EMPRESS MATILDA: the woman who should have been queen | The Real Rhaenyra Targaryen.@HistoryCalling

I’ve watched your videos multiple times. Entertaining every time!

Worth noting that her half-brother Robert didn't make a claim, after all, as you mention, William I was also illegitimate, so that wasn't necessarily a complete bar. It suggests by this time legitimacy was being taken as a greater need for having children in wedlock. Also, I always find it ridiculous that Matilda is criticised for being imperious and haughty, given that she was, well, an Empress and rightful Queen, the behaviour she displayed would have been very unlikely to get commented on from a male ruler. Anyway, an interesting video, I am always interested in Matilda, and your videos in general.

I recently read a well researched novel by Sharon Penman covering this period. It was so enjoyable.

Some of these dates are wrong. Henry died in 1135 so the delay before she headed to England.

Would love to known more about her

"...thanks to climate change..." Why even drop that idiotic aside in there? Buh Bye.

Oh so she's the grand mother of king John from Robin hood

Because she was liked. And Because she was a woman.

I've never understood why she didn't claim the throne in her son's name, instead of her own. Being a child, she would however have had the power, reigning in his name, and she would have deprived Stephen on any reason to claim the throne, being a grandson's claim much more legit than a nephew's one... 🤔

The Cadfael mysteries by Ellis Peters offer a very approachable account of the Anarchy. This such a fascinating period!

I think the reason Matilda was so abrasive and rigid is about being a woman in a traditionally male role. Same thing happens today when a woman has to demand respect in some fields of work. Whereas a man might come to the job with a jocular attitude and be treated with respect, if a woman does it, she's seen as weak and then disrespected for it. Not always true, as more women are emerging in all fields of work (despite the couch-lover and his co-hort) but often is.

I think part of the reason why Queen Matilda might've been better received is because she hadn't spent most of her life in foreign lands and she was never fighting to rule for herself, but for her husband. Being a regent for women was fine because they were acting on behalf of men (be it husbands or sons), so Queen Matilda would be seen as a loyal wife for taking up the leadership role while Stephen was imprisoned. But Empress Matilda, on top of her abrasive personality, was not fighting for a man's claim, but for her own claim.

Bet shed be glad she didn't get eaten by a dragon

Four Matildas??? Paternal Grandfather, Mother, Self, plus Matilda of Boulongne

It's interesting that most popes named Innocent rarely were.

One huge difference between Matilda and Rhaenyra's situation is that had Matilda's father had another legitimate son he would most likely have been named him heir. Even if he didn't that son would have a stronger claim. So she just had to contend with a cousin and not a brother.

Young Rhaenyra is based off Matilda
Old Rhaenyra is based off The Trunchbull

you ask why she didn't take the throne? she didn't have dragons

But I’m more closely related to the empress than Stephen! I don’t wanna be the targaryens!!’ 😂

Love that we're essentially getting history lesson set in a fantasy world with dragons

As much as I like Rhaenyra....Matilda is so much more interesting and just downright cool. She escaped a seige in the winter in the middle of the night all in white!!!!

Sounds like neither one of them was as ruthless as GRRM's characters😅. Both Stephen and Matilda had more than enough opportunities to kill the other but didn't. Hence the war/ dispute lasted on and on. But then again maybe had 1 killed the other, the fallen's supporters would be angered and then kill the survivor. Which is what happens in GRRM Fire & Blood AKA HotD. A "peaceful" resolution is best. Which Matilda's son did.

What escaped like Sansa

"nO sNoW cAuZe DuH kLiMeT cHaNgE" says woman who can't pronounce "regent" meanwhile.... A quick and easy search of snowfall in England the year this video was made gets results such as "snow blankets parts of UK" and "Wintery blast brought record snow."

Lol thats not the point of Game of Thrones, arguing over who gets to sit in the big ugly chair is what turns westeros into a war ravaged hellscape for the common people.

The point it that monarchies are inherently unstable and self destructive. Not "yeeeahhhh guuuurllll poooweeer!!?"

"Empress Mathilda: The Real Rhaenyra Targaryen". Why? Did she also have a dragon?? 😂

Thanks!

Arundel aka Harrenhal

You mean Rhaenys? Not Rhyneara..

I think Rhaenyra and Rhaenys are a mix of her.

I don't see the praise directed towards her cousin as minimizing in any way the role gender played in Empress Mathilda's rejection. Stephen's wife was operating in non-typical female roles? Yes. But she was doing that in lieu of her imprisoned husband and to keep him king. This has always been the type of "strong women" men in power begrudgingly accepted, and even praised, if she was in direct opposition to a woman claiming power for herself. A version of "I'm not sexist because I am a fan of that other woman, look at how fierce she is protecting what I consider to be right while still not going entirely beyond the position of her gender and not trying to rule herself" has existed since forever.

A really excellent history. Thank you.

Do Alicent next !

Empress Maud

“King Eustace”? As if. That was never going to work!

FAIR AND WELL WRITTEN Video essay... Great job.

While in a sense I agree, this could also apply to Rhaenys... either way, Westeros and England were both hotbed of Misogyny. I guess in the sense of Matilda having the last laugh as matriarch of the Plantagent dynasty, it is a closer match with Rhaenyra.

When the crime writer Ellis Peters wanted to create a detective series set in the Middle Ages she chose this period -- the Anarchy -- since there were so many reasons why someone might end up dead. Her "Brother Cadfael" novels are well worth reading.

So cool to think that Matilda and Eleanor knew each other. In the grand span of history to see two cool female figures so close in time blows my mind.

>should have
She literally was a Queen, England had an entire civil war over it. And in the end, her son won.

Historical Matildas are always great tales. Huzzah for medieval history!

It snows all the time in England.

Your videos are on a list of channels that I use as my "Comfort Videos". I like watching them while I relax or before I go to bed. 😴I know I'm late to the party but keep up the good work!❤

I do enjoy your videos. Thank you ❤

Would love to know how Matilda and Eleanor got along

Yes she wad. The only wrong thing was the kords' opinion.

Another gem.

I have to imagine that so many of the infertility issues of these queens is from the sexual activity at such young ages. If I remember correctly even the "common folk" found this immoral.