Empress Matilda - The Anarchy, Queenship & Power

Empress Matilda wielded an extraordinary amount of power during the period known as the Anarchy in the 12 th century, yet she just missed out on being crowned the first queen regnant in England . Originally c hosen as heir for her abilities as a ruler, Matilda was determined to fight her cause when her throne was usurped by her cousin Stephen . But how was she viewed by contemporaries, and what is the legacy she left behind? Join Curator Charles Farris, alongside Professors Louise Wilkinson and Elisabeth Van Houts, for an i n depth look into how Matilda pushed the limits and possibilities of female power. Who was her counter-part – Queen Matilda, and how did these women conform to , or d isrupt medieval expectations of Queenship?

You can listen to Empress Matilda - The Anarchy, Queenship & Power online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Empress Matilda - The Anarchy, Queenship & Power is an episode from Talks and Lectures by Historic Royal Palaces.

This episode is 01:07:55 long.

This episode was published on Jan 15, 2026.

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