Empress Matilda was the daughter of King Henry I of England, the wife of Holy Roman Emperor Henry V, and a prominent claimant to the English throne during the period of civil war known as the Anarchy, which took place in England and Normandy between 1135 and 1153. She was also the mother of King Henry II of England, who ultimately succeeded the throne after her rival and cousin, Stephen of Blois. Although Stephen became the undisputed King of England after the civil war, Matilda played a significant role in contesting his reign. Matilda’s first marriage to Emperor Henry V was childless, and there is some ambiguity over whether she was formally crowned as Empress. Her second marriage was to Geoffrey of Anjou, who became Count of Anjou and Maine shortly after their marriage and later acquired the title of Duke of Normandy by conquest. While Matilda initially had conflicts with the Church, she later worked extensively with the Church in her political efforts.
