Matilda of Boulogne

1105 (age 47)

Boulogne-sur-Mer, France

Matilda inherited Boulogne from her father in 1125. Due to France’s laws on female rule and inheritance, Matilda did not rule in her own right; however, she was co-ruler with her husband. Matilda’s husband was Stephen of Blois, Count of Mortain who was a nephew of King Henry I of England, making him the grandson of William the Conqueror. King Henry had arranged the marriage between Stephen and Matilda as he knew his nephew would have rights over Boulogne and Matilda’s estates in England which she had inherited from her father. Matilda and Stephen were married in 1125. Stephen had grown up at the court of his uncle Henry I and was knighted by him after a military campaign in 1112. Henry I protected Stephen and gave him patronage which allowed him to gain wealth and titles. The king did this because Stephen was family and a useful ally but also because Stephen was not deemed a threat to the succession; Stephen was the third son in his family and at the time Henry I had a grown-up son and heir. In 1120 however things began to change, and Stephen found himself a little closer to the throne when Henry I’s heir William died in the White Ship disaster. After the death of William, Henry I was only left with one child, his daughter Matilda who was the cousin of Matilda of Boulogne on her mother’s side and the cousin of Stephen of Blois on her father’s side. This Matilda is remembered as Empress Matilda due to her marriage to Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor, despite Empress Matilda remarrying after her first husband’s death. King Henry I proclaimed that his daughter Empress Matilda was his rightful heir and the barons swore an oath agreeing to this. In 1135, King Henry I of England died, and although the barons had sworn to support Empress Matilda as the next monarch, it was Stephen of Blois who took the throne, and therefore Matilda of Boulogne became Queen. By this time, Stephen had amassed wealth and power and was well-liked amongst the Anglo-Norman nobility, this and the fact that he and Matilda had four children together by this stage made him a great candidate for the throne, and he and his readymade royal family were widely supported. At this time, Empress Matilda was in Anjou with her husband Geoffrey of Anjou, and due to her father dying in Normandy, she and many of her supporters were stuck on the continent until he was buried, meaning Empress Matilda could do little as Stephen and Matilda took over in England. Due to pregnancy and the birth of her third son, Empress Matilda was unable to return to England and this delay allowed for Stephen and Matilda to be crowned King and Queen in separate coronations, as Matilda of Boulogne’s coronation was delayed also by childbirth. While the Empress was in Anjou, Stephen and Matilda laid on lavish banquets for their courtiers in England. The ensuing years are remembered in history as ‘the Anarchy’, a civil war in which King Stephen and his cousin Empress Matilda battled for the English throne. Although Stephen had won the crown once, he was never truly safe as Empress had such widespread support and power. The Anarchy is said to have lasted from 1135 to 1153 and was a time of instability and lawlessness for England and Normandy. In 1139, Empress Matilda and her half-brother Robert of Gloucester began a major rebellion which led to her ruling areas of England in her own right while King Stephen fought to keep hold of the rest of his territory. In 1141, King Stephen was even captured by the Empress’ forces. During this time, Matilda of Boulogne was a devoted wife to her husband, and her support did not come and go like that of many of Stephen’s barons. Matilda cannot be seen as a typical woman from this period, as she was highly involved in politics and wars. Matilda even called troops of her own from Boulogne and Flanders in order to attack Dover Castle, then moved on to Durham to negotiate a treaty with her Uncle King David I of Scotland. While King Stephen was held in captivity, his wife had to use all of her political knowledge and strength to make sure her husband kept his throne. There were two particular occasions where Matilda truly defeated her cousin the Empress and saved her husband. While her husband was in captivity, Matilda raised an army, and when the Empress was preparing to be crowned Queen, Matilda of Boulogne and her army attacked and chased her away from the city. On another occasion, Empress Matilda had captured King Stephen’s brother Henry of Blois, and so Matilda of Boulogne’s army captured the Empresses half-brother Robert in retaliation. Matilda of Boulogne then negotiated a prisoner exchange and for the Empress to agree to King Stephen returning to the throne.

Matilda of Boulogne

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leader Noblewoman ruler

Background

Matilda of Boulogne was born in 1105 in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. Matilda was the only child of Eustace III, Count of Boulogne and his wife Mary of Scotland, daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland and Saint Margaret.

Education

Matilda was educated, like her mother, Mary of Scotland, at the convents of Wilton and Romsey.

Career

Matilda inherited Boulogne from her father in 1125. Due to France’s laws on female rule and inheritance, Matilda did not rule in her own right; however, she was co-ruler with her husband. Matilda’s husband was Stephen of Blois, Count of Mortain who was a nephew of King Henry I of England, making him the grandson of William the Conqueror. King Henry had arranged the marriage between Stephen and Matilda as he knew his nephew would have rights over Boulogne and Matilda’s estates in England which she had inherited from her father. Matilda and Stephen were married in 1125.

Stephen had grown up at the court of his uncle Henry I and was knighted by him after a military campaign in 1112. Henry I protected Stephen and gave him patronage which allowed him to gain wealth and titles. The king did this because Stephen was family and a useful ally but also because Stephen was not deemed a threat to the succession; Stephen was the third son in his family and at the time Henry I had a grown-up son and heir. In 1120 however things began to change, and Stephen found himself a little closer to the throne when Henry I’s heir William died in the White Ship disaster.

After the death of William, Henry I was only left with one child, his daughter Matilda who was the cousin of Matilda of Boulogne on her mother’s side and the cousin of Stephen of Blois on her father’s side. This Matilda is remembered as Empress Matilda due to her marriage to Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor, despite Empress Matilda remarrying after her first husband’s death. King Henry I proclaimed that his daughter Empress Matilda was his rightful heir and the barons swore an oath agreeing to this.

In 1135, King Henry I of England died, and although the barons had sworn to support Empress Matilda as the next monarch, it was Stephen of Blois who took the throne, and therefore Matilda of Boulogne became Queen. By this time, Stephen had amassed wealth and power and was well-liked amongst the Anglo-Norman nobility, this and the fact that he and Matilda had four children together by this stage made him a great candidate for the throne, and he and his readymade royal family were widely supported.

At this time, Empress Matilda was in Anjou with her husband Geoffrey of Anjou, and due to her father dying in Normandy, she and many of her supporters were stuck on the continent until he was buried, meaning Empress Matilda could do little as Stephen and Matilda took over in England. Due to pregnancy and the birth of her third son, Empress Matilda was unable to return to England and this delay allowed for Stephen and Matilda to be crowned King and Queen in separate coronations, as Matilda of Boulogne’s coronation was delayed also by childbirth. While the Empress was in Anjou, Stephen and Matilda laid on lavish banquets for their courtiers in England.

The ensuing years are remembered in history as ‘the Anarchy’, a civil war in which King Stephen and his cousin Empress Matilda battled for the English throne. Although Stephen had won the crown once, he was never truly safe as Empress had such widespread support and power. The Anarchy is said to have lasted from 1135 to 1153 and was a time of instability and lawlessness for England and Normandy.

In 1139, Empress Matilda and her half-brother Robert of Gloucester began a major rebellion which led to her ruling areas of England in her own right while King Stephen fought to keep hold of the rest of his territory. In 1141, King Stephen was even captured by the Empress’ forces. During this time, Matilda of Boulogne was a devoted wife to her husband, and her support did not come and go like that of many of Stephen’s barons. Matilda cannot be seen as a typical woman from this period, as she was highly involved in politics and wars. Matilda even called troops of her own from Boulogne and Flanders in order to attack Dover Castle, then moved on to Durham to negotiate a treaty with her Uncle King David I of Scotland. While King Stephen was held in captivity, his wife had to use all of her political knowledge and strength to make sure her husband kept his throne.

There were two particular occasions where Matilda truly defeated her cousin the Empress and saved her husband. While her husband was in captivity, Matilda raised an army, and when the Empress was preparing to be crowned Queen, Matilda of Boulogne and her army attacked and chased her away from the city. On another occasion, Empress Matilda had captured King Stephen’s brother Henry of Blois, and so Matilda of Boulogne’s army captured the Empresses half-brother Robert in retaliation. Matilda of Boulogne then negotiated a prisoner exchange and for the Empress to agree to King Stephen returning to the throne.

Achievements

Matilda of Boulogne is famous for providing her husband’s strongest support. Matilda was as strong and resourceful as Stephen was weak and indecisive. When England was invaded in 1138, Matilda rallied troops from Boulogne and its ally Flanders, and successfully besieged Dover Castle.

Religion

Matilda and Stephen were the model medieval couple. They were both very spiritual and devoted to their faith. Stephen took his marital vows very seriously, unusual for a medieval monarch. Their abiding love of Christianity cemented their relationship. They supported the emerging anchorite movement and founded nunneries and monasteries in the Cluniac, Cistercian and Savignac orders. Matilda was an eminent supporter of the Templar Knights, warrior monks who supported the Crusades. When two of their children died, Matilda and Stephen broke with the social convention of the time by publicly weeping at the funerals.

Politics

Matilda did her best to carry on with ruling the kingdom and backing her husband despite his mental illness. At one point, she traveled to Boulogne seeking troops and money. She returned to London, issued charters and managed the everyday affairs of government maintaining some semblance of normality while the civil war raged on. But the country was exhausted by the war and its effects on the economy. The Empress was to leave England after the death of the Earl of Gloucester in 1147 and Matilda and Stephen had two years of relative peace. But it didn’t last long. Empress Maud’s son Henry of Anjou returned to England and fought some skirmishes with Stephen and Matilda’s son Eustace. Queen Matilda was to travel again to France on a diplomatic mission.

Personality

Matilda was an eminent supporter of the Templar Knights, warrior monks who supported the Crusades. When two of their children died, Matilda and Stephen broke with the social convention of the time by publicly weeping at the funerals.

Connections

In 1125, Matilda married Stephen of Blois, Count of Mortain, the son of Stephen Count of Blois by William the Conqueror's youngest daughter Adela. Stephen had been sent to his Uncle Henry I's court in England as a young boy after his father died in the Holy Land. In the same year as her marriage to Stephen, Matilda's father Eustace retired to a monastery, and Matilda became Countess of Boulogne which she ruled jointly with her husband.

The couple was granted a London residence by Stephen's uncle, King Henry I. Stephen and Matilda had five children: Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne, Baldwin of Boulogne, William of Blois, Matilda of Boulogne, Mary I, Countess of Boulogne.

Father:: Eustace III, Count of Boulogne
Mother:: Mary Stuart
Grandfather:: Malcolm III
husband:: Stephen of Blois, Count of Mortain
Son:: Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne
Son:: Baldwin of Boulogne
Son:: William of Blois
Daughter:: Matilda of Boulogne
Daughter:: Mary I, Countess of Boulogne

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