Person Page - 10204

     Matilda de Normandie was the daughter of William I 'the Conqueror', King of England and Matihilde van Vlaanderen. She died before 1112.²
     She was also known as Gundred de Normandie.

     Constance de Normandie was born between 1057 and 1061 at Normandy, France^G.² She was the daughter of William I 'the Conqueror', King of England and Matihilde van Vlaanderen. She married Alain IV Fergent de Bretagne, Duc de Bretagne, son of Hoël de Cornouaille, Comte de Cornouaille and Hawise de Bretagne, in 1086 at Caen, Normandy, France^G.² She died on 13 August 1090 at Bretagne, France^G, poisoned by her servants.² She was buried at Church of St. Melans, Rhedon, Bretagne, France^G.²

     Henry I 'Beauclerc', King of England was born in September 1068 at Selby, Yorkshire, North Riding, England^G.² He was the son of William I 'the Conqueror', King of England and Matihilde van Vlaanderen.¹ He married, firstly, Editha of Scotland, daughter of Malcolm III 'Caennmor', King of Scotland and Saint Margaret 'the Exile' (?), on 11 November 1100 at Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, England^G.² He married, secondly, Adeliza de Louvain, daughter of Godefroi I de Louvain, Duc de Basse-Lorraine and Ida de Chiny, on 29 January 1121 at Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England^G.³ He was also reported to have been married on 2 February 1121 at Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England^G. He died on 1 December 1135 at age 67 at Saintt-Denis-le-Fermont, Picardie, France^G, food poisioning, after supposedly overeating lampreys.⁴ He was buried at Reading Abbey, Reading, Berkshire, England^G.⁴
     He gained the title of Lord of Domfront in 1092.² He gained the title of Comte de Bayeaux in 1096. He gained the title of Comte de Coutances in 1096.² He succeeded as the King Henry I of England on 2 August 1100.² He was crowned King of England on 5 August 1100 at Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, England^G, and styled 'Dei Gratiâ Rex Anglorum.⁵' He succeeded as the 9th Duc de Normandie on 28 September 1106, after defeating his brother Robert in battle.² He fought in the Battle of Tinchebrai on 28 September 1106.²
     Strangely, at the time William 'Rufus' was shot in the New Forest, Henry was also hunting there and this may or may not be coincidence. Henry was in turn in some danger from his brother Robert who claimed the throne for himself. Robert was captured at the battle of Tinchebrai in 1106 and Henry imprisoned him in Cardiff Castle for the rest of his life. Henry was successful in keeping the peace in England despite spending much time in Normandy. He developed the English system of justice and organised the civil service of the time, particularly the taxation department. He was unpopular with the church leaders. He had only one legitimate son, William and a legitimate daughter Matilda, but over twenty illegitimate children. His sons William and Richard were drowned in 1120 aboard his personal vessel the 'White Ship' when it struck a rock off the Normandy coast. He wanted his successor to be his daughter Matilda whom the English called Maud. He has an extensive biographical entry in the Dictionary of National Biography.⁶
     

     Editha of Scotland was born circa 1079 at Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland^G.² She was the daughter of Malcolm III 'Caennmor', King of Scotland and Saint Margaret 'the Exile' (?)³ She married Henry I 'Beauclerc', King of England, son of William I 'the Conqueror', King of England and Matihilde van Vlaanderen, on 11 November 1100 at Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, England^G.¹ She died on 1 May 1118 at Palace of Westminster, Westminster, London, England^G.⁴ She was buried at Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, England^G.⁴
     From 11 November 1100, her married name became Queen Consort Matilda of England.⁴

     Robert de Caen, 1st Earl of Gloucester was born illegitimately circa 1090 at Caen, Normandy, France^G.³ He was the son of Henry I 'Beauclerc', King of England and Sybilla Corbet.¹ He married Mabel FitzHamon, daughter of Robert FitzHamon, Earl of Gloucester and Sybil de Montgomery, in 1122.⁴ He died on 31 October 1147 at Bristol, England^G, from a fever.⁵ He was buried at Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England^G.
     He gained the title of 1st Earl of Gloucester [England] between June 1122 and September 1122.²

     William 'the Aetheling', 10th Duc de Normandie was born before 5 August 1103 at Winchester, Hampshire, England^G.² He was the son of Henry I 'Beauclerc', King of England and Editha of Scotland.³ He married Alice d'Anjou, daughter of Fulk V d'Anjou, 9th Comte d'Anjou and Aremburga de la Fleche, Comtesse de Maine, in June 1119 at Lisieux, France^G.² He died on 25 November 1120 at Barfleur, Normandy, France^G, drowned in the wreck of the White Ship, while trying to rescue his half-sister, the Countess of Perche.²
     He succeeded as the 10th Duc de Normandie in 1120.²

     Matilda 'the Empress' of England was born circa August 1102 at Winchester, Hampshire, England^G.² She was also reported to have been born on 7 February 1102 at England. She was the daughter of Henry I 'Beauclerc', King of England and Editha of Scotland. She married, firstly, Heinrich V, Holy Roman Emperor, son of Heinrich IV, Holy Roman Emperor, on 7 January 1114 at Mainz, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany^G.² She married, secondly, Geoffrey V Plantagenet, Comte d'Anjou et Maine, son of Fulk V d'Anjou, 9th Comte d'Anjou and Aremburga de la Fleche, Comtesse de Maine, on 22 May 1128 at Le Mans Cathedral, Le Mans, France^G.³ She was also reported to have been married on 20 May 1127. She died on 10 September 1167 at Abbey of the Notre Dame des Prés, Rouen, Caux, France^G.² She was buried at Rouen Cathedral, Rouen, Caux, France^G.²
     She was given the name of Adelaide at birth.² After her marriage, Matilda 'the Empress' of England was styled as Empress Matilda of Germany on 7 January 1114.² She gained the title of Lady of the English on 7 April 1141.² She was deposed as Lady of the English on 1 November 1141.²
     Daughter of Henry I and Editha of Scotland, she was nominated by her father as his successor. However, on the death of Henry I, the council considering a woman unfit to rule offered the throne to Stephen. Matilda invaded England and fought (1139 - 1148) to wrest rule from the usurping Stephen. She won much of the west, and after Stephen's capture in April 1141 a clerical council proclaimed Matilda 'Lady of the English'. She entered London but made cash demands that provoked Londoners to expel her before a coronation. On Stephen's release, she suffered defeats (fled from Oxford Castle Dec 1142), and eventually left England for Normandy, now controlled by her husband. The cause of her death is obscure. Although Matilda failed to secure the English throne, she laid a basis for successful claims by descendants of her husband Geoffrey of Anjou.

     Adeliza de Louvain was born circa 1103 at Louvain, Belgium^G.^2,3 She was the daughter of Godefroi I de Louvain, Duc de Basse-Lorraine and Ida de Chiny.¹ She married, firstly, Henry I 'Beauclerc', King of England, son of William I 'the Conqueror', King of England and Matihilde van Vlaanderen, on 29 January 1121 at Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England^G.⁴ She married, secondly, William d'Aubigny, 1st Earl of Arundel, son of Guillaume d'Aubigny and Maud le Bigod, in 1138.^2,3 She was also reported to have been married on 2 February 1121 at Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire, England^G. She died circa 23 April 1151 at Affligem Abbey, Afflingham, Flanders, Belgium^G.² She was buried at Afflingham, Flanders, Belgium^G.²
     From 30 January 1121, her married name became Queen Consort Adeliza of England.² After her marriage, Adeliza de Louvain was styled as Queen Dowager of England on 1 December 1135.³ After her marriage, Adeliza de Louvain was styled as Countess of Arundel in 1138. She was a nun in 1150 at Affligem Abbey, Afflingham, Flanders, Belgium^G.^2,3 She has an extensive biographical entry in the Dictionary of National Biography.⁵
     

     Stephen de Blois, King of England was born circa 1096 at Blois, Berri, France^G.^3,4 He was the son of Stephen II Henry, Comte de Blois and Adela de Normandie. He married Matilda, Comtesse de Boulogne, daughter of Eustache III, Comte de Boulogne and Mary of Scots, before 1125 at Westminster, London, England^G.⁵ He died on 25 October 1154 at Dover Castle, Dover, Kent, England^G, from a heart attack.⁶ He was buried at Faversham Abbey, Faversham, Kent, England^G.⁶
     He gained the title of Count of Mortain before 1115.⁴ He succeeded as the 11th Duc de Normandie in 1135.⁷ He succeeded as the King Stephen of England on 1 December 1135.⁴ He was crowned King of England on 26 December 1135 at Westminster Abbey, Westminster, London, England^G, and styled 'Rex Aglorum Dux Normannorum.⁸' He was deposed as King of England on 10 April 1141.⁵ He succeeded as the King Stephen of England on 1 November 1141.⁵ He was crowned King of England on 25 December 1141 at Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury, Kent, England^G.⁵
     The rightful heiress to the crown of England was Henry I's daughter Matilda but at the time of Henry's death she was with her husband in Anjou and Stephen was the first to reach London and successfully claim the throne. Matilda or Maud, as she was also known, disputed Stephen's claim. Matilda's illegitimate half brother the 1st Earl of Gloucester rebelled, and civil war broke out in 1139 when Matilda invaded. In April 1141 hostile troops seized Stephen at the Battle of Lincoln but in November exchanged him for Gloucester who had been imprisoned by Stephen's supporters. Stephen then regained much lost power and in 1148 Matilda left England. Upon Maud's death, her son Henry Fitz-Empress continued the challenge. While the dispute continued, Henry married the divorced wife of the French King. This gave him great power as his wife was, in her own right, a reigning Princess. Stephen had married Matilda of Boulogne and hoped that their son Eustace would succeed him, however Eustace died and in 1153 at Winchester, Stephen reluctantly declared Henry Fitz-Empress as his heir. He has an extensive biographical entry in the Dictionary of National Biography.⁹
     

     Matilda, Comtesse de Boulogne was born circa 1104 at Boulogne, France^G.¹ She was the daughter of Eustache III, Comte de Boulogne and Mary of Scots.² She married Stephen de Blois, King of England, son of Stephen II Henry, Comte de Blois and Adela de Normandie, before 1125 at Westminster, London, England^G.³ She died on 3 May 1152 at Hedingham Castle, Essex, England^G.³ She was buried at Faversham Abbey, Faversham, Kent, England^G.³
     She gained the title of Comtesse de Boulogne in 1125.³ She succeeded as the Queen Consort Matilda of England on 22 March 1136.³