LE3 .A278 2023

2023

MacDonald, Jennifer

Acadia University

Bachelor of Arts

Honours

History

History & Classics

Empress Matilda has long been remembered for her involvement in the civil war known as “The Anarchy” and for her relation to three powerful men: her father, King Henry I of England; her husband, Holy Roman Emperor Henry V; and her son, King Henry II of England. However, by narrowing the focus of her life to these key events and individuals, both Matilda and her accomplishments are diminished. By moving away from the traditional manner of studying Matilda, as having been “great by birth, greater in marriage, greatest in her offspring”, Matilda can instead be viewed as being a product of her own choices and experiences. By focusing instead on her accomplishments, Matilda is transformed into a woman wielding significant power on the European stage throughout the entirety of her life. Not only this, but by switching angles, Matilda becomes a survivor of her circumstances, changing tactics and adapting as her situation changed repeatedly. Her initial life course set her up to be an empress, but when she was widowed at a young age, she utilized her knowledge and experience to situate herself as a viable candidate for the throne of England. When her attempts for the throne ultimately ended in a power struggle, she once again changed tactics, preparing her eldest son to be heir. By doing so, she ensured that she continued to have political influence for the remainder of her life. By studying the surviving chronicler’s accounts of her life, the charters she witnessed, and the letters she wrote, Matilda is shown to have been a woman of formidable power and influence. And her legacy should reflect such.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:3992