Matilda of Flanders 1 2
- Born: 1031 or 1032, Flanders, Belgium
- Marriage: William I the Conqueror of England in 1053 in Cathedral of Notre Dame d'Eu, Normandy, France
- Died: 2 Nov 1083, Caen, Calvedos, France aged 52
- Buried: Abbey of the Holy Trinity, Caen, Normandie, France
Other names for Matilda were Mahault de Flandre and Mathilde de Flandre.
General Notes:
Queen consort of William I the Conqueror, whom she married c. 1053. During William's absences in England, the duchy of Normandy was under her regency, with the aid of their son, Robert Curthose, except when he was in rebellion against his father. The embroidery of the Bayeux tapestry was once wrongly attributed to her.
William, the only (and bastard) son of Robert I, duke of Normandy, succeeded to the dukedom in 1035 and sometime later, perhaps in 1051, received from his English kinsman, King Edward the Confessor, a promise of the English succession. Two years later he strengthened the claims that he had thus established by marrying Matilda of Flanders, who traced her descent in the female line from King Alfred the Great.
Matilda married William I the Conqueror of England, son of Robert I the Magnificent of Normandy and Harlette of Falaise, in 1053 in Cathedral of Notre Dame d'Eu, Normandy, France. (William I the Conqueror of England was born on 14 Oct 1028 in Falaise, Calvados, Normandy, died on 9 Sep 1087 in St. Gervais Prior, Rouen, Normandy and was buried in St Stephen, Caen, Normandie, France.)
Marriage Notes:
Children of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders
Some doubt exists over how many daughters there were. This list includes some entries which are obscure.
- Robert Curthose (c. 1054–1134), Duke of Normandy, married Sybil of Conversano, daughter of Geoffrey of Conversano;
- Adeliza (or Alice) (c. 1055–?), reportedly betrothed to Harold II of England (Her existence is in some doubt.);
- Cecilia (or Cecily) (c. 1056–1126), Abbess of Holy Trinity, Caen;;
- William Rufus (1056–1100), King of England;
- Richard (1057-c. 1081), killed by a stag in New Forest;
- Adela (c. 1062–1138), married Stephen, Count of Blois;
- Agatha (c. 1064–c. 1080), betrothed to (1) Harold of Wessex, (2) Alfonso VI of Castile;
- Constance (c. 1066–1090), married Alan IV Fergent, Duke of Brittany; poisoned, possibly by her own servants;
- Matilda (very obscure, her existence is in some doubt);
- Henry Beauclerc (1068–1135), King of England, married (1) Matilda (or Edith) of Scotland, daughter of Malcolm III, King of Scotland, (2) Adeliza of Louvain.
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