insisted she wear a nun’s habit to protect her from unruly Norman lords and unwanted marriages. The council of bishops determined that Matilda had never been a nun and gave their permission for Matilda and King Henry I to marry. Matilda and Henry were married on November 11, 1100, at Westminster Abbey by Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury. Afterward, she was crowned with the Norman name Matilda in honor of Henry’s deceased mother Matilda of Flanders.

Statues of King Henry I and Matilda of Scotland from the front of Rochester Cathedral; Credit – Wikipedia

Matilda and Henry had four children, but only two survived childhood. Their son William Ætheling died on November 25, 1120, as he was returning to England from Normandy when his ship hit a submerged rock, capsized, and sank. William Ætheling and many others drowned. See Unofficial Royalty: The Sinking of the White Ship and How It Affected the English Succession. Henry was not faithful to Matilda. He holds the record for the British monarch with the most illegitimate children, 25 or so illegitimate children, but the tragedy of the White Ship left him with only one legitimate child, his daughter Matilda, known as Empress Matilda from her first marriage to Holy Roman Emperor Henry V.

Matilda and Henry’s children:

Matilda accompanied her husband in his travels throughout England and Normandy. She was a patron of music and poetry and commissioned a biography of her mother, The Life of Saint Margaret, attributed to Turgot of Durham.  Influenced by her abbey upbringing and her mother, Saint Margaret of Scotland, Matilda was pious and generous to the poor. She built a leper hospital at St. Giles-in-the-Fields in London and founded Holy Trinity Priory at Aldgate in London.  Like her saintly mother, Matilda wore a hair shirt, walked barefoot during Lent, gave food and clothing to the poor, and washed the feet of lepers and poor people.

Matilda died when she was about the age of 38 on May 1, 1118, at the Palace of Westminster in London. The place of her burial is uncertain. One tradition says that she was buried at Winchester Cathedral in the old monastery and that around 1158, Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester had her remains placed in a mortuary chest, which is now lost. Another tradition says Matilda was buried in Westminster Abbey at the entrance of the chapter house and then later reburied to the south of Edward the Confessor’s shrine by King Henry III.

After Matilda’s death, her husband King Henry I married Adeliza of Louvain, hoping for sons to prevent a succession crisis, but the marriage remained childless. On Christmas Day of 1226, King Henry I of England gathered his nobles at Westminster, where they swore to recognize his daughter, Empress Matilda and any future legitimate heir she might have as his successors. That plan did not work out. Henry died on December 1, 1135. Upon hearing of Henry’s death, Stephen of Blois, one of Henry’s nephews, quickly crossed the English Channel from France, seized power, and was crowned King of England on December 22, 1135. This started the terrible civil war between Stephen and Empress Matilda known as The Anarchy.  England did not see peace for 18 years until Empress Matilda’s son acceded to the throne as King Henry II of England in 1153.

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