Matilda cover art

Matilda

Empress, Queen, Warrior

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Matilda

By: Catherine Hanley
Narrated by: Jennifer M. Dixon
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About this listen

A life of Matilda - empress, skilled military leader, and one of the greatest figures of the English Middle Ages.

Matilda was a daughter, wife, and mother. But she was also empress, heir to the English crown - the first woman ever to hold the position - and an able military general.

This new biography explores Matilda's achievements as military and political leader and sets her life and career in full context. Catherine Hanley provides fresh insight into Matilda's campaign to claim the title of queen, her approach to allied kingdoms and rival rulers, and her role in the succession crisis. Hanley highlights how Matilda fought for the throne and argues that although she never sat on it herself, her reward was to see her son become king. Extraordinarily, her line has continued through every single monarch of England or Britain from that time to the present day.

©2019 Catherine Hanley (P)2019 Tantor Europe Great Britain Medieval Politicians Politics & Activism Royalty Women England King Tudor British Memoirs

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All stars
Most relevant  
Great historical biography, references sources regularly and refers to reliability of these. Clearly thoroughly researched and complied.

Great historical biography

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well researched, very interesting , reads a bit like a thriller. loved it. worth reading.

Not to be side-lined as a woman

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Detailed book about one of the pivotal figures of the Plantagenet dynasty of England. Narrator took some getting used to.

informative

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Gives you an insight look at 12th century. the book did keep going forwards and backwards which took some paying attention to

Excellent story but had to speed narrator

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2024 52 Book Challenge - 39) Non Fiction Recommended By A Friend

I really enjoyed this book. I've read a few books about Matilda now, and I find her such an interesting person in history. This book was one of the better ones at keeping the information both informative and engaging, and it was a pretty decent read.

Interesting

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I really enjoyed this book. A real telling if Matilda's story but also an analysis from the evidence they can gather of why she acted the way she did, what motivated her and why, what type of person she was. it didn't lose me at any point with dates and battles because you followed the narrative which gave context.

A great analysis and story telling of a great woman.

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This is a very detailed and academic level of historical biography.

Very thorough and well presented analysis.

In an era dominated by patriarchy, male privilege and power it is remarkable just how strong and courageous these medieval Royal women were.

Although Queen Regnants were prevalent in the old Anglo Saxon Kingdoms, England had not had a Queen Regnant since its formation as one nation and despite Matilda's efforts, it wouldn't see one until Mary I, some 400 years later than the Anarchy.

Excellent Academic Quality Research

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I was most interested in getting to learn about Matilda after reading a brief account about her in Unruly: The Ridiculous History of England's Kings and Queens book by David Mitchell.

She sounded so interesting. This book is a very detailed biography with as much information that can be possibly known about Matilda and her life.

It's quite a long book with many boring passages about the wars involving other characters which takes the reader away from Matilda quite a lot.

The book is written as a dramatic reconstruction which works brilliantly.

Highly recommended for those wanting to know as much about Matilda as you possibly can.

Thorough Biography Of Matilda

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Loved the story. Good level of detail. Such an inspirational woman. Sped up narration to 1.2 as a little slow.

Brilliant story.

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One of British history's lesser known, but vitally important figures, Empress Mathilda is often consigned to a secondary character in the Kinds and Queens of England. This book goes a long way to redressing that and puts her front and centre of England's history as the daughter of Henry 1st and mother of Henry 2nd. This book places Steven in context: King of England by chance, but with no lasting legacy, yet Mathilda was never Queen of England, her legacy comes down to us today. The narration is imperfect, the narrators voice is harsh and not pleasant which does detract a little from the overall book, but the story itself is compelling enough to get over that. This book is unashamedly a history of a woman, by a woman, putting her in the context of her time, a Queen in all but name in a totally patriarchal society. If you are a student of early medieval English history this is a book for you.

Fascinating but flawed

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