“Here lies the daughter, wife, and mother of Henry”
We would like to tell the story of Empress Maud who was never crowned Queen of England but caused civil war trying to attain her inheritance. Maud was also named Matilda but we will call her Maud to distinguish her from her mother, Matilda of Scotland and her grandmother, Matilda of Flanders. She took the title of “Lady of the English” but always preferred to be called Empress.
Maud was the daughter of King Henry I of England and Duke of Normandy and Matilda of Scotland. She was born, probably at Winchester in February of 1102. She had a brother William Adelin (Atheling) who was born in November 1103. Little is known about her early childhood. Her mother had a bad experience being educated in a nunnery so she probably took control of her daughter’s instruction. We know Maud was literate and probably knew how to embroider. Very early, the King of Germany and eventual Holy Roman Emperor, Henry V was persistent in pursuing Maud as a wife.
By the time Maud was seven years old, it was confirmed she was to be the bride of the Henry V. In February 1110, she left for Germany with many Norman nobles and a 10,000 mark dowry, an enormous sum. Henry V was in a fight with the Pope over whether he should be crowned Holy Roman Emperor or not and he needed Maud’s dowry to continue the fight. Maud arrived in Liege in March and met her future husband for the first time. They then travelled to Utrecht for Easter and there they were formally betrothed and Maud was given her dower lands and property. In July 1110, she was crowned and turned over to Archbishop Bruno of Trier to be taught German and for further education. Between the time of her coronation and her marriage at Worms Cathedral in January 1114, Henry took Maud to Italy to fight for his investiture. Maud was received with accolades on her trip.
From 1114 to 1125, Maud was a faithful and loyal wife, administering her duties as Empress well. The only duty she didn’t fulfill was to have children. One historian says she may have had a child who didn’t live very long but we will never know for sure. Also, an event occurred in 1120 that was to have a lasting impact on her life. Her younger brother William Adelin died in the disastrous sinking of the White Ship. Her husband was to die in 1125.
Maud’s father demanded she return to him in Normandy. She brought with her money, jewels and the ancient relic, the hand of Saint James the Apostle. At Christmas 1126, at Windsor, Henry had all the important magnates and prelates swear a solemn oath to support Maud as his successor, as well as any future sons born to Maud. Henry then called upon his good relations with Count Fulk V of Anjou to negotiate the betrothal of Maud to Fulk’s son Geoffrey le Bel. They were married in June of 1127. Maud was 25 and Geoffrey was 14.
Maud and Geoffrey’s marriage was tempestuous. They both had violent tempers. Maud could be haughty and arrogant and she decided to leave Geoffrey in 1129 and returned to her father in England. In 1131, Geoffrey pleaded for her to return to him. In September, Henry held a royal council at Northampton where they debated a separation of the couple. The King and council agreed not to confirm a separation and sent her back to Geoffrey in Anjou but not before Henry extracted a second oath from the council to support Maud as his successor. Henry made his last visit to Normandy in 1134 where he visited Maud and his two grandsons. Young Henry was born in March of 1133 and Geoffrey was born in May of 1134. Maud was deathly ill after the second child but she recovered. Another son, William was born in 1136.
Maud’s aged father died December 1, 1135. Maud made no immediate move to secure the throne of England. But her cousin, Stephen of Blois did. Stephen was the nephew of Henry I by his sister Adela. He was Henry’s favorite nephew and he had endowed him with riches and lands. Stephen felt he had a good claim. Many of the magnates did not like Maud or her “foreign” husband. They felt there was no provision in English law for a woman to rule so they supported Stephen quickly, even though they were reneging on their oaths to Henry.
Maud was to go to England with her greatest supporter, her illegitimate half brother Robert of Gloucester in September 1139 to press her claim. She also had the support of her uncle, King David I of Scotland. Thus began “The Anarchy”. Castles were taken and lost, there were skirmishes rather than full pitched battles, noblemen changed sides over and over again. Neither Stephen nor Maud gained enough advantage to defeat the other. Maud’s greatest moment came in February 1141 when she captured Stephen at Lincoln and imprisoned him at Bristol. She gained access to the royal coffers and made her way to London where preparations were made for her coronation. But Maud started to raise taxes and take away privileges the Londoners had come to expect. Her arrogant ways and fiery temper alienated them. Stephen’s wife had raised an army against her and she eventually was chased away, never being crowned. After this she was called “Lady of the English”.
She went to Oxford and was ultimately forced to release Stephen from prison. He re-established his position and was re-crowned in November 1141. A year later, Maud was under siege. She managed to escape wearing a white mantle to camouflage herself against the snow and walked over the frozen Thames River to Abingdon and then made her way to Devizes Castle. Devizes was to be her headquarters for another six years of war of attrition with no one gaining the upper hand. Maud began to realize she would never gain the throne of England and started to work on paving the way for her son Henry to become King.
Maud returned to Normandy and lived out her days ruling the Duchy in her own right and advising her son. Her husband Geoffrey died unexpectedly on September 14, 1151. Henry went to England several times to press his claim but couldn’t get a decisive victory. In 1152, Stephen’s wife died and then his son died in 1153. Stephen negotiated the Treaty of Wallingford with Henry in November 1153, naming Henry as his heir. Stephen was a broken man and lived another year. Henry was crowned King Henry II on December 19, 1154. Henry had married Eleanor of Aquitaine on May 18, 1152 and now she was Queen of England.
Maud continued to advise her son for many years. In 1165, she was asked to help reconcile her son to Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbuy and she did write to the Archbishop. There was little she could do to create any reconcilation or to avoid the murder of the archbishop. In reality, her influence with her son began to wane as he grew older and more experienced in governing. Maud died September 11, 1167. It was etched on her tomb that she had been the daughter of King Henry, wife of King Henry and mother of King Henry.
Further reading: “The Empress Matilda: Queen Consort, Queen Mother and Lady of the English” by Margery Chibnall, “Henry I” by C. Warren Hollister
The Freelance History Writer 
[…] https://thefreelancehistorywriter.com/2012/06/26/empress-maud-lady-of-the-english/ […]
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[…] and Matilda were drowned. Henry was devastated at the loss of his son. He quickly named William’s sister Matilda his heir. When Henry died, the nobles in England were averse to being ruled by a woman and […]
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[…] historians have labelled “the Anarchy”. When King Henry I of England died on December 1, 1135, his daughter, the Empress Matilda was in Anjou, pregnant and unwilling or unable to claim the throne of England. Henry had made the […]
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[…] Eleanor chose as her next husband Henry, son of Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou and the Empress Matilda, daughter of King Henry I of England. Henry and his mother fought his cousin King Stephen for many […]
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I was led to this very informative site through “The Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett, which book I am one-third of the way through, and enjoying immensely. The aftermath of the sinking of the White Ship, and the consequent struggle for the English crown between Stephen on the one hand, and Maud and her son Henry (later to be H2R) on the other, make enthralling reading, and food for speculation in the field of historical fiction.
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Always stunned by the story of the White Ship. Were they really all drunk, Sue? Astonishing century. Started my love of the Plantagenets (and all things medieval) by reading a book about the Angevins.
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It’s hard to say what happened after 1000 years. Anything is possible!
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Sorry Susan, I should not read with headache, I saw story after posting please ignore my query. It is a lovely image though.
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I enjoyed your writing. Having all my life only heard her called Matilda, I find it difficult to see her as a Maud. I understand she was quite arrogant and continued to use the title Empress long after the death of her first husband, Matilda seems a more appropriate name to me. I also wondered if you come across the story of her escape from Oxford Castle? by all accounts she managed to flee with a couple of retainers by wearing a white mantle into the snow-covered countryside, making her way to Abingdon where supporters awaited her.
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Hi Denise. From my research, the name Maud is a German equivalent for Matilda. And she did call herself Empress when she more technically was a Dowager Empress! Her son Henry was also known as FitzEmpress. It is all so interesting. I do love the escape from Oxford in a white cloak story because it’s what makes history so interesting. You just can’t make this stuff up!
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The term dowager was not in use at this time. She had every right to be termed Empress, as every woman had the right to be called whatever the status their husband had conveyed when alive, whether it be Countess, Lady, or something lesser.
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This post I so good, I enjoy reading it, I love the way Maud work so hard for her and later for her son to become King. Imagine walking on the frozen river disguise!!!!
Great work Susan !!!!!
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Thank you Princess. It is a great story!
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You are very welcome Susan!!! 😄😄😄
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Great story about a strong woman who didn’t give up. It has all the makings of a good book or film. Thank you for sharing.
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Yes Robin! It would make a good movie.
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Is there any info on what Matilda/Maud looked liked?
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The image in the center of the post of Matilda and her first husband is a 12th C. engraving so it might be close to her real appearance. I also found this website that has some information on her appearance. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120131122303AA3t0ov Hope this helps.
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Great article, Susan.
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Thank you Carolyn!
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Thank you for posting this, it was really informative and quite exciting. I have always heard of and rather liked Matilda, and think the descriptions you used brought her really to life as if she just walked off the pages of the history books. But still I found new information that I didn’t know, I especially liked how you mentioned other important women at the time, like her mother. I found it especially interesting to hear that she was educated by her, because I had read something entirely opposite of that, rather than this account that Matilda the elder was very unhappy in a nunnery and was wary of her daughter being brought up in one, I had heard that young Maude was sent off to be raised in one almost as soon as she could go.This is also the first time I have heard about Stephen’s wife, if someone like her wasn’t there to battle Matilda at that crucial time Matilda would have probably have remained in control…at least for a time. I had heard that Maude she was eventually driven back, but not by a woman. Very interesting history,
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Thank you for your kind comments Delilah! So glad you enjoyed the post. Maud is a fascinating character. Please know it is not certain Maud was educated by her mother but there are indications in the resources mentioned that she may have been. The woman who drove Maud back from London is Matilda of Boulogne. There is a post about her on this blog if you are interested in her story!
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That’s great news Susan, thanks for visiting & subscribing to my little blog and indeed for your kind words. I shall certainly check out your other site. looking forward in to reading the Hans Holbein piece, art & architectural history is another particular passion. In my blogs and my occasionally in my walking tours of Dublin, I try and help people see, and “read” how history shaped, and shapes, our built heritage. I shall also look forward to your English Cathedrals piece, ecclesiastical architecture is an absolute obsession ! Best of luck, sure we will talk again some time. warmest respects – Arran.
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… and I already intend to read everyone of them A treat in store indeed. Thanks Susan. Keep up the super work!
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Thanks Arran. I will. I really do enjoy researching and writing these pieces. 🙂
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Please be sure to check out my other blog site The Freelance History Writer on WordPress. I just started it this week but have a post about Sir Thomas More and Hans Holbein the Younger as well as short pieces on English Cathedrals. I have subscribed to your beautiful blog as well! 🙂
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As you know, I absolutely devoured your piece on Thomas Moore’s daughter, the intellectual Margret, and then went straight on to read the piece on the Queen-Empress Maud, which I also absolutely loved. I’ve also forwarded it to my sister, as her daughter, my adored 8-month old niece, is also called Maud. How could I resist!?
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Arran, Of course you couldn’t resist! You have a lucky niece! There are several posts here on medieval queens. I hope you enjoy them.
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Great read! Maud is a fascinating study.
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Thanks Dawn! She did have a pretty interesting life. I believe part of her anger and arrogance came from being the daughter of King Henry I and how he used her as a pawn in his policitcal games. I enjoyed researching her very much.
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This is such a great resource that you are providing and you give it away for free. I enjoy seeing websites that understand the value of providing a prime resource for free. I truly loved reading your posts on saintssistersandsluts.wordpress.com . Thanks!
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I get the feeling she was a huge pawn in her father’s game. She may have been resentful about this. She also inherited her father’s personality. Most of the historians say people didn’t like her arrogance. So megalomania is not out of the question!
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There are so many interesting things about this story. Maud – married a much older man (I’m assuming since he was already fighting with the pope), married a much younger man (pretty cool that 11 years her junior he’s begging her to come back to him), sneaking out of the castle under cover of snow to escape, and then Stephen’s wife raising an army against Maud. She was definitely determined. Maybe a touch of megalomania?? Great read!
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Good article. Maud was on a desperate mission to rule England.
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