Empress Matilda of England by Laurel A. Rockefeller

Born in 1102 to King Henry of England and Queen Edith Matilda of Scotland, Matilda’s uniquely royal Norman, Saxon, and Scottish heritage was meant to unify an England still divided by her grandfather’s conquest in 1066.

When the 1120 White Ship Disaster made her the only surviving child of her parents, Matilda suddenly became heiress to the English throne in a time when the old Saxon Witan, not the king’s Will, still decided the succession.

Discover the true story of the first woman to claim the throne of England in her own right and be inspired!

Includes Matilda’s family tree charts, a detailed timeline, and a suggested reading list so you can keep learning.

Associated biographies: “Gwenllian ferch Gruffydd, the Warrior Princess of Deheubarth,” and “Margaret of Wessex: Mother, Saint, and Queen of Scots.”

Karen Meyer’s Review: 4.5-Stars

First of all, I want to say I am not a history buff, nor do I research anything. So to grab my attention with any historical novel is pretty amazing.

The cover would not have grabbed my attention but Laurel started out with children and that was the perfect beginning to pull me in. I loved the way Matilda’s grandmother told her the story.

It always amazes me that the parents of these children would think it alright to marry them off so young. Then actually expecting them to perform their duties in the marriage bed. I was so happy that Matilda found someone like King Louis to love her fully and wait for her to grow up.

I loved her attitude of self-assurance and feistiness even at such a young age. Her maturity in learning the German language and how to rule alongside her husband was very impressive.

This little book makes history fun and even though there are some rather graphic parts in it, Laurel tells it in such a way that plays down that part and I feel like this could go in any middle school and be completely appropriate.

I highly recommend it and only due to the cover. I gave it 4.5 stars.

Sherry Terry’s Review: 5-Stars

As always, I love Laurel A. Rockefeller’s books in the history of women series. Empress Matilda of England is another great addition. I love the cover. It’s perfectly historical.

This book is very interesting for me as I am working on a historical romance during the war between Matilda and Stephen of Blois over the crown. What a great addition to my research material!

Laurel’s research is always done with care, and I gathered a lot of good information for my story. The greatest thing about The Legendary Women of World History books is how the way the books are written makes history interesting and fun to learn.

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