Diamait Mac Murchada, the man who invited the Normans to Ireland.

The island of Ireland’s history is a turbulent one and one that has to be treated delicately.  Again it is a topic that Henry II just couldn’t keep away from, holding the title of Lord of Ireland at different points of his reign.  Asked to help the disposed King of Leinster Diarmait Mac Murchada Henry began English involvement in what was and would become even more a hotbed of trouble for the smaller of the large islands within the British Isles.  It is this man Diamait Mac Murchada that interests me, and I hope to find out who he was and what led him in more detail to seek Henry’s help.

Diamait was born around 1110, the son of Donnchad  mac Murchada, King of Leinster and Dublin.  His father’s grandmother was Dervorgilla, who was a daughter of Donnchad King of Munster and therefore a great granddaughter of Brian Boru , King of Ireland between 1002-14.  Diamait had two wives as allowed by Brehon Laws.  His first wife was Sadb of Ui Faelain and they had a daughter called Orlaith who married Domnall Mor, King of Munster.  His second wife was Mor Ui Tuathail.

His father died in battle in 1115 killed by his cousin Sigtrygg Silkbeard the king of the Dublin Vikings.  Then his elder brother, Enna mac Donnchada Mac Murchada, Diarmait became king of Leinster.  Although this was opposed by the High King of Ireland Toirdelbach Ua Conchobair who feared Diamait could become a rival.  Toirdelbach enlisted the help of Tigernan Ua Ruairc to attempt to conquer Leinster.  Ua Ruaric slaughtered all the livestock of Leinster trying to starve the population.   Diamait initially lost Leinster but with the aid of the clans in 1132 won back the province.  This then lead to an uneasy peace between Ua Conchobair and Diamait for the next two decades.

In 1166 the current High King Muirchertach Ua Lochlainn and Diamait’s only real ally fell and a large coalition led by Ua Ruairc attacked Leinster once more.  Diamait lost the throne once more and fled to Wales then to England and eventually to France.  He requested help from Henry who allowed Diamait to try and recruit soldiers and support from the Lords of Henry’s kingdoms.  Those who agreed were Richard de Clare and the half-brothers Robert FitzStephen and Maurice FitzGerald.  De Clare was handed Aoife, Diamait’s daughter from his second marriage as a bride.  He was also promised Kingship of Leinster of Diamait’s death.

They first returned to Wales were FitzStephen assisted in gathering a combined force of Norman and Welsh mercenaries.  They landed at Bannow Bay in Wexford, laying siege to Wexford itself.  Wexford fell in May 1169.  Consolidating themselves they then launched raids against the territories of Ui Tuathail, the Ui Broin and the Ui Conchobhair.  Then Diamait led the army marching on Tara the political capital at the time to attempt to oust Turlough Mor O’Connor the current High King of Ireland.

With the aid of the church the leaders on both sides began negotiations at Ferns.  An agreement was reached where Diamait was allowed to remain as King of Leinster as long as he then recognised Ua Conchobhair as the High King.  In May 1170 Maurice FitzGerald landed in Wexford with a force of 10 knights, 30 men-at-arms and a hundred archers and foot soldiers.  Diamait and FitzGerald then marched on Dublin which surrendered and it didn’t take long to subdue in unrest within the whole of Leinster.

Under the influence of both FitsStephen and FitzGerald persuaded Diamait to write to de Clare asking for assistance with his mind moving towards the High Kingship for himself.  de Clare sent Raymond le Gros with an advance party and arriving later in 1170 himself at Waterford.  The marriage of de Clare and Aoife then took place and de Clare claimed all the lands that were his under Norman law.  Diamait retreated himself back to Ferns where he died a couple of months later in 1171.

de Clare’s successful land grab led to Henry’s larger invasion in 1171 to ensure his control over his Norman subjects.  He accepted the submission of the Irish kings in Dublin in November 1171.  In 1172 the papal bull Laudabiliter was reconfirmed by Pope Alexander III and he then added ‘Lord of Ireland’ to his many titles.  Before he could consolidate his new lands he had to return to France to deal with his son’s rebellion in 1173.

As mentioned Ireland in complicated and from reading and writing about the first major involvement of the English it is easy to see that even before they steped foot in Ireland it was already a very complex island with many local leaders all trying to oust each other for the claim of High King.

Although mainly it’s Henry’s story that we are following at the moment, and next it will be to France and rebellion.

Four Knights to kill a priest

 

How can you talk about Henry II of England and not mention Thomas Becket? ‘Will no one rid of this turbulent priest?’ are the most commonly quoted words uttered by Henry that sent four knights on their way to commit murder under the presumption of royal command. It is those four knights that I want to look at a little closer, and find out if it was Henry that gave the seed of thought who where the real murders of Thomas Beckett.

Reginald FitzUrse

Reginald FitzUrse was born in 1145 and was the eldest son of Richard FitzUrse. FitzUrse translates as ‘son of bear’, Fitz taken from the Norman-French ‘fils de’ meaning ‘son of’ and Urze from the latin ‘ursus’ meaning ‘bear’. Reginald’s shield bore the cognizance of a bear. On the death of his farther in 1168 Reginald inherited the manor of Wiliton in Somerset. He also held land at Barham in Kent which took its name from Reginald ‘Bar’ from the word bear and ‘ham’ from hamlet. Reginald was a knight attendant to Henry II.
It is believed that FitzUrse could have been the ringleader during the assignation of Thomas and it is said he delivered the first but non-fatal blow during the attack to Becket’s head. After the assassination Reginald escaped to Scotland with the other knights and onto Morville’s castle at Knarsborough where he stayed for a year. All four were excommunicated and ordered by the Pope to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land for 14 years. It is believed that none returned although some legends state that FitzUrse fled to Ireland and fathered the McMahon clan.

Hugh de Morville

Hugh de Morville is believed to be the eldest son of Hugh de Morville, Lord of Cunningham and Lauderdale and appears in the services of Henry II from 1158. His mother was Beatrice de Beauchamp. It is believed also that Hugh the younger held the title of Lord of Westmorland.
After the assassination de Morville assisted with the building of a church at Alkborough in today’s North Lincolnshire. This didn’t do enough to impress Pope Alexander III who still excommunicated all four knights and after an audience with the Pope they were exiled to fight ‘in knightly arms in The Temple for 14 years’ in Jerusalem.

The Lordship of Westmoreland passed to Hugh’s sister Maud in 1174 and it is believed that he must of died before 1202/03 as his lands were then in the hands of co-heiresses.

William de Tracy

William de Tracy was the great grandson (through the illegitimate William I de Tracy) of King Henry I. Henry granted William I the feudal barony of Brandninch in Devon. His parents were John de Sudeley and Grace de Tracy and he had a brother called Ralph de Sudeley. William took his mother’s name and also inherited her lands at Brandninch. William passed these lands onto his son William III and then it passed to his grandson Henry who lost the lands by 1202.
Like the other knights William was excommunicated on Maundy Thursday 25th March 1171 and sentenced to give 14 years of service in the holy land. There is speculation as to what happened to William next. Herbert of Bosham says that de Tracy died of leprosy at Cosenza in Southern Italy in 1174. Romwald, Archbishop of Salerno confirms de Tracy’s journey east and also by Roger Hovenden who stated that the Pope instructed the knights, once their duties were fulfilled, to visit the Holy Places barefoot and in hairshirts and then to live alone for the rest of their lives on the Black Mountain near Antioch, spending all their time there in vigils, prayers, and lamentations. It is thought that de Tracy retired to a hermitage there.

Richard le Breton

Richard le Breton was the son of Simon le Bret or Simon Brito of Sampford Brett in Somerset and where neighbours to the FitzUrses. He served in household of William X, Count of Politou brother to Henry II. It is believed that the le Breton’s received the land at Sanford in Somerset due to the service of Auvrai Le Breton at the Battle of Hastings.
According to the account of the assassination by Edward Grim de Breton is meant to have broken his sword when chopping at Becket’s head. After the service in the holy land following excommunication it is believed that de Breton may have retired to Jersey. One of his descendants is said to possibly be Lillie Langley a mistress of King Edward VII

Henry II, from Civil War to Empire.

So I have had a little block recently, and some real life events have put me on hold.  February has been a bit of a wash out for the blog but hopefully things will begin to get a little bit better and I can continue on with my quest.

Henry II is the next King on my list of Plantagenet’s and I suppose this is maybe not helped me, the question is with Henry II where to start?

It looks like even before he became King he led a busy life.  Securing lands in France, helping his mother against Stephen and securing the crown of England for himself.  So to begin with I have decided to take this piece from the Treaties of Wallingford and Winchester where he finally managed to succeed in securing his succession to the throne of England.

Henry was now the adopted son of Stephen who accepted him as his rightful successor to the throne.  Stephen promised to listen to Henry but retained all his Royal powers and castles.  William, Stephen’s ‘other’ son would do homage to Henry renouncing his claim to the throne for promises that his lands were safe.  The agreement was sealed with a kiss of peace at Winchester Cathedral.  Although following the agreement peace remained precarious and after rumours of a plot to assassinate Henry he returned to Normandy.

Stephen fell ill of a stomach disorder and died on 25^th October 1154.  Once news reached Henry he returned to England to take oaths of loyalty from some of the barons.  He was crowned at Westminster alongside Eleanor on the 19^th December 1154.  During the civil war known as ‘The Anarchy’ much of England had suffered some form of destructive action.   Henry upon receiving the crown set to trying to establish normality.  The king’s income had declined dramatically and the royal control over the mints remained limited.

Henry presented himself as the legitimate heir to Henry I his grandfather through his mother Empress Matilda.  He tried to begin by rebuilding the kingdom in his grandfather’s image.  Although the majority of this work had to be carried out at a distance as he spent six and a half of the first eight years of his rule in France.  Despite this work was carried out to demolish unauthorised castles that had sprung up during the civil war.  Efforts were made to restore the royal justice system and royal finances and Henry invested heavily on the construction and renovation of new royal buildings.

Now King of England Henry’s troubles did not end there.  Throughout the 1150’s Henry was continually at conflict with different Kings, Counts, Dukes and overlords from different areas of France and the British Isles.  In 1157 Henry through continuing pressure managed to make a young Scots King Malcolm to return the lands in the north of England that had been taken during the Anarchy.  Welsh princes were a little harder to subdue.  Henry had to fight two different campaigns one in the north and one in the south of Wales.  In 1157 and 1158 both Owain Gwynedd and Rhys ap Gruffydd submitted to Henry’s rule returning to pre-civil war borders.

Henry continued to have problems with Louis VII of France throughout the 1150’s that led to the disputes drawing in other powers from the region.  Henry also had the greater resources at the time after his succession in England.  Theirry the Count of Flanders signed a military alliance with Henry albeit with a clause that stopped him being forced to fight against Louis.  Theobald V, Count of Blois also became allied with Henry.  On returning to France from England Henry looked to squash any possible rebellion with the French Lords.  As a result the peace treaty of 1154 between Henry and Louis was signed.  Clauses of the peace treaty stated that Henry bought back Vermon and Neuf-Marche from Louis.  The treaty was shaky and tensions remained high as Henry hadn’t paid homage to Louis for the Dukedoms in France.  In an attempt to improve the situation Henry met Louis at Paris and Mont-Saint-Michel in 1158.  They agreed to betroth Henry’s eldest son the ‘Young Henry’ to Louis daughter Margaret.  Part of the marriage arrangement was that Louis would betroth the disputed territory of Vexin to Margaret upon the marriage.  Although this ultimately gave the lands to the Henrys it also implied that Vexin was Louis to give away in the first place.

Henry also had turned his attention to the Duchy of Brittany.   The Breton dukes held little power across the duchy and most of the power was with local lords.  In 1148 Conan III died, leaving a power vacuum which lead to civil war.  Henry claimed himself overlord of Brittany on the basis that the duchy had previously owed loyalty to Henry I.  Henry ruled Brittany through proxies and backed the claim of Conan IV’s claim to the majority of the area because of Conan’s strong English ties.  Conan’s uncle Hoel continued to rule in the county of Nantes until he was deposed by Henry’s brother Geoffrey in 1156.  Geoffrey then died in 1158 and Conan annexed Nantes into the control of the overall duchy.  Louis made no moves to stop Henry’s power within Brittany from growing.

Henry hoped to make a similar move for control of Toulouse in southern France.  Toulouse was part of the Duchy of Aquitaine but had become increasingly independent and was ruled by Count Raymond V.  Encouraged by Eleanor, Henry allied himself with Raymond’s enemy Raymond Berenguer of Barcelona.  In 1159 Henry threatened to invade himself to dispose of Raymond.  Henry did invade Toulouse but found Louis visiting Raymond who was married to Louis sister Constance.  Not willing to attach whilst Louis was in attendance in case it looked like a move against Louis himself Henry backed off.  Henry then ravaged the surrounding county, seizing castles and taking the province of Quercy.  Toulouse would be a long running dispute between Henry and Louis and the chronicler William of Newburgh called it ‘the forty year war’.

Henry and Eleanor holding court.

After Toulouse Louis tried to repair relations with Henry and in 1160 a further peace treaty was signed that stated that Henry was promised the lands of his grandfather Henry I.  It also reaffirmed the betrothal of Margaret and Young Henry, with the Young Henry giving homage to Louis for his lands in France and reinforcing his position as heir to Louis through the marriage.  Louis thou quickly moved his position after the death of his wife Constance.  Louis married Adele the sister of the Count of Blois and Champagne.  Louis then betrothed his two daughters Marie and Alix to Theobold of Blois’ sons.  Henry was not happy.  He had custody of Margaret at the time and managed to persuade Papal legates into marrying the two children although they were only five and three.  He then seized Vexin to conclude the previous promised marriage arrangement.  This then made Louis unhappy and he declared the treaty from 1160 broken in spirit by Henry’s actions.

This lead to increased tensions in the area and Theobald mobilised his forces along the border of Touraine.  Henry then attached Chaumont in Blois in a surprise attack taking the castle.  In 1161 it seemed likely that war would ravage across the region, but a fresh peace was negotiated in Freteval and a second agreement in 1162 that was overseen by Pope Alexander III.

Henry now controlled more of France than any man had since the days of the Carolingians.  These lands with his possession’s in England, Wales, Scotland and most of Ireland was vast and referred by historians as the Angevin empire.  His mother now in her early sixties I am sure would have been very proud and happy with how he had grown his lands and established his empire.  He ruled in England for another 27 years after the agreement overseen by Pope Alexander III and the as the early part of his life and reign this time was also never quiet with lots of significant events but we will pick these up later.  As I mentioned at the beginning with Henry it was always a question of where to start as so much happened within his life, but it must be said the Empire he grew surely rivalled anything previously seen in Western Europe.  The Plantagenet’s were truly now on the map.

Something different……..snowy Castles

Something different considering the weather we are having here in the West Midlands, England at the moment I thought I would share some of the pictures I have found having a play with google pictures.

Berkeley Castle

Castle Menzies

Conwy Castle

Edinburgh Castle

Hampton Court

Inveraray Castle

Kenilworth Castle

Leeds Castle

Warwick Castle

Windsor Castle

And last although not a castle itself, seeing as it is only a mile or two away from home I thought I would add Blakesley Hall, from Yardley in Birmingham and it is very pretty

The Treaty of Wallingford and the ascendency of the Plantagenets

After over ten years of fighting the Church and the majority of barons were looking for peace and had decided that the continued fighting was doing nothing but harming England and that it could not continue.

Brian Fitzcourt had continued to be targeted by King Stephen at Wallingford Castle. This led to skirmishes between Henry Plantagenet and Stephen’s forces around the area of Wallingford. It was expected that a larger scale battle would be forthcoming. William d’Arundel successfully argued and brought both sides to the negotiating table. A temporary truce was reached and known as the Treaty of Wallingford. This paved way for the future line and the House of Plantagenet to succeed to the English throne, although the fighting did not stop at once.

 

Ruins of Wallingford Castle

Eustace, King Stephen’s son opposed the truce. Previously in London early on 6th April 1152, a council had been held by Stephen where a small number of barons had paid homage to Eustace as their future King. Eustace though died early August 1153, some say he was stuck down by the wrath of God while plundering church lands around the area of Bury St Edmunds.

Further fighting then continued. Stephen lost the towns of Oxford and Stamford to Henry with the Kings attentions turned to fighting Hugh Bigod in the East of England, although he did manage to hold Nottingham castle from an attack. Meanwhile Stephen’s brother henry of Blois and the Archbishop of Canterbury Theobald continued to put pressure on Stephen to accept a deal. Stephen and Henry’s armies met at Winchester and a new permanent peace was ratified and the House of Plantagenet would soon come to the throne.

The new treaty was announced by Stephen at Winchester Cathedral. It stated that Stephen accepted Henry as his adopted son and successor as long as Henry did him homage whilst he was alive. It also stated that Stephen would listen to Henry’s advice. Stephen remaining son William would do homage to Henry, renouncing his claim to the throne in exchange for promises that his lands would be secure. Key royal castles would be held for Henry by guarantors although Stephen would have access to them all. Also all foreign military mercenaries would be disbanded and sent home.

The treaty was sealed with a kiss of peace in the cathedral between Stephen and Henry. For its assistance once crowned as Henry II, Henry awarded Wallingford with a Royal Charter in 1155.

Two Key peace brokers

Brian Fitzcount held both the Lordships of Wallingford and Abergavenny. Previously he had been a loyal supporter of Henry I and supported Matilda all through the conflicts with Stephen. He was the illegitimate son of Alan IV, Duke of Brittany. He was sent and raised in the court of Henry I, becoming a close friend of Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester. He married Matilda D’Oyly which brought him the lands around Wallingford in circa 1127. Although constantly under siege from King Stephen’s forces for thirteen during the Anarchy Wallingford Castle was never taken and was the main eastern point of the Plantagenet forces. Matilda on escaping the siege of Oxford fled to Wallingford. Upon his death and with no heir his wife Matilda became a nun in the 1150’s and all their lands and castle passed back to the crown.

William d’Aubigny was the 1st Earl of Lincoln and 1st Earl of Arundel. He was a key member of Henry I household and on Henry’s death marired his widow Queen Adeliza in 1138. William was loyal to King Stephen who made him both the Earl of Lincoln and Arundel in Sussex. In 1143 as Earl of Lincoln, he had two charters confirming a donation of land around Arundel to the abbey of Affigem in Brabant. During the period known as ‘The Anarchy’ William acted as a mediator and helped to arrange the truce that lead to the Treaty of Wallingford. When Henry then ascended to the throne he confirmed both of William’s Earldoms and gave him direct possession of Arundel Castle.

Robert Fitzroy, 1st Earl of Gloucester the military behind Matilda

Robert Fitzroy, 1st Earl of Gloucester was the illegitimate son of King Henry I of England. He fought for Matilda his half-sister during the Anarchy in which she warred against Stephen of Blois for the English crown.
It is believed that Robert was the eldest of Henry’s illegitimate sons born before 1100 and before his father accession to the throne. The name of his mother is disputed, it is believed that she may have been Nest ferch Rhys a Welsh Princess, daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr. It is also stated that it may be a member of the Gay or Gayt family of North Oxfordshire. A number of Robert’s illegitimate siblings also had mothers from this region.

He had been contracted by his father to marry Mabel FitzHamon daughter and heir of Robert FitzHamon. His wife brought with her Gloucester in England, Glamorgan in Wales and also lands in Normandy. It was after the White Ship disaster and the marriage that Henry then created Robert, Earl of Gloucester.

He had seven different children with Mabel, of which included; William who succeeded as the 2nd Earl of Gloucester, Robert who became Bishop of Worcester and Matilda who married Ranulf the 4th Earl of Chester. He also had four known illegitimate children.

There is evidence that Robert was considered as a candidate for the throne but due to his illegitimacy he was ruled out. It is written within the Gesta Stephani (unknown author, 12th Century manuscript)

‘Among others came Robert, Earl of Gloucester, son of King Henry, but a bastard, a man of proved talent and admirable wisdom. When he was advised, as the story went, to claim the throne on his father’s death, deterred by sounder advice he by no means assented, saying it was fairer to yield it to his sister’s son (the future Henry II of England), than presumptuously to arrogate it to himself’

Robert went on to become Matilda his sister’s main military commander during the Anarchy. At the Battle of Lincoln on 2nd February 1141 Robert led an army to victory breaking King Stephen’s siege of the castle at Lincoln and went on to capture and take prisoner King Stephen. This led to Matilda taking control of the country for a short period of time. Robert’s forces were then defeated at the Rout of Winchester on 14th September 1141 leading to his capture near Stocksbrige.

Robert was exchanged for King Stephen which then led to King Stephen taking back power and Matilda giving up her best chance of becoming Queen. She later returned to France where she died in 1167.

Robert of Gloucester died in 1147 at Bristol Castle. He was later buried at St James Priory in Bristol which he had founded and was succeeded by his son William FitzRobert as the 2nd Earl of Gloucester.

Chimneypiece of the Banqueting Hall, Cardiff Castle, carved by Thomas Nicholls to instructions by the architect William Burges. 1870s. .

Matilda, the first Lady of the Plantagenets

So where to begin?

Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou was the second husband of Empress Matilda the only surviving child of Henry I of England upon his death. The name Plantagenet was a nickname which is claimed to be given to Geoffrey because he wore a sprig of common broom in his hat. The Latin name for the broom is Planta genista, this being then transformed into Plantegenest then becoming Plantagenet.

Matilda was previously married to Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor. Her second husband Geoffrey’s son Henry was the first Plantagenet king of England. Matilda was a grand-daughter of William the Conqueror and daughter to Henry I of England. She really is the mother of the House of Plantagenet and without her grit and determination the family would never set upon its reign in England of over three hundred years.

Matilda was born c 7th February 1102 to Henry I of England and Matilda of Scotland. It is believed that she was born in Winchester, although some historians believe that she was born at a royal palace in Sutton (now Sutton Courtenay) in Oxfordshire. She was educated at the Abbey of Wilton by the nuns that ran the Abbey.

Matilda was sent to Germany, as early as eight years old and she was betrothed to Henry, who at the time was King of the Romans, and King of Italy. Matilda carried with her a large dowry of 10,000 marks in silver. On the 25th July 1110 she was crowned as Queen of the Romans. They married in 1114. It is disputed whether she ever actually carried the title of Empress and to whether she was actually crowned by the Pope. It is believed that she was crowned by Maurice Bordin the Archbishop of Braga on 13th May 1117, although Bordin was excommunicated by the Pope in April of the same year. It is believed that Matilda herself stated that she had been crowned twice and the fact she was lawfully wedded at the time of Henry’s coronation as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 1111 by Pope Pashal , gives her title legitimacy and in official records she was known as regina Romanorum.

Matilda then spent time as Henry’s regent in Italy, gaining valuable political experience that would stand her in good stead for the forthcoming negotiations she would take place in. In 1120 her only other surviving sibling William Adelin died in a maritime disaster known as the ‘White Ship disaster’, leaving her as the only legitimate heir of Henry I. A Queen ruling as the main ruler in feudal medieval England was not a solution that would hold power for long without disputes and upstarts trying to move them self to the front of a queue. Instead of naming Matilda as his heir Henry looked to try and secure the line by remarrying Adeilza of Louvain although the marriage remained barren.

On the 23rd May 1125 Henry V died leaving Matilda as a widow at just twenty two. Having produced no legitimate heirs in the marriage this brought to the end the Salian dynasty and Henry’s rival Lothar III became the next Emperor.
For the next few years Matilda was used as a political pawn by her father and was under his power. To begin with he presumed her barren after remaining childless in Germany. She was summoned back to Normandy and she then had no further political influence or powers relating to her previous marriage. Henry named Matilda as his heiress presumptive. In January 1027 Henry made the court in England swear allegiance to Matilda, this included Stephen of Blois who Matilda would later clash with.

Henry had previously tried to cement the disputes between Normandy and Anjou by marrying William Adelin with Fulk, Count of Anjou’s daughter Matilda, but this was short lived due to the early death of William. Henry then arranged the marriage of Matilda with Geoffrey of Anjou Fulk’s son. Matilda was outraged and thought of Geoffrey as below her and was then sent to Normandy under the care of Robert of Gloucester her half-brother until Geoffrey was of age. The marriage took place in June 1128 at Le Mans.

The marriage didn’t get off to a good start and after a year Matilda left Geoffrey at Rouen and moved back to Normandy. Henry summoned Matilda in 1131 to England, and it was decided that she would return to her husband. Whilst she was in England Matilda received another oath of allegiance from the English court, once again including Stephen of Blois. The re-acquaintance worked and the marriage became a success and in March 1133 Matilda gave birth to a son Henry. In 1134 they had a second son Geoffrey, was born in Rouen. Matilda almost died in childbirth and her funeral was actually planned, however she recovered.

On the 1st December 1135, Henry I of England died in Normandy. Matilda was at the time in Anjou, and in her absence Stephen of Blois although previously swearing oaths to defend Matilda’s rights of succession moved quickly to seize the crown. He was supported by the barons in England and also his brother Henry, Bishop of Winchester. Matilda and Geoffrey first moved against Stephen in Normandy with Geoffrey securing all the fiefdoms west and east of the Siene by 1143 and in January 1144 he moved unopposed across the Siene taking Rouen. Geoffrey took the title Duke of Normandy and Matilda, Duchess of Normandy. They held the titles until they passed on the Duchy to their son Henry in 1149, the event ratified by King Louis VII of France. Matilda then turned her eye to England now having the military strength to move against Stephen.

This period in English history with the civil war between Stephen and Matilda is known as ‘The Anarchy’. Her closest ally was her illegitimate half-brother Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester. At the Battle of Lincoln in February 1141 Matilda’s army defeated Stephen who was then captured. Matilda then rode to London. On her arrival she received the support of the city and she took the title Lady of the English and planned to take the title of Queen upon her coronation. The citizens of London requested Matilda to half their taxes. She refused, and they then closed the gates of London to her on 24th June 1141 reigniting the civil war. By November 1141 Stephen had been freed, exchanged for Robert of Gloucester. The following year the tables were turned and Stephen besieged Matilda at Oxford. She managed to escape to Wallingford. In 1148 Matilda and Henry then left England for Normandy.

Great seal of Matilda

Henry continued to fight different campaigns against England from Normandy. He was knighted by King David I of Scotland his uncle in Carlisle on 22nd May 1149. Stephen’s own son Eustace died leading him to acknowledge Henry as his heir with the Treaty of Wallingford. Matilda herself retired to Rouen and proceeded to maintain her own court and manage the Duchy of Normandy in Henry’s absence.

Although never actually crowned herself she did manage to live to see her son Henry be crowned King of England in 1154 after Stephen’s death, this lead to the start of the Plantagenet dynasty in England that was to see over so much in the history of the country.

Matilda died at Notre Dame du Pre near Rouen in 1167 and was buried in the Abbey of Bec-Hellouin. Her body was transferred to Rouen Cathedral. Her epitaph reads ‘Great by birth, Greater by marriage, Greatest in her offspring; Here lies Matilda the daughter, wife and mother of Henry.

Without her resolve who knows what line and how history would of spun. Like Emma of Normandy it seems that Matilda really was a powerful woman during the time when men and only men were meant to rule. A really remarkable woman and mother who would not give up for her son what she thought he was entitled to. She really is the first building block on the line of the Plantagenets in England.