Mathilde de Blois, Queen consort of England, comtessa de Boulogne

FmgMedlands

MATHILDE de Boulogne ([1103/05]-Hedingham Castle, Essex 2/3 or 30 May or 3 Jul 1151, bur Faversham Abbey, Kent). Her parentage is recorded by Orderic Vitalis[490]. The Genealogica comitum Buloniensium names Mathilde daughter of "Eustachius, frater Balduini regis Iheruslame" and his wife "Mariam filiam regis Scotiæ", also recording her marriage with "Stephano, filio Stephani Blesensis comitis"[491]. She succeeded her father as Ctss de Boulogne. "Stephanus comes Bolonie et Morethonii et Mathildis comitissa" confirmed the possessions of the abbey of Samer by charter dated 1141 (presumably misdated because of the donors’ titles), subscribed by "…Eustachius de Fielnes, Willelmus et Rogerus fratres sui…"[492]. She was crowned Queen Consort of England at Westminster Abbey 22 Mar 1136. Robert of Torigny records the death in 1152 of "Matildis uxor Stephani regis Anglorum" and in a later passage her burial "in monasterio Fasseham", recording that she had founded the abbey[493].

m ([1124/25]%29 ETIENNE de Blois Comte de Mortain, son of ETIENNE Comte de Blois & his wife Adela of England (Blois [1096/97]-Dover 25 Oct 1154, bur Faversham Abbey, Kent). Comte de Boulogne, in right of his wife, before 1125. He succeeded 22 Dec 1135 as STEPHEN King of England, crowned at Westminster Abbey 26 Dec 1135. His first cousin Matilda Lady of the English, daughter of Henry I King of England, disputed Stephen’s accession. During the ensuing civil war in England, Stephen was deposed and imprisoned by Matilda 7-10 April 1141, but restored to the throne 1 Nov 1141. He was crowned a second time at Canterbury Cathedral 1141, and a third time at Lincoln Cathedral 1146.

___________ From Wikipedia 

Matilda I, Countess of Boulogne

Matilda (c.1105 – 3 May 1152) was Countess of Boulogne from 1125 and Queen of England from the accession of her husband Stephen in 1136 until her death. Matilda supported Stephen in his struggle for the English throne against her cousin Empress Matilda. Queen Matilda played an unusually active role for a woman of the period when her husband was captured, and proved herself an effective general who managed to force the Empress to release Stephen. Under the agreement that settled the civil war, the Queen's children did not inherit the English throne. However, her three surviving children ruled Boulogne in turn as Eustace IV, William I, and Marie I.

Background

Matilda was born in Boulogne, France. Her father was Count Eustace III of Boulogne. Her mother, Mary, was the daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland and Saint Margaret of Scotland. Through her maternal grandmother, Matilda was descended from the Anglo-Saxon kings of England.

Countess of Boulogne

In 1125, Matilda married Stephen of Blois, Count of Mortain, who possessed a large honour in England. When Matilda's father abdicated and retired to a monastery the same year, this was joined with Boulogne and the similarly large English honour Matilda inherited.

On Eustace III's death, Matilda and her husband became joint rulers of Boulogne. Two children, a son and a daughter, were born to the countess and count of Boulogne during the reign of King Henry I of England, who had granted them a residence in London. The son was named Baldwin, after Matilda's uncle King Baldwin I of Jerusalem. The daughter was named Matilda. Baldwin died in early childhood and the young Matilda is thought to have died during childhood too, although she lived long enough to be espoused to Waleran de Meulan, Earl of Worcester.

Queenship

On the death of Henry I of England in 1135, Stephen rushed to England, taking advantage of Boulogne's control of the closest seaports, and was crowned king, beating his rival, the Empress Matilda. Matilda of Boulogne was heavily pregnant at that time and crossed the Channel after giving birth to a son, William, who would one day succeed as count of Boulogne. Matilda was crowned queen at Easter, on 22 March 1136.

Matilda was a supporter of the Knights Templar. She founded Cressing Temple in Essex in 1137 and Temple Cowley in Oxford in 1139. Like her predecessor, Matilda of Scotland, she had a close relationship with the Holy Trinity Priory at Aldgate. She took the prior as her confessor and two of her children were buried there.

In the civil war that followed, known as the Anarchy, Matilda proved to be her husband's strongest supporter. When England was invaded in 1138, she called troops from Boulogne and its ally Flanders, and besieged Dover Castle with success and then went north to Durham, where she made a treaty with David I of Scotland in 1139.

After Stephen was captured at the Battle of Lincoln in 1141, she rallied the king's partisans, and raised an army with the help of William of Ypres. While the Empress Matilda waited in London to prepare her coronation, Matilda and Stephen's brother Henry of Blois had her chased out of the city. The Empress Matilda went on to besiege Henry of Blois at Winchester. Matilda of Boulogne then commanded her army to attack the besiegers. There was a rout in which the Empress's half-brother, Robert of Gloucester, was captured. The two Matildas then agreed to exchange prisoners and Stephen ruled as king again.[5]

Matilda died of a fever at Hedingham Castle, Essex, England, and is buried at Faversham Abbey, which she and her husband founded.

Issue

Stephen and Matilda had three sons:

Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne, married Constance of France, no issue Baldwin of Boulogne (d. before 1135) William of Blois, Count of Mortain and Boulogne and Earl of Surrey, married Isabel de Warenne, no issue They also had two daughters:

Matilda of Boulogne, married Waleran de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Worcester, no issue Marie I, Countess of Boulogne, married Matthew of Alsace, had issue

Other data __________

http://www.genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00012368&tree=LEO

Matilda I or Maud (1105? – 3 May, 1152), was suo jure Countess of Boulogne. She was also wife of King Stephen of England and Queen of England.

She was born in Boulogne, France, the daughter of Eustace III, Count of Boulogne and his wife Mary of Scotland, daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland and Saint Margaret of Scotland. Matilda was first cousin of her husband's rival, Empress Matilda. Through her maternal grandmother, Matilda was descended from the pre-Conquest English kings.

In 1125, Matilda married Stephen of Blois, Count of Mortain, who possessed a large honour in England. When Matilda's father abdicated and retired to a monastery the same year, this was joined with Boulogne and the similarly large English honour Matilda inherited. On Eustace III's death, Matilda and her husband became joint rulers of Boulogne. Two children, a son and a daughter, were born to the Countess and Count of Boulogne during the reign of King Henry I, who had granted Stephen and Matilda a residence in London.[1] The son was named Baldwin, after Matilda's uncle, King Baldwin I of Jerusalem.[1] The daughter was named Matilda. Baldwin died in early childhood and the young Matilda is thought to have died during childhood too, although some scholars state that she lived long enough to be espoused to the count of Milan.[1]

On the death of Henry I of England in 1135, Stephen rushed to England, taking advantage of Boulogne's control of the closest seaports, and was crowned king, beating his rival, the Empress Matilda. Matilda was heavily pregnant at that time and crossed the Channel after gaving birth to a son, Eustace, who would one day succeed her as Count of Boulogne. Matilda was crowned queen at Easter - 22 March 1136.[1]

In the civil war that followed, known as the Anarchy, Matilda proved to be her husband's strongest supporter. After he was captured at the Battle of Lincoln she rallied the king's partisans, and raised an army with the help of William of Ypres. Empress Matilda was besieging Stephen's brother Henry of Blois, but she, in turn, besieged the Empress, driving her away and capturing the Empress's brother, Robert of Gloucester.

Around 1125, her father died and she succeeded as Countess of Boulogne. She ruled this area jointly with her husband until 1150, when she reigned alone until 1151, when the County was given to her eldest son Eustace, then her surviving son William inherited it, and then her daughter Marie[citation needed].

Matilda died of a fever at Hedingham Castle, Essex, England and is buried at Faversham Abbey, which was founded by her and her husband.[1]

[edit] Issue

Stephen and Matilda had three sons:

   * Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne

* Baldwin of Boulogne (d. before 1135)
* William of Blois, Count of Mortain and Boulogne and Earl of Surrey
They also had two daughters:

   * Matilda of Boulogne

* Marie of Boulogne
http://www.helium.com/items/1491106-biography-matilda-of-boulogne

Matilda of Boulogne was born around 1105 to Eustace III, Count of Boulogne, and his wife, Mary of Scotland. Her maternal grandparents were King Malcolm III of Scotland and Saint Margaret of Scotland, from whom she was a descendant of the old English royal family - - the house of Wessex.

Matilda's childhood was spent in her father's court at Boulogne. When she was roughly twenty years old, in 1125, she married Stephen of Blois. Around this time, Eustace abdicated in favor of monastic life and Matilda and Stephen ruled Boulogne jointly.

The early years of their marriage were marred by sadness: their two eldest children, Baldwin and Matilda, died young. However, they went on to have three more children; Eustace, the eldest of the surviving three, would go on to succeed his mother as Count of Boulogne.

Stephen's uncle, King Henry I of England, died on December 1, 1135, prompting Stephen to head to England in haste and place himself on the throne as king. This was, generally speaking, a poor move on his part. He was not the heir to the throne: that right belonged to his cousin, Empress Matilda of the Holy Roman Empire (commonly known as Maud). Maud was Henry's daughter and the granddaughter of William, the Conqueror. Because England's royal succession laws were only semi-Salic, Matilda legally had the stronger claim and Stephen was a mere usurper. Stephen's succession faux pas was seen as anarchy and ignited a civil war. Matilda, who was then pregnant, followed her husband to England and was his greatest supporter and advisor.

Maud's forces captured Stephen after his loss at the Battle of Lincoln; however, she was entirely unpopular with the people of London and they drove her out, a detrimental act to her cause. Stephen's brother, Henry of Blois, was a very influential bishop in England at the time and was a supporter of Maud; however, he supported his brother after noticing Maud's unpopularity, and also at his sister-in-law, Matilda's, request.

Matilda's forces soon captured Maud's half-brother and greatest supporter, Robert, Earl of Gloucester. Robert's wife was Stephen's jailer and Matilda was able to arrange a swapping of prisoners and regain her husband.

The war continued until the Earl of Gloucester died and Maud, having no other rallying point, returned to the continent. In celebration of the war's end, Stephen and Matilda founded the abbey at Faversham. The rest of their reign was marked by a peace treaty with Scotland and a notable marriage for their son, Eustace.

Matilda died May of 1152, possibly due to a fever, and was buried at Faversham Abbey. Stephen would prove an ineffectual ruler without his loving wife's guidance and entailed his kingdom to his nephew instead of his sons

Daughter of Eustance III, Count of Boulogne

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matilda_of_Boulogne

Matilda of Boulogne

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

   This article is about Matilda I, Countess of Boulogne. For another Countess of Boulogne named Matilda, see Matilda II, Countess of Boulogne. For her other namesakes, see Matilda of Boulogne (disambiguation).

Matilda of Boulogne

Queen consort of the English

Tenure 22 December 1135 – 3 May 1152

Coronation 22 March 1136

Countess of Boulogne

Tenure 1125 – 3 May 1152

Predecessor Eustace III

Successor Eustace IV

Spouse Stephen of England

Issue

Baldwin of Boulogne

Matilda of Boulogne

Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne

William of Blois

Marie of Boulogne

House House of Blois

Father Eustace III, Count of Boulogne

Mother Mary of Scotland

Born c. 1105

Boulogne, France

Died 3 May 1152 (aged c. 46–47)

Hedingham Castle, Essex

Burial Faversham Abbey

Matilda I or Maud (1105? – 3 May, 1152), was suo jure Countess of Boulogne. She was also wife of King Stephen of England and Queen of England.

Contents

[show]

   * 1 History

* 2 Issue
* 3 Ancestry
* 4 References
[edit] History

She was born in Boulogne, France, the daughter of Eustace III, Count of Boulogne and his wife Mary of Scotland, daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland and Saint Margaret of Scotland. Matilda was first cousin of her husband's rival, Empress Matilda. Through her maternal grandmother, Matilda was descended from the pre-Conquest English kings.

In 1125, Matilda married Stephen of Blois, Count of Mortain, who possessed a large honour in England. When Matilda's father abdicated and retired to a monastery the same year, this was joined with Boulogne and the similarly large English honour Matilda inherited. On Eustace III's death, Matilda and her husband became joint rulers of Boulogne. Two children, a son and a daughter, were born to the Countess and Count of Boulogne during the reign of King Henry I, who had granted Stephen and Matilda a residence in London.[1] The son was named Baldwin, after Matilda's uncle, King Baldwin I of Jerusalem.[1] The daughter was named Matilda. Baldwin died in early childhood and the young Matilda is thought to have died during childhood too, although some scholars state that she lived long enough to be espoused to the count of Milan.[1]

On the death of Henry I of England in 1135, Stephen rushed to England, taking advantage of Boulogne's control of the closest seaports, and was crowned king, beating his rival, the Empress Matilda. Matilda was heavily pregnant at that time and crossed the Channel after gaving birth to a son, Eustace, who would one day succeed her as Count of Boulogne. Matilda was crowned queen at Easter - 22 March 1136.[1]

In the civil war that followed, known as the Anarchy, Matilda proved to be her husband's strongest supporter. After he was captured at the Battle of Lincoln she rallied the king's partisans, and raised an army with the help of William of Ypres. Empress Matilda was besieging Stephen's brother Henry of Blois, but she, in turn, besieged the Empress, driving her away and capturing the Empress's brother, Robert of Gloucester.

Around 1125, her father died and she succeeded as Countess of Boulogne. She ruled this area jointly with her husband until 1150, when she reigned alone until 1151, when the County was given to her eldest son Eustace, then her surviving son William inherited it, and then her daughter Marie[citation needed].

Matilda died of a fever at Hedingham Castle, Essex, England and is buried at Faversham Abbey, which was founded by her and her husband.[1]

[edit] Issue

Stephen and Matilda had three sons:

   * Eustace IV, Count of Boulogne

* Baldwin of Boulogne (d. before 1135)
* William of Blois, Count of Mortain and Boulogne and Earl of Surrey
They also had two daughters:

   * Matilda of Boulogne

* Marie of Boulogne
References

   * Norgate, Kate (1894). "Matilda of Boulogne". Dictionary of National Biography. 38. pp. 53–53. 

* Marjorie Chibnall, ‘Matilda (c.1103–1152)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [1].
1. ^ a b c d e Agnes Strickland, Elisabeth Strickland: Lives of the Queens of England
French nobility

Preceded by

Eustace III Countess of Boulogne Blason Courtenay.svg

1125–1151

with Stephen

This page was last modified on 9 July 2010 at 16:40.

Matilda of Boulogne

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Matilda I or Maud (1103? – 3 May 1152), was suo jure Countess of Boulogne. She was also wife of King Stephen and thus Queen of England.

[edit]History

She was born in Boulogne, France, the daughter of Count Eustace III of Boulogne and his wife Mary of Scotland, herself the daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland and Saint Margaret of Scotland.

In 1125 Matilda married Stephen of Blois, Count of Mortain, who also possessed a large honour in England. When Matilda's father abdicated and retired to a monastery in that same year, this was joined with Boulogne and the similarly large English honour Matilda inherited.

On the death of Henry I of England in 1135 Stephen rushed across the channel to England, taking advantage of Boulogne's control of the closest seaports, and was crowned king, beating his rival the Empress Matilda. His wife Matilda soon crossed the Channel as well, and was crowned the following Easter, March 22, 1136.

In the civil war that followed, known as the Anarchy, Matilda proved to be her husband's strongest supporter. After his capture at the Battle of Lincoln she rallied the king's partisans, and raised an army with the help of William of Ypres. The Empress was besieging Stephen's brother Henry of Blois, but she in turn besieged the Empress, driving her away and capturing the Empress's brother Robert of Gloucester.

Around 1125, her father died and she succeeded as Countess of Boulogne. She ruled this area jointly with her husband until 1150, when she reigned alone until 1151, when the County was given to her eldest son Eustace, then her surviving son William inherited it, and then her daughter Marie[citation needed].

Matilda died at Hedingham Castle, Essex, England and is buried at Faversham Abbey, which was founded by her and her husband.

[edit]Family

Stephen and Mathilda had three sons:

Eustace IV of Boulogne

Baldwin of Boulogne (d. before 1135)

William of Blois, Count of Mortain and Boulogne and Earl of Surrey.

They also had two daughters:

Matilda of Boulogne

Marie of Boulogne

[edit]References

Norgate, Kate (1894). "Matilda of Boulogne". Dictionary of National Biography 38. 53-53.

Marjorie Chibnall, ‘Matilda (c.1103–1152)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/18337.

Matilda I or Maud (1105? – 3 May 1152), was suo jure Countess of Boulogne. She was also wife of King Stephen and thus Queen of England.

She was born in Boulogne, France, the daughter of Count Eustace III of Boulogne and his wife Mary of Scotland, herself the daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland and Saint Margaret of Scotland.

In 1125 Matilda married Stephen of Blois, Count of Mortain, who also possessed a large honour in England. When Matilda's father abdicated and retired to a monastery in that same year, this was joined with Boulogne and the similarly large English honour Matilda inherited.

On the death of Henry I of England in 1135 Stephen rushed across the channel to England, taking advantage of Boulogne's control of the closest seaports, and was crowned king, beating his rival the Empress Matilda. His wife Matilda soon crossed the Channel as well, and was crowned the following Easter, March 22, 1136.

In the civil war that followed, known as the Anarchy, Matilda proved to be her husband's strongest supporter. After his capture at the Battle of Lincoln she rallied the king's partisans, and raised an army with the help of William of Ypres. The Empress was besieging Stephen's brother Henry of Blois, but she in turn besieged the Empress, driving her away and capturing the Empress's brother Robert of Gloucester.

Around 1125, her father died and she succeeded as Countess of Boulogne. She ruled this area jointly with her husband until 1150, when she reigned alone until 1151, when the County was given to her eldest son Eustace, then her surviving son William inherited it, and then her daughter Marie.

Matilda died at Hedingham Castle, Essex, England and is buried at Faversham Abbey, which was founded by her and her husband.

Stephen and Matilda had three sons:

Eustace IV of Boulogne

Baldwin of Boulogne (d. before 1135)

William of Blois, Count of Mortain and Boulogne and Earl of Surrey.

They also had two daughters:

Matilda of Boulogne

Marie of Boulogne

Matilda I, or Maud, was suo jure Countess of Boulogne. She was also wife of King Stephen and thus Queen of England.

In the civil war known as the Anarchy, Matilda proved to be her husband's strongest supporter. After his capture at the Battle of Lincoln she rallied the king's partisans, and raised an army with the help of William of Ypres. Empress Matilda was besieging Stephen's brother Henry of Blois, but she in turn besieged the Empress, driving her away and capturing the Empress's brother Robert of Gloucester.

Around 1125, her father died and she succeeded as Countess of Boulogne. She ruled this area jointly with her husband until 1150, when she reigned alone until 1151, when the County was given to her eldest son Eustace, then her surviving son William inherited it, and then her daughter Marie.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matilda_I_of_Boulogne for more information.

Matilda I or Maud (1105? – 3 May 1152), was suo jure Countess of Boulogne. She was also wife of King Stephen and thus Queen of England.

She was born in Boulogne, France, the daughter of Count Eustace III of Boulogne and his wife Mary of Scotland, herself the daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland and Saint Margaret of Scotland.

In 1125 Matilda married Stephen of Blois, Count of Mortain, who also possessed a large honour in England. When Matilda's father abdicated and retired to a monastery in that same year, this was joined with Boulogne and the similarly large English honour Matilda inherited.

On the death of Henry I of England in 1135 Stephen rushed across the channel to England, taking advantage of Boulogne's control of the closest seaports, and was crowned king, beating his rival the Empress Matilda. His wife Matilda soon crossed the Channel as well, and was crowned the following Easter, March 22, 1136.

In the civil war that followed, known as the Anarchy, Matilda proved to be her husband's strongest supporter. After his capture at the Battle of Lincoln she rallied the king's partisans, and raised an army with the help of William of Ypres. The Empress was besieging Stephen's brother Henry of Blois, but she in turn besieged the Empress, driving her away and capturing the Empress's brother Robert of Gloucester.

Around 1125, her father died and she succeeded as Countess of Boulogne. She ruled this area jointly with her husband until 1150, when she reigned alone until 1151, when the County was given to her eldest son Eustace, then her surviving son William inherited it, and then her daughter Marie.

Matilda died at Hedingham Castle, Essex, England and is buried at Faversham Abbey, which was founded by her and her husband.

Stephen and Matilda had three sons:

Eustace IV of Boulogne

Baldwin of Boulogne (d. before 1135)

William of Blois, Count of Mortain and Boulogne and Earl of Surrey.

They also had two daughters:

Matilda of Boulogne

Marie of Boulogne