Background
Matilda was the daughter of Count Fulk V of Anjou, and his first wife Ermengarde, Countess of Maine.
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Matilda Anjou
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Education
On the evening of 25 November 1120, returning from Normandy to England, William chose to sail aboard the White Ship and subsequently drowned when that ship sank in the English Channel just outside Barfleur harbor.
Career
In February of 1113, Fulk V and Henry I met near Alençon where they entered into a treaty of peace which was secured by the betrothal of Henry"s son William Adelin and Fulk"s daughter Matilda. The young couple was married in June 1119. Matilda had avoided the disaster, as passage for her had been arranged aboard another ship.
But his death left her a widow with no immediate heir to the throne of England and ended the treaty with Anjou.
On his return from Jerusalem, c. 1121–1122, Fulk V demanded the return of Matilda"s dowry, comprising castles and towns in Maine, to which Henry flatly refused. After months of fruitless quarreling Fulk was considering warring on Henry once more.
Fulk dowered the couple with the lordship of Maine. Meanwhile, after her husband"s death Matilda remained at Henry"s court and was treated as one of the king"s daughters.
After a time in Anjou she took the advice of Geoffrey, Bishop of Chartres and in 1128 she took her vows at Fontevrault Abbey as a nun.
In 1150 she became the Abbess and died in 1158.
