Starter quiz
- Matilda was the daughter of...
- 'Henry I' ✓
- At the age of __________ , Matilda was betrothed to the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry V.
- 2
- 8 ✓
- 18
- 23
-
- The people of __________ referred to Matilda as 'the good Matilda'.
- England
- France
- The Holy Roman Empire ✓
- Italy
-
- When some of Henry V's subjects rebelled, Matilda stayed in __________ to manage his land there.
- England
- France
- Germany
- Italy ✓
-
- When Matilda returned to her father in England she ______ her lands in the Holy Roman Empire.
- 'sold' ✓
- Why did Henry I want Matilda to succeed him as the next monarch of England?
- His only legitimate son, Matilda's brother, had died. ✓
- His only legitimate son, Matilda's brother, was weak.
- Matilda had shown that she could rule capably.
- The Holy Roman Emperor had convinced him it was a good idea.
-
Exit quiz
- Why had William Adelin travelled to Normandy in 1120?
- to fight against the king of France
- to deal with a rebellion
- to pay homage to the king of France ✓
- He had been exiled by his father, Henry I.
-
- The ship which sank, killing William Adelin and many others, was called the ______ Ship.
- 'White' ✓
- Who did Henry I choose as his heir after William Adelin's death?
- Matilda ✓
- Robert of Gloucester
- Stephen of Blois
- Theobald of Blois
-
- Henry's choice of heir was controversial because Matilda's husband was a...
- 'Plantagenet' ✓
- Why did Matilda and her husband join a rebellion against Henry I?
- He had imprisoned members of the Plantagenet family.
- He had confiscated some of Matilda's lands.
- He had failed to hand over castles to Matilda that he had promised to her. ✓
- They wanted to take the throne of England by force.
-
- When Henry I died, ______ of Blois had himself crowned king of England and Normandy.
- 'Stephen' ✓
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Henry I had a male heir, William Adelin.
- William Adelin died on the White Ship in 1120.
- The death of William Adelin prompted a succession crisis in England.
- The English barons swore to recognise Matilda as the heir.
- Stephen of Blois took the crown following Henry I's death.
Common misconception
Women were forbidden from ruling in their own right in England during the medieval period.
The first time the concept of a woman ruling in her own right in England occurred it took everyone by surprise. No one had considered that a woman might rule alone, so there was no law preventing it from happening.
Keywords
Legitimate - legitimate means to be born of parents legally married to each other
Heir - an heir is a person legally entitled to the property or rank of another person upon that person’s death
Baron - a baron is a great lord or landholder in a kingdom
Succession crisis - a succession crisis is a situation in which there is no clear heir to a position
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