Stephen that belied any proximity between them. Stephen’s betrayal must have deeply angered Matilda, but there was little she could do. At the time of her father’s death she was expecting her third son and unable to return to England to personally claim the crown. All she could do in 1135 was occupy a small number of castles in Normandy and allow Stephen to consolidate his position almost unopposed.
In spite of Stephen’s actions, Matilda was not prepared to simply return to Anjou and forget her grand inheritance. It was for England and Normandy that she had consented to leave her comfortable life in the Germanic states and she was not prepared to relinquish her royal prerogative. She was, however, forced to bide her time whilst Stephen enjoyed an initial surge of popularity in England. By 1138 certain English lords had tired of Stephen’s rule and once again began looking to Matilda. In that year her illegitimate half-brother, Robert, Earl of Gloucester came to her in Normandy and offered his help in securing the English crown. 26 Earl Robert was one of the most powerful lords in England and Matilda was eager to receive his help, sailing with her brother to England in October 1139. 27 Matilda went directly to Arundel Castle, which was being held by her stepmother, Queen Adeliza. There she was besieged by Stephen who eventually however was true to his affable and often foolish nature. He was persuaded to allow Matilda to leave and travel to her brother’s supporters at Bristol. 28 Matilda quickly made the West Country her base, receiving homage there as queen and making laws and minting coins. 29 She would always have been painfully aware, however, that she was not the only person claiming to rule England.
Matilda’s return to England sparked a civil war that would last for the next fifteen years. Although Matilda never led an army, she was probably intimately involved in planning her campaign. It seems likely that Matilda hoped for a swift campaign and, according to John of Worcester, she was ‘ecstatic’ in early 1141 when she heard that Stephen had been captured by her supporters at Lincoln. 30 Stephen was brought to Matilda at Bristol and she must have felt that the crown was finally within her grasp. 31 Certainly, many of Stephen’s supporters made their peace with the Empress and Stephen’s own brother, the Bishop of Winchester, became an important supporter. The Bishop of Winchester was also the papal legate in England and his support was essential in establishing Matilda’s rule in England. She travelled to see him at Winchester soon after Stephen’s capture and the pair made a pact. According to the Gesta Stephani :
When they had jointly made a pact of peace and concord he [Winchester] came to meet her in cordial fashion and admitted her into the city of Winchester, and after handing over to her disposal the king’s castle and the royal crown, which she had always eagerly desired, and the treasure the king had left there, though it was very scanty, he bade the people, at a public meeting in the market-place of the town, salute her as their lady and their queen. 32
On that day in Winchester, Matilda was accepted as England’s first reigning queen. This was her greatest moment of triumph. However it is also at this time that many sources begin to turn overtly hostile towards Matilda and this sudden unpopularity is often attributed to her conduct as queen.
The Gesta Stephani describes how following her accession Matilda quickly showed herself to be capricious and headstrong. 33 Stephen’s wife, Matilda of Boulogne, came to Matilda personally and begged for the release of her husband in order that he could live quietly in retirement with her. 34 Instead of heeding the woman’s pleas, Matilda abused her in ‘harsh and insulting language’, causing Stephen’s wife to take up arms on her husband’s behalf. 35 Regardless of any promises he made to her, it is to be expected that Matilda would not
In spite of Stephen’s actions, Matilda was not prepared to simply return to Anjou and forget her grand inheritance. It was for England and Normandy that she had consented to leave her comfortable life in the Germanic states and she was not prepared to relinquish her royal prerogative. She was, however, forced to bide her time whilst Stephen enjoyed an initial surge of popularity in England. By 1138 certain English lords had tired of Stephen’s rule and once again began looking to Matilda. In that year her illegitimate half-brother, Robert, Earl of Gloucester came to her in Normandy and offered his help in securing the English crown. 26 Earl Robert was one of the most powerful lords in England and Matilda was eager to receive his help, sailing with her brother to England in October 1139. 27 Matilda went directly to Arundel Castle, which was being held by her stepmother, Queen Adeliza. There she was besieged by Stephen who eventually however was true to his affable and often foolish nature. He was persuaded to allow Matilda to leave and travel to her brother’s supporters at Bristol. 28 Matilda quickly made the West Country her base, receiving homage there as queen and making laws and minting coins. 29 She would always have been painfully aware, however, that she was not the only person claiming to rule England.
Matilda’s return to England sparked a civil war that would last for the next fifteen years. Although Matilda never led an army, she was probably intimately involved in planning her campaign. It seems likely that Matilda hoped for a swift campaign and, according to John of Worcester, she was ‘ecstatic’ in early 1141 when she heard that Stephen had been captured by her supporters at Lincoln. 30 Stephen was brought to Matilda at Bristol and she must have felt that the crown was finally within her grasp. 31 Certainly, many of Stephen’s supporters made their peace with the Empress and Stephen’s own brother, the Bishop of Winchester, became an important supporter. The Bishop of Winchester was also the papal legate in England and his support was essential in establishing Matilda’s rule in England. She travelled to see him at Winchester soon after Stephen’s capture and the pair made a pact. According to the Gesta Stephani :
When they had jointly made a pact of peace and concord he [Winchester] came to meet her in cordial fashion and admitted her into the city of Winchester, and after handing over to her disposal the king’s castle and the royal crown, which she had always eagerly desired, and the treasure the king had left there, though it was very scanty, he bade the people, at a public meeting in the market-place of the town, salute her as their lady and their queen. 32
On that day in Winchester, Matilda was accepted as England’s first reigning queen. This was her greatest moment of triumph. However it is also at this time that many sources begin to turn overtly hostile towards Matilda and this sudden unpopularity is often attributed to her conduct as queen.
The Gesta Stephani describes how following her accession Matilda quickly showed herself to be capricious and headstrong. 33 Stephen’s wife, Matilda of Boulogne, came to Matilda personally and begged for the release of her husband in order that he could live quietly in retirement with her. 34 Instead of heeding the woman’s pleas, Matilda abused her in ‘harsh and insulting language’, causing Stephen’s wife to take up arms on her husband’s behalf. 35 Regardless of any promises he made to her, it is to be expected that Matilda would not
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