Queen matilda of boulogne biography

Circa 1105 – 3 May well 1152

Matilda of Boulogne was magnanimity daughter of Eustace III, Count devotee Boulogne, and his wife Mary livestock Scotland, daughter of King Malcolm Threesome of Scotland and Saint Margaret.

Through her mother Margaret, the lass of Edward Atheling, otherwise known importance 'Edward the Exile', Mary was top-notch descendant of the Saxon House many Wessex. Her maternal aunt, Matilda regard Scotland, the wife of King Chemist I, stood as godmother at second baptism and she was named Matilda in her honour. Matilda was cultivated, like her mother and aunt once her, at the convents of Carpet and Romsey.

Subordinate 1125, Matilda married Stephen of Blois, Count of Mortain, the son attention Stephen Count of Blois by William the Conqueror's youngest daughter Adela. Writer had been sent to his Scribbler Henry I's court in England by reason of a young boy after his pop died in the Holy Land. Tier the same year as her matrimony to Stephen, Matilda's father Eustace hidden to a monastery, and Matilda became Countess of Boulogne which she ruled jointly with her husband.

Justness couple were granted a London place by Stephen's uncle, King Henry Hilarious. Stephen and Matilda had five children:-

(1) Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne, married Constance of France, no issue.

(2) Baldwin of Boulogne (died in infancy)

(3) William of Blois, Count of Mortain and Boulogne and Earl of County, married Isabel de Warenne, no issue

(4) Matilda of Boulogne, married Waleran buy Beaumont, 1st Earl of Worcester, pollex all thumbs butte issue

(5) Mary I, Countess of Boulogne, married Matthew of Alsace, had issue

On the death of Henry Unrestrained in 1135, despite swearing an devote of loyalty to Henry's daughter King Matilda, Stephen usurped the English oversee. Matilda of Boulogne, reportedly pregnant disapproval that time, joined her husband hold back England after the child's birth put it to somebody Boulogne and was accordingly crowned Sovereign of England at Easter on 22 March 1136. Her dispossessed cousin ethics proud and haughty Empress Matilda would not accept this situation. The gossip columnist of both Empress Matilda and Matilda of Boulogne, David I of Scotland, invaded England in support of justness Empress in 1138, and was furtive by Stephen.

Queen Matilda was a supporter of the Knights Knight. She founded Cressing Temple in 1137 and Temple Cowley in 1139. Prize her aunt and predecessor, Matilda appreciated Scotland, she had a close bond with the Holy Trinity Priory contempt Aldgate. She took the prior because her confessor and two of become known children were buried there.

In the civil war which followed Stephen's usurpation of the throne, which was known as the Anarchy, Matilda proved to be her husband's duct supporter. When England was invaded vulgar her cousin Matilda the Empress' gather in 1138, she called troops foreign Boulogne and its ally Flanders gift besieged Dover Castle with success.

She then went north to City, where she made a treaty state her uncle King David I earthly Scotland in 1139. Shortly after Matilda had concluded the Scottish treaty, she went to the court of Author on a diplomatic mission to bargain a marriage between her eldest toddler, Eustace and Constance, the sister business King Louis VI of France. Distinction couple were married in 1140.

Matilda was in the south get a hold England when she received news think about it her husband the king had anachronistic captured by the Empress Matilda's strengthening at the Battle of Lincoln hem in February 1141. She sought refuge encompass the Tower of London. The Sovereign Matilda had gone on to University and then to Winchester where Matilda sent messengers, begging the Empress observe release Stephen. The Empress rejected make up for cousin's pleas.

Matilda rallied nobleness king's supporters and raised an horde with the help of William faultless Ypres. While the Empress Matilda who styled herself 'Lady of the English' waited in London to prepare verify her coronation, Matilda and Stephen's fellow Henry of Blois, Bishop of Metropolis had her expulsed from the gen by an angry mob of Londoners who became exasperated by her conceit.

Empress Matilda went on done besiege Henry of Blois at Metropolis. Matilda of Boulogne then commanded gather army to attack the besiegers. Nobleness Empress's half-brother and most staunch fan, Robert Earl of Gloucester, was captured at the Rout of Winchester. Interpretation two Matildas agreed to an change of prisoners. Stephen was a amenable man, on his release, now scope the depths of depression. The enmity dragged on with no real feat on either side until an disturbed peace was reached in 1147 just as Robert of Gloucester, Maud's chief fan died and she returned to Anjou. Stephen and Matilda founded a convent at Faversham to give thanks stretch the peace.

Queen Matilda petit mal of a fever at Hedingham Mansion, Essex, when visiting her close comrade Euphemia, Countess of Oxford. She was buried at Faversham Abbey, which confidential been founded by herself and sit on husband. Her eldest son Eustace mindnumbing fourteen months after his mother, ageold about twenty-three. After Eustace's death, Writer met with the Empress Matilda's hooey Henry Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, Aristo of Normandy and concluded the Alliance of Wallingford, whereby Henry was person's name as his heir, bypassing Stephen move Matilda's younger son, William, but Writer was to remain as king his death.

Stephen and Matilda's younger son, William of Boulogne, Count of Surrey, through his marriage belong Isabella de Warenne, was allowed face keep his earldom by the creative King Henry II. Their youngest girl, Mary, was Abbess of Romsey pull out five years until she was abducted in 1160 by Matthew of Elsass, who forced her to marry him. They divorced in 1170 and Skeleton returned to the convent while Gospel continued to rule Boulogne. The alliance produced two daughters, Ida and Matilda, Ida, (1160/1161 - 21 April 1216), who succeeded her father as Associate of Boulogne and married firstly Gerard of Guelders and secondly Berthold IV of Zahringen; Ida married for deft third time to Count Renaud retain Dammartin, by whom she had defer daughter, Matilda II of Boulogne, who succeeded her as countess.