Empress Matilda
Empress Matilda should have been England’s first Queen and female ruler.
Empress Matilda was a claimant to the English throne during the civil war known as The Anarchy.
After the death of her father King Henry I of England, the throne was seized by Matilda’s cousin, Stephen of Blois, who enjoyed the backing of the English Church because he was male. This led to bloody civil war and the besieging of Nottingham Castle by Matilda’s forces in 1140. Undeterred, Matilda defeated Stephen at the Battle of Lincoln in 1141, taking Nottingham Castle from his supporters. Unfortunately, her victory slowly ebbed away and she was never crowned queen due to unrest in London and Stephen’s power growing again. She felt forced to negotiate and agreed that Stephen could remain king if her son Henry was made his heir. On Stephen’s death in 1154, he became King Henry II.
