Matilda of Boulogne
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| Matilda I | |
|---|---|
| Countess of Boulogne Queen consort of the English (more...) |
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 |
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| Countess of Boulogne (more...) | |
| Reign Consort |
1128 – 3 May 1152 November 1141 – 3 May 1152 |
| Coronation | 22 March 1136 |
| Predecessor | Eustace III |
| Successor | Eustace IV |
| Consort to | Stephen |
| Issue | |
| Eustace IV of Boulogne, Baldwin of Boulogne, William of Blois, Matilda of Boulogne, Marie of Boulogne | |
| Royal house | House of Blois |
| Father | Eustace III of Boulogne |
| Mother | Mary of Scotland |
| Born | c. 1103 Boulogne, France |
| Died | 3 May 1152 Hedingham Castle, Essex |
| Burial | Faversham Abbey |
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.
| French nobility | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Eustace III |
Countess of Boulogne  1125–1151 with Stephen |
Succeeded by Eustace IV |
| English royalty | ||
| Preceded by Adeliza of Louvain |
Queen Consort of England 22 December 1135 - 3 May 1152 |
Succeeded by Eleanor of Aquitaine |
