Four women wore a consort's crown during the time the House of Norman held the throne. Powerful in their own rights, they became architects of England's new regime. Meet the Norman Queens of England.
Matilda of Flanders
England's first post Conquest Queen Consort, Matilda was the granddaughter of one king and went on to help make her determined husband into a monarch himself.
Born
In 1031, in Bruges. Matilda was the daughter of Baldwin, Count of Flanders and Adela of France. Her maternal grandfather was King Robert II of France.
Consort
Matilda married William, Duke of Normandy in 1051 and became consort when he conquered England and claimed its crown in 1066.
Legacy
Matilda was the mother of two Kings of England - William II (1087 - 1100) and Henry I (1100 - 1135). She died in 1083 and was buried in l'Abbaye aux Dames in Caen, France.
Edith Dunkeld
The second Norman consort, Edith's marriage was a PR masterstroke for her and her husband's dynasties. Popular and pious, she became a template for queenship in the Middle Ages.
Born
Edith was born in 1080 in Dunfermline in Scotland, the daughter of King Malcolm III and Margaret of Wessex who would go on to be canonised and is known now as Saint Margaret.
Consort
Edith married Henry I, youngest son of the Conqueror, in 1100, soon after he had ascended the throne. She changed her name to Matilda in a nod to her new Norman family. But her husband gained just as much through their marriage as his conquering dynasty was now linked to the ancient Anglo-Saxon monarchy of Wessex and the neighbouring royals of Scotland.
Legacy
Matilda was a popular consort, feted for her piety, her love of the arts and her political ability. Her early death in 1118, at Westminster Palace, had a deep effect on her husband. She was buried at Westminster Abbey.
Adeliza of Louvain
A famous beauty, she came to the attention of Henry I as he scoured Europe for a young bride who could provide heirs after the death of his only legitimate son in the White Ship disaster of 1120.
Born
Adeliza was born around 1103 as the daughter of Godfrey, Count of Louvain and his wife, Ida of Namur.
Consort
Adeliza was around 18 years old when she married Henry I at Windsor Castle on January 24th 1121. She is the first Queen of England to have been a Windsor bride and the first whose actual date of marriage is confirmed.
Legacy
Despite spending almost all their time together, Henry and Adeliza had no children. She was widowed on December 1st 1135. Three years later, she married William d'Aubigny, Earl of Arundel with whom she had seven children. She died in 1151 having gone into a convent at Afflighem in Flanders the year before, despite her second husband still being alive. Her place of burial is unknown.
Matilda of Boulogne
The final Norman consort, Matilda put up a brave fight to hold on to the throne occupied by her husband. Stephen, but claimed by Matilda, daughter of Henry I.
Born
Matilda was born around 1105 in Boulogne, the daughter of Eustace III, Count of Boulogne and Mary, another daughter of King Malcolm III and Queen Margaret of Scotland. Matilda was a niece of the second Norman Queen of England, Edith (later Matilda) Dunkeld.
Consort
Matilda became consort on December 22nd 1135 when her husband, Stephen, was proclaimed King of England. She would become his strongest supporter as the Civil War which swirled around the throne took hold.
Legacy
Matilda died of a fever at Hedingham Castle in Essex on May 3rd 1152 and was buried at Faversham Abbey. Her death devastated her husband and left him without one of his most trusted and capable political advisers. The following year he agreed a peace with Henry, his rival for the throne which cut his children with Matilda out of the succession. Her death, in some ways, proved to be the beginning of the end for the House of Norman.
No comments:
Post a Comment