The Empress Matilda: Queen Consort, Queen Mother and Lady of the English - Hardcover

Marjorie Chibnall

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0631157379 ISBN 13: 9780631157373

Publisher: Wiley–Blackwell, 1991

Synopsis

This is a biography of the Empress Matilda. Granddaughter of William the Conqueror and of King Malcolm of the Scots, and daughter of Henry I, Matilda fought for the throne of England, arguably hers by right, for nine years, and was denied it largely because she was a woman. Contemporary chroniclers said of her that she was "always superior to feminine softness and with a mind steeled and unbroken in adversity". In valour and determination Matilda may be compared with Boudicca, or with Elizabeth I, yet most of the serious work on her action-packed life and historical importance lies in untranslated German studies of the last century. In this book Marjorie Chibnall examines her career as a whole, as King Henry's daughter, as the wife and consort of Emperor Henry V, as Countess of Anjou after the Emperor's death, and as regent for her son, Henry II. In the final chapter the author examines the various ways in which Matilda has been judged by historians through the ages, and offers an assessment of the character and achievements of the woman who was described in her epitaph as "great by birth, greater by marriage and greatest in her offspring". This biography, pieced together from archival sources all over Europe, should be of value and interest both to scholars and the general reader.

About this title

Review:

"The first serious study of the career of the Empress Matilda ... Dr Chibnall′s aim, ably achieved, has been to reconstruct the outline of Matilda′s life, place her in the society and politics of the age, and form an assessment of her character." Times Literary Supplement

"A formidable book about a formidable woman ... based on an extremely thorough understanding of the sources and casts a broad beam of light on the twelfth century." Journal of Ecclesiastical History

"Very satisfying ... written with lucidity and force ... a very valuable addition to the corpus of core texts for any student of Norman and Angevin England." History

"The intention of this book, is to examine Matilda′s role in Anglo–Norman history and, as a female heir to the throne, in the history of feudal society. Marjorie Chibnall not only achieves this aim but surpasses it. This is a full biography of a twelfth–century woman who was in the center of power throughout her life and who served in both traditional and nontraditional female roles. It furthers our understanding of the person and of the political history of the Anglo–Norman kingdom. It also is a beautifully written book, one accessible to both scholar and student." Speculum

"This is a biography that is both scholarly and readable." English Historical Review

From the Back Cover:

Granddaughter of William the Conqueror and of King Malcolm of the Scots, and daughter of Henry I, Matilda fought for the throne of England, arguably hers by right, for nine years, and was denied it largely because she was a woman. Contemporary chroniclers said of her that she was "always superior to feminine softness and with a mind steeled and unbroken in adversity". Most of the serious work on her extraordinary, action–packed life and historical importance lies in untranslated German studies of the last century. In this book Marjorie Chibnall examines her career as a whole, as King Henry′s daughter, as the wife and consort of Emperor Henry V, as Countess of Anjou after the emperor′s death, and as regent for her son, Henry II. An outstanding biography, pieced together from archival sources all over Europe, it is of value and interest both to scholars and the general reader.

About this edition

• Publisher: Wiley–Blackwell
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 0631157379
• ISBN 13: 9780631157373
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 288