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In 1148, after the death of her half-brother, Empress Matilda returned to Normandy, leaving her son, who, in 1154, would become Henry II, to fight on in her absence
Matilda's only brother had been killed in 1120 and she was now her father's only hope for the continuation of his empire. The barons swore an oath of allegiance to the young Princess and promised to make her queen after her father's death. In April of 1127, Matilda married the thirteen year old Prince Geoffrey of Anjou and Maine. It was not a happy marriage but the relationship had born Matilda three sons in four years. In 1135, Matilda’s father passed away while she was absent from his court. Seeing an opportunity her Cousin, Stephen, seized the throne away from Matilda in her absence. With encouragement from her husband and supporters in England, Matilda set about reclaiming what was rightfully hers with the help of her half-brother, Robert of Gloucester. In February of 1141, Empress Matilda at last gained the upper hand over Stephen at the Battle of Lincoln where he was captured. Matilda was declared Queen or "Lady of the English" at Winchester and immediately began to isolate and alienate the people of London with arrogant manner. After a several months, the populace of London had had enough of her arrogance and joined in an attempt orchestrated by Stephen’s Queen, to oust Matilda from power while still at Winchester. She managed to escape but in doing so her half brother, Robert, who was protecting her rear, was captured. In November of the same year, Matilda was obliged to trade Stephen for Robert thus returning the King to the throne of England. In 1148, after the death of her half-brother, Matilda returned to Normandy, leaving her son, who, in 1154, would become Henry II, to fight on in her absence. She died at Rouen, France on 10th September 1169 and was buried in Fontevrault Abbey.
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Empress Matilda born in 1101, the only surviving legitimate child of King Henry I was betrothed to the German Emperor, Henry V, when she was only eight. They were married on 7th January 1114. She was twelve and Henry was thirty two. Upon his death in 1125, the couple had remained childless and Matilda was summoned to her father's court.
