Biography of Matilda (Empress Matilda)

Matilda (Empress Matilda)

The number to the left of each child (e.g. "+4") indicates the total number of children for that person.

Family Name:

Given Names:

Matilda Alice

Titles:

Queen of England (1141 , Apr to Nov)

Born:

7 Feb 1102
London, England

Died:

10 Sep 1167
Rouen, Normandy, France
(Age 65, Natural Causes)

English/Scottish Royal Blood: 100% [?]

Buried:

Bec Abbey, France

Father:

King Henry I (Beauclerc)

Sep 1068 - 1 Dec 1135

Mother:

Matilda Dunkeld (1st wife of King Henry I)

1079 - 1 May 1118

Marriage:

Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor

11 Aug 1086 - 23 May 1125

Date: 7 Jan 1114

His Age: 27

Her Age: 12

Place: Mainz, Germany

Offspring:

None listed

Marriage:

Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou (father of King Henry II)

24 Nov 1113 - 7 Sep 1151

Date: 17 Jun 1128

His Age: 14

Her Age: 26

Place: Le Mans, Maine, France

Offspring:

+10

King Henry II

5 Mar 1133 - 6 Jul 1189

Geoffrey de Gatinais, Count of Nantes (brother of Henry II)

1 Jun 1134 - 26 Jul 1158

William de Gatinais, Count of Poictou

Aug 1136 - 30 Jan 1164

Events:

Accession to English throne

Apr 1141

Unknown place

Deposition from throne

Nov 1141

Unknown place

View Family Tree List Ancestors List Descendants

Notes:

Matilda and her brother William were possibly twins.

According to some accounts, Matilda was named Alice at birth, but her father Henry I changed her name to honour her mother, Matilda of Scotland (who had herself changed her name to honour Henry's mother).

Matilda's marriage to Geoffrey was mostly stormy. In 1131, three years after they married, Matilda returned to her father, Henry I. Then, according to Henry of Huntingdon, she was sent back to Geoffrey "and given a reception fitting for such a virago."

According to some sources, Matilda died in 1169.

Portrayed by Martita Hunt in the 1964 film, "Becket."

Portrayed by Brenda Bruce in the 1978 BBC-2 series, "The Devil's Crown."

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(Image unavailable)	Becket [VHS] Peter Glenville Color, NTSC (1990-09-28) Customer Review: The tale of Thomas Becket has had many incarnations over time. T.S. Eliot's 'Murder in the Cathedral' is but the most recent acclaimed literary treatment; each revisitation seems to draw new elements forth from the story. Edward Anhalt won the Oscar for best screenplay (adapted from other material) for this film. This film shows Henry and Thomas Becket roughly equal in age (at variance from history, for in this time the age difference of 15 years is practically a generational difference). Becket is shown as being a guide to Henry, but less from a master/pupil standpoint as it is a clever diplomatic with a utilitarian and almost Machiavellian sense about him. Henry is presented as coarse and unrefined, uneducated and in need of assistance, but historically this is unlikely. Becket is played admirably by Richard Burton; Henry II is portrayed by Peter O'Toole. Both were nominated for the best actor Oscar, but neither won. In addition to these nominations and the best screenplay award, the film was nominated for nine other Oscars, running the list from costumes, music, directing, best picture, and a best supporting actor nod for John Gielgud, whose cameo as the King of France is rather interestingly presented. Indeed, the movie has a remarkable realistic feel to it, particularly for a film from the 1960s, when cinema was as likely to portray stylised and idealistic images of the past. The sets are in bare stone with a minimum of ornamentation, as would have been the case in Plantagenet times; likewise, the ceremony around the royal person is much less grand, and the church rather grand, which is both accurate and serves to highlight the underlying conflict of the story in the film. Becket is portrayed as a man of ambiguous loyalties -- a man of principle who has yet to find principles worthy of loyalty. Finally, in the role of archbishop, he finds a calling from the honour of God (and in so doing is not unlikely many priests who see their path to ordination as the means of spiritual grace; indeed, many are disappointed that the faith does not come with the office). Whether Thomas Becket actually experienced a spiritual conversion that made him a strong champion of the church, or in fact saw the power of the church as a means to an end of dominating the country, we will perhaps never know. In the film, Becket is often disparaged as being a Saxon; this is perhaps overstated, given his Norman lineage, which is never hinted at in the film. While he does not come from Norman nobility, he is far from being a simple Saxon. Burton's portrayal of Becket shows the change from worldly chancellor to spiritual archbishop in unsubtle terms. Even so, there is an ambiguity that plays out marvelously in both his performance, and the reactions of the other characters who constantly question his sincerity. O'Toole's performance is not as polished as Burton's; when he plays an older, wiser Henry II in 'The Lion in Winter' four years later, the acting is much more dramatic and effective. It perhaps goes without saying that Pamela Brown does not make the same impression on the screen as Eleanor of Aquitaine as Katherine Hepburn does in the later film, but Eleanor is an incidental character in Becket in any case. Music in this film is not a prominent feature -- various trumpet and brass flourishes announce events or major scene changes in parts; a lot of chant (long before Gregorian chant achieved popular status) accompanies church scenes -- indeed, I credit this film for giving me my first real taste of Gregorian chant. The scene with Sian Phillips as Becket's love Gwendolyen is accompanied by period string instruments -- again, Phillips is a remarkable actress who is under-utilised in this performance. Done in a flash-back manner, there is a resolution in the film -- Becket is dead, made a saint, honour is satisfied as the King does penance, and the people are happy. We know what is going to happen, but then, anyone with knowledge of history would likely know the story already. In fact, Henry's reign was rarely without challenge, but he was always powerful, and much more effective after Becket's death than before. Reigning for nearly twenty years after Becket's death, he left a very powerful Western European coalition of lands that soon fell apart, and embroiled England and France in war for centuries later. 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