Who is Empress Matilda?

matilda of england, daughter if henry i, norman regnant battled on got throne cousin stephen:
http://www.royal.gov.uk/historyofthemona...
though charming, attractive , (when required) brave warrior, stephen (reigned 1135-54) lacked ruthlessness , failed inspire loyalty. neither control friends nor subdue enemies, despite support of brother henry of blois (bishop of winchester) , able wife matilda of boulogne.

henry i's daughter matilda invaded england in 1139 claim throne, , country plunged civil war. although anarchy never spread on whole country, local feuds pursued under cover of civil war; bond between king , nobles broke down, , senior figures (including stephen's brother henry) freely changed allegiances suited them.

in 1141, stephen captured @ lincoln , defeat seemed certain. however, matilda's arrogant behaviour antagonised own supporters (angevins), , stephen released in exchange captured ally , illegitimate half-brother, earl robert of gloucester. after latter's death in 1147, matilda retired normandy (which husband, count of anjou had conquered) in 1148.

stephen's throne still disputed. matilda's eldest son, henry, had been given normandy father in 1150 , had married heiress eleanor duchess of aquitaine, invaded england in 1149 , again in 1153.

stephen fought stubbornly against henry; stephen attempted ensure son eustace's succession having him crowned in stephen's own lifetime.

church refused (having quarrelled king years previously); eustace's death later in 1153 helped lead negotiated peace (the treaty of wallingford) under henry inherit throne after stephen's death.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/empress_mat...
empress matilda (c. 7 february 1102 – 10 september 1167), known matilda of england or maude, daughter , heir of king henry of england. matilda , younger brother, william adelin, legitimate children of king henry survive adulthood. however, brother's death in white ship disaster in 1120 resulted in matilda's being father's sole heir.

child, matilda betrothed , later married henry v, holy roman emperor, becoming holy roman empress. couple had no known children , after eleven years of marriage henry died, leaving matilda widowed. however, married geoffrey v, count of anjou, in union father hoped produce male heir , continue dynasty. had 3 sons geoffrey of anjou, eldest of whom became king henry ii of england. upon death of father in 1135, throne usurped cousin, stephen of blois, moved , claim throne whilst matilda in normandy, pregnant third child.

rivalry throne led years of unrest , civil war in england have been called anarchy. matilda first female ruler of kingdom of england, though length of effective rule brief: few months in 1141. never crowned , failed consolidate rule (legally , politically). reason, excluded lists of english monarchs, , rival stephen listed monarch period 1135–1154. campaigned unstintingly oldest son's inheritance, living see him ascend throne of england in 1154.

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