Which Matilda am I? Quiz | Royalty & Monarchs

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. I was the wife of William, known as the Conqueror. My father, Count Balwin V's acceptance of William as a suitable consort helped to overcome the problem of my husband's questionable birth. Who am I?

Answer: Matilda of Flanders

Matilda was the the daughter of Count Baldwin of Flanders. Although there had been some consorts who enjoyed the title queen, it was not common at the time. Edward the Confessor's wife, for example, was called Lady Edith. Matilda insisted upon this title and all female consorts from that time on bore that title.

2. My husband married me in order to strenghen his questionable claim to the throne of England. I was descended from the ancient Saxon kings, my great-grandfather was Edmund II king of the English in 1016. Who am I?

Answer: Matilda of Scotland

Henry I's claim to the throne was threatened by the existence of his elder brother Robert, who he imprisoned. Henry also wanted to strenghen his ties with Scotland and this marriage, to a member of the old pre-Conquest royal house and a member of the Scottish royal family, did both.

3. I was married to the heir of Henry I but the marriage did not last long since my husband was drowned in the White Ship. Who am I?

Answer: Matilda of Anjou

Henry I married his son William to the daughter of Fulk V of Anjou in an attempt to make an ally out of an enemy. Upon the death of William, Fulk married another daughter, Sybil to Henry's nephew William Clito. Henry was successful in having this marriage annuled on the basis of consanguinity - somewhat problematic since the marriage of his son to Fulk's daugher Matilda was a parallel degree of kinship as was the marriage of Fulk's son Geoffrey to Henry's daughter, Matilda.

4. My father was Eustace III. When I married, my husband took the title of his county. My husband contested the throne of England with his cousin, Henry I's daughter. My husband was a weak king but I was able to rally his forces on several occasions. Who am I?

Answer: Matilda of Boulogne

On several occasions, Matilda rallied the forces of her husband King Stephen. She was more popular than her rival, the Empress Matilda, daughter of Henry I.

5. I believe that I should have been the Queen Regnant of England since my father had all nobles swear allegiance to me as his successor and my brother had died. I, however, was haughty and arrogant and antagonized many of my supporters. Who am I?

Answer: Empress Matilda

Matilda's first husband was the Holy Roman Emperor Henry V. When he died without heirs, Matilda was obliged to return to England even though she had not been there since early childhood. She waged war against her cousin for the throne. The eventual settlement was that while Stephen would remain king, his heir would be Matilda's eldest son, Henry.

6. I was the daughter of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. I was married off as part of my father's attempt to create alliances. Unfortunately, my husband had a dispute with his overlord and I ended up back in England. Who was my husband?

Answer: Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony

Henry the Lion had a dispute with Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and was sent into exile. He spent a great deal of this exile in the court of his father in law Henry II. Henry tried his attempt at mediation and was successful in obtaining his son-in-law's temporary recall.

The crown of Henry II's daughter Matilda rests as a prize exhibit in the Residenz-Museum in Munich. There was no William XIV of Champagne. Pedro V was recalled to Portugal from the Empire of Brazil after the death of John VI died in 1826 and by that time Matilda was long dead. Louis VII of France was Eleanor of Aquitaine's first husband.

7. I was the illegitimate daughter of a king of England. My mother was Isabel de Beaumont, daughter of the Earl of Leicester. I became abbess of Montivilliers. Who was my father?

Answer: Henry I

Although Henry I had only two legitimate children, he had at least 25 illegitimate children. The mothers of seven of his children are unknown, however Sybilla Corbet of Alcester bore Henry six children. One of her daughters married Alexander I of Scotland and her sons Robert, Earl of Gloucester and Reginald, Earl of Cornwall were staunch supporters of their half sister Matilda in her fight for the throne against her cousin Stephen.

8. I was another illegitimate daughter of Henry I who seemed to like to name his daughters Matilda. I married Rotrou II, Count of Perche. I died along with my half brother William, my father's heir. in 1120. How did I die?

Answer: Drowned in the White Ship

This Matilda (three of Henry's illegitimate daughters were named Matilda as was his mother, his wife and his sole legitimate daugher) was the daughter of Edith of whom nothing is known. Henry married this Matilda to the Count of Perche. They had two daughters, one of whom married the brother of Geoffrey Plantagenet.

9. Although my sovereign lord's grandfather declared in his coronation charter that he would not give the widow of one of his tenants in marriage except by her consent, my lord violated that oath. My husband was William, Earl of Warwick. When he died, I had to pay 700 marks - a huge sum - to keep the my father's lands and my dower lands and be allowed to remarry whomever I chose. Who was my greedy lord?

Answer: Henry II

The custom of controlling the marriages of heiresses and widows was viewed as a necessary safeguard against property and power falling into the hands of potential enemies. It was a power that could be abused and often was.

10. I was married to a king and had ten children. My oldest son became a duke but was imprisoned by his younger brother. My second son died before my husband. One of my sons was reputed to be a homosexual and was killed in a hunting accident - or some say was murdered by his younger brother. Who am I?

Answer: Matilda of Flanders

The mystery of the death of William II has never really been solved. It has been called a simple accident but it has also been thought to be a murder planned by his younger brother Henry, who became Henry I. Certainly the subsequent events showed that Henry was prepared for the eventuality and his subsequent assumption of the crown was done expeditiously. William also had made enemies, particularly of the clergy.

It is interesting that what had been identified as his tomb for centuries, has recently been determined to be that of Bishop Henry of Winchester, King Stephen's brother.

Source: Author tripeuro

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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Which Matilda am I? Trivia Quiz

Although largely forgotten, there have been several Matildas who have figured importantly in English history.

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