an empress is the wife of an emperor, the ruler of an empire

an empire is a group of countries or provinces ruled from the centre by one person or group of people

Matilda's early life: Empress of Germany

History

Matilda and the succession crisis

Matilda's claim and campaign

Matilda's battles

Matilda's later life: supporting Henry II

The life of Matilda and medieval women

In this unit, pupils analysed how gender affected attitudes towards leaders and claimants for the throne in medieval England. In 'Elizabeth I: why has Elizabeth been represented so differently?' students will consider the different ways in which a 16th century female monarch was represented, including how gender continued to affect perceptions of women in power.

In 'The Norman Conquest: how do we know about the impact of the Conquest on England?', pupils studied the significance of a succession crisis. In this unit, pupils will deepen their understanding of contested successions by considering how gender affected attitudes towards leaders and claimants for the throne in medieval England.

In this unit, pupils analyse the historical significance of Empress Matilda's life. They use her life as a lens to consider the lives of noble women in medieval England.

Medieval women: what can we learn from Matilda about women in medieval England?

legitimate means to be born of parents legally married to each other

an heir is a person legally entitled to the property or rank of another person upon that person’s death

a baron is a great lord or landholder in a kingdom

a succession crisis is a situation in which there is no clear heir to a position

a usurper is somebody who takes something by force without the right to do so

anarchy is an absence of government in society; political or social disorder

a civil war is a war between citizens of the same country

if somewhere is besieged it is surrounded by people trying to capture it: no goods or people are allowed in or out

a treaty is a formal agreement between two countries

a baron is a great lord or landholder in the kingdom

the Anarchy was an absence of government in society; political or social disorder

an empire is a group of countries or provinces ruled from the centre by one person or a group of people

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Medieval women: what can we learn from Matilda about women in medieval England?

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