Originally published on July 31, 2019 (Episode 122)
Introduction
On a snowy night in December, Empress Matilda slipped out of besieged Oxford Castle, cloaked in white to blend into the storm, escaping down the frozen Thames. It is the most famous tale about a mostly forgotten English ruler—but only one moment in a truly extraordinary life.
Daughter of Henry I, granddaughter of William the Conqueror, betrothed to the Holy Roman Emperor at age eight, and later claimant to the English throne, Matilda waged war to assert her right to rule. Though she never wore the crown, her son Henry II became king, cementing the Angevin dynasty.
About the Guest
Catherine Hanley is a historian of the Middle Ages and author of Matilda: Empress, Queen, and Warrior. Her work highlights women’s roles in medieval politics and warfare.
For Further Investigation
Catherine Hanley, Matilda: Empress, Queen, and Warrior (Yale, 2019)
—, Two Houses, Two Kingdoms: A History of France and England, 1100–1300 (Yale University Press, 2022)
—, Louis: The French Prince Who Invaded England (Yale University Press, 2016)
Related Episodes
“Two Houses, Two Kingdoms”—Catherine Hanley on her more recent book chronicling the intertwined life of the French and English royal families
“House of Lilies”—Justine Firnhaber-Baker on the Capetian dynasty, royal family of France, which featured some equally tough and fearless queens
“Queens of Jerusalem”—Katherine Pangonis on the unforgettable queens of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Listen & Discuss
What does Matilda’s struggle reveal about women and power in medieval Europe?
How might her story change how we teach the “forgotten queens” of history?
Know someone who thinks medieval politics was only for kings? Share this story of a woman who nearly ruled them all.
