Empress Matilda, also known as Matilda of England, was a medieval queen and claimant to the throne of England. She was born in 1102 in London, the daughter of King Henry I of England, and was married to Emperor Henry V of the Holy Roman Empire in 1114. After the emperor's death in 1125, Matilda returned to England and married Geoffrey of Anjou, with whom she had several children, including Henry II of England.

Matilda's claim to the English throne was based on the fact that she was Henry I's only surviving legitimate child. However, when Henry died in 1135, his nephew Stephen of Blois seized the throne, leading to a civil war known as the Anarchy. Matilda led a rebellion against Stephen and was declared queen by her supporters in 1141, but she was unable to maintain control and was forced to flee to France.

The war continued for several more years until a compromise was reached in 1153, known as the Treaty of Winchester, which recognized Matilda's son, Henry, as Stephen's heir. Matilda died in 1167 and was buried in Rouen Cathedral in France. Although she was never crowned queen of England, her role in the Anarchy helped pave the way for the establishment of the Plantagenet dynasty under her son Henry II.

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