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Queen of the Conqueror: The Life of Matilda, Wife of William I
Around the year 1049, William, Duke of Normandy and future conqueror of England, raced to the palace of Baldwin V, Count of Flanders. The count’s eldest daughter, Matilda, had refused William’s offer of marriage and publicly denounced him as a bastard. Encountering the young woman, William furiously dragged her to the ground by her hair and beat her mercilessly. Matilda’s outraged father immediately took up arms on his daughter’s behalf. But just a few days later, Baldwin was aghast when Matilda, still recovering from the assault, announced that she would marry none but William, since “he must be a man of great courage and high daring” to have ventured to “come and beat me in my own father’s palace.”
Thus began the tempestuous marriage of Matilda of Flanders and William the Conqueror. While William’s exploits and triumphs have been widely chronicled, his consort remains largely overlooked. Now, in her groundbreaking Queen of the Conqueror, acclaimed author and historian Tracy Borman weaves together a comprehensive and illuminating tapestry of this noble woman who stood only four-foot-two and whose role as the first crowned Queen of England had a large and lasting influence on the English monarchy.
From a wealth of historical artifacts and documents, Matilda emerges as passionate, steadfast, and wise, yet also utterly ruthless and tenacious in pursuit of her goals, and the only person capable of taming her formidable husband—who, unprecedented for the period, remained staunchly faithful to her. This mother of nine, including four sons who went on to inherit William’s French and English dominions, confounded the traditional views of women in medieval society by seizing the reins of power whenever she had the chance, directing her husband’s policy, and at times flagrantly disobeying his orders.
Tracy Borman lays out Matilda’s remarkable story against one of the most fascinating and transformative periods in European history. Stirring, richly detailed, and wholly involving, Queen of the Conqueror reveals not just an extraordinary figure but an iconic woman who shaped generations, and an era that cast the essential framework for the world we know today.
296 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2011
195 people are currently reading
5066 people want to read
About the author
Tracy Borman
22 books784 followersTracy Borman, PhD, FRHistS, FSA is a historian and author from Scothern, United Kingdom. She is most widely known as the author of Elizabeth's Women.
Borman was born and brought up in the village of Scothern, England near Lincoln. She was educated at Scothern Primary School (now Ellison Boulters School), William Farr School, Welton, and Yarborough School, Lincoln. She taught history at the University of Hull, where she was awarded a Ph.D in 1997. Elizabeth's Women was serialized and became a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week in September 2009. Tracy Borman appeared on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, also in September 2009
Borman was born and brought up in the village of Scothern, England near Lincoln. She was educated at Scothern Primary School (now Ellison Boulters School), William Farr School, Welton, and Yarborough School, Lincoln. She taught history at the University of Hull, where she was awarded a Ph.D in 1997. Elizabeth's Women was serialized and became a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week in September 2009. Tracy Borman appeared on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, also in September 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
April 24, 2013
I was quite enjoying this -- a lot of research seems to have gone into it, but there are significant problems too. Borman doesn't seem to have known how to be selective with her sources; she repeats myths as if they're true and only then explains the dubious provenance of the story -- and she still uses it as part of her narrative, suggesting that it may reflect elements of the truth.
Matilda was surely a formidable woman, and at its best this work shows us that side of her, the woman who was declared regent in Normandy while William conquered England, the woman who had a reputation for beauty, brains and piety. Unfortunately, I think Borman blurs the line between fiction and history too much, and makes assumptions that are more romantic than based on fact. I have another biography of Matilda to read; I hope that one feels more reliable!
Matilda was surely a formidable woman, and at its best this work shows us that side of her, the woman who was declared regent in Normandy while William conquered England, the woman who had a reputation for beauty, brains and piety. Unfortunately, I think Borman blurs the line between fiction and history too much, and makes assumptions that are more romantic than based on fact. I have another biography of Matilda to read; I hope that one feels more reliable!
July 29, 2016
I found this book to be ultimately, a very frustrating read. Part of the frustration comes from the fact that there isn't that much historians know about Matilda; the records just aren't there, so a lot of the book isn't about her.
But a much bigger part of the frustration comes from the author and her writing style. I started questioning what I was reading when the author stated that bones thought to be Matilda's meant that she was only 4'2". This is just not true. There was a miscommunication when those bones were measured; if they were Matilda's, she would have been about 5'. If the author gets this detail wrong, what else is she missing?
Also, several times she presents items from sources as if they are fact, not letting the reader know that some of the sources were very biased (either pro-English or pro-Norman) until many chapters into the book. Or she would present items as if they were fact and then in the next paragraph say, oh, but this probably wasn't true. At one point she recounts how Matilda got her revenge on the man who spurned her offer of marriage, and fueled by her hatred of him (because the author knows how Matilda felt) had the man's land seized and the man himself sent to prison. Except, oh wait, there's evidence that this never even happened, but isn't it fun to think that when she saw him at her coronation she decided to have her revenge? At this point, if I had been reading the actual book and not on my laptop, I would have thrown it across the room.
If your looking for a book on this time period, I highly suggest The Norman Conquest by Marc Morris. Although a longer book, I found it a much easier and interesting read.
But a much bigger part of the frustration comes from the author and her writing style. I started questioning what I was reading when the author stated that bones thought to be Matilda's meant that she was only 4'2". This is just not true. There was a miscommunication when those bones were measured; if they were Matilda's, she would have been about 5'. If the author gets this detail wrong, what else is she missing?
Also, several times she presents items from sources as if they are fact, not letting the reader know that some of the sources were very biased (either pro-English or pro-Norman) until many chapters into the book. Or she would present items as if they were fact and then in the next paragraph say, oh, but this probably wasn't true. At one point she recounts how Matilda got her revenge on the man who spurned her offer of marriage, and fueled by her hatred of him (because the author knows how Matilda felt) had the man's land seized and the man himself sent to prison. Except, oh wait, there's evidence that this never even happened, but isn't it fun to think that when she saw him at her coronation she decided to have her revenge? At this point, if I had been reading the actual book and not on my laptop, I would have thrown it across the room.
If your looking for a book on this time period, I highly suggest The Norman Conquest by Marc Morris. Although a longer book, I found it a much easier and interesting read.
September 17, 2012
Although everyone may have heard of William the Conqueror; less is known about his influential wife, Matilda. Tracy Borman attempts to open the windows into Matilda’s life with “Queen of the Conquer: The Life of Matilda, Wife of William I”.
The life (and sometimes plight) of Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror; is unfortunately loose in resources. Thus, “Queen of the Conqueror” begins like many other biographies surrounding ill-documented figures by describing the world and events surrounding the individual versus his/her direct life. Although I usually find this big-picture view to be filtering of the true insight into the portrait at hand; Borman doesn’t pretend to have more information than she justly has and neither does she overdraw on speculation. Although this cuts back on the intimacy, it still opens up the world of Matilda.
Borman’s writing style is eloquent, well-spoken, and has a driving pace while also containing an ample amount of research and archive-study undertones. Her narrative is easy-to-read (similar to Alison Weir who is Borman’s friend and contemporary) but with more detective sleuthing. “Queen of the Conqueror” debunks and explains various opposing views and sources surrounding Matilda and is therefore not simply a re-telling of events.
Despite this exciting driving force, a large chunk of the beginning of “Queen of the Conquerer” could be described as slow, as it merely describes political events involving William and somewhat tedious details of what their home “would have looked like”. I found myself not really getting to know Matilda and waiting for “something to happen”. Often times, the book simply doesn’t feel like it is about Matilda, at all.
Although Borman’s tone and ability to make history inviting is invigorating; “Queen of the Conqueror” continues to maintain a political feel, encompassing William more than Matilda (although a pleasant surprise was the lack of a million page coverage on the Battle of Hastings). When Borman does regard Matilda, the exposure seems superficial describing feasts, social pursuits, or other recreational aspects. Other times, Borman merely focuses on vague 11th century life, in general.
Somewhat limiting was Borman’s constant reference to the poem, “Beowulf”. I have an issue with history authors who use poems as references for historical life (some use “The Canterbury Tales”). For those readers seeking a more gossip-y and social history versus that of a political view; “Queen of the Conqueror” becomes increasingly fulfilling three-quarters of the way through, focusing on Matilda’s fidelity (or rumored lack thereof) and her son’s rebellion against William. Gripping and encouraging page-turning, this comes too late in the book and is more of what I was expecting throughout (i.e. more Matilda drama).
Unfortunately, the ending felt weak and didn’t fully encompass the worth of a woman who all British sovereigns descend from and was the first crowned queen of England.
Although I enjoy Borman’s writing style (and applaud her notes and bibliography); “Queen of the Conqueror” failed to provide an intimate portrait of Matilda (Note: I would read Borman’s other works, and plan to). The book is suggested for an overall look into Matilda and William’s world.
The life (and sometimes plight) of Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror; is unfortunately loose in resources. Thus, “Queen of the Conqueror” begins like many other biographies surrounding ill-documented figures by describing the world and events surrounding the individual versus his/her direct life. Although I usually find this big-picture view to be filtering of the true insight into the portrait at hand; Borman doesn’t pretend to have more information than she justly has and neither does she overdraw on speculation. Although this cuts back on the intimacy, it still opens up the world of Matilda.
Borman’s writing style is eloquent, well-spoken, and has a driving pace while also containing an ample amount of research and archive-study undertones. Her narrative is easy-to-read (similar to Alison Weir who is Borman’s friend and contemporary) but with more detective sleuthing. “Queen of the Conqueror” debunks and explains various opposing views and sources surrounding Matilda and is therefore not simply a re-telling of events.
Despite this exciting driving force, a large chunk of the beginning of “Queen of the Conquerer” could be described as slow, as it merely describes political events involving William and somewhat tedious details of what their home “would have looked like”. I found myself not really getting to know Matilda and waiting for “something to happen”. Often times, the book simply doesn’t feel like it is about Matilda, at all.
Although Borman’s tone and ability to make history inviting is invigorating; “Queen of the Conqueror” continues to maintain a political feel, encompassing William more than Matilda (although a pleasant surprise was the lack of a million page coverage on the Battle of Hastings). When Borman does regard Matilda, the exposure seems superficial describing feasts, social pursuits, or other recreational aspects. Other times, Borman merely focuses on vague 11th century life, in general.
Somewhat limiting was Borman’s constant reference to the poem, “Beowulf”. I have an issue with history authors who use poems as references for historical life (some use “The Canterbury Tales”). For those readers seeking a more gossip-y and social history versus that of a political view; “Queen of the Conqueror” becomes increasingly fulfilling three-quarters of the way through, focusing on Matilda’s fidelity (or rumored lack thereof) and her son’s rebellion against William. Gripping and encouraging page-turning, this comes too late in the book and is more of what I was expecting throughout (i.e. more Matilda drama).
Unfortunately, the ending felt weak and didn’t fully encompass the worth of a woman who all British sovereigns descend from and was the first crowned queen of England.
Although I enjoy Borman’s writing style (and applaud her notes and bibliography); “Queen of the Conqueror” failed to provide an intimate portrait of Matilda (Note: I would read Borman’s other works, and plan to). The book is suggested for an overall look into Matilda and William’s world.
April 21, 2012
Tracy Borman chose a difficult subject for a biography, and succeeded at it remarkably well. Though a significant person in the affairs of western Europe during her lifetime, concrete information on Matilda of Flanders is difficult to find and ascertain.
Nonetheless, Borman builds as comprehensive picture as possible on the wife of William the Conqueror, placing her at the center of their new dynasty and utlimately making her the glue that bound the family together.
There were a few places where the writing became a little dry, but for the most part, Borman kept my attention with her analysis of the various sources that chronicle accounts of Matilda's life, both the true and the probably ficticious. She brings Matilda's character to life, looking beyond the surface of the trite stories told of her, and gives us the picture of a fierce, ambitious, and charismatic woman who was every bit as vital to the building of William's Norman-English empire as William himself was.
I'd definitely recommend this biography to anyone interested in the era that well and truly brought England to the public conscious, as well as anyone interested in what role a woman could carve out for herself in a time when women were supposed to stay out of the public sphere.
Nonetheless, Borman builds as comprehensive picture as possible on the wife of William the Conqueror, placing her at the center of their new dynasty and utlimately making her the glue that bound the family together.
There were a few places where the writing became a little dry, but for the most part, Borman kept my attention with her analysis of the various sources that chronicle accounts of Matilda's life, both the true and the probably ficticious. She brings Matilda's character to life, looking beyond the surface of the trite stories told of her, and gives us the picture of a fierce, ambitious, and charismatic woman who was every bit as vital to the building of William's Norman-English empire as William himself was.
I'd definitely recommend this biography to anyone interested in the era that well and truly brought England to the public conscious, as well as anyone interested in what role a woman could carve out for herself in a time when women were supposed to stay out of the public sphere.
December 24, 2011
A biography of Matilda of Flanders is one of the things I have been hoping for, for many years. Tracy Borman has written a very good book which would appeal to a wide-ranging audience. I highly enjoyed it.
There are a few things which may surprise people - for example that Judith, wife of Tostig Godwineson, may have been Matilda's aunt and not her sister as has been assumed for years. I am not entirely convinced by many of the Brihtric stories that form part of Matilda's legend, and I would have liked more examination of the evidence of her role as regent. I found intriguing the idea that the memory of the political competency of his mother may have influenced Henry I's decision to name his only suviving legitimate child Matilda (The Empress) as his heir.
Overall, this is a very readable book and I will be looking at other examples of Borman's work. Now that I have read one book about this fascinating queen I would really like to read another...
There are a few things which may surprise people - for example that Judith, wife of Tostig Godwineson, may have been Matilda's aunt and not her sister as has been assumed for years. I am not entirely convinced by many of the Brihtric stories that form part of Matilda's legend, and I would have liked more examination of the evidence of her role as regent. I found intriguing the idea that the memory of the political competency of his mother may have influenced Henry I's decision to name his only suviving legitimate child Matilda (The Empress) as his heir.
Overall, this is a very readable book and I will be looking at other examples of Borman's work. Now that I have read one book about this fascinating queen I would really like to read another...
June 1, 2013
As one goes back in time, it often becomes more and more difficult to create a convincing biography. When I first read about this book, I wondered how a biography of a king's wife could be sustained. But Tracy Borman has accomplished exactly that. Using what sources are available and extrapolating sensibly (not going far beyond what is based on documentation--however uncertain those sources might be), Borman develops a pretty compelling story of Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror, who became England's king after the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
At the outset, we have two genealogical tables, depicting the ancestry of Matilda, daughter of Baldwin V, the Duke of Flanders, and relative of both the King of England and King of France, giving her an impeccable background. William was the illegitimate son of Robert I, the Duke of Normandy.
The book begins with the family backgrounds of both and the story (perhaps apocryphal) of how he reacted when she rejected his offer of marriage. William became Duke of Normandy by being hard-nosed and refusing to accept anything but accession as Duke. A marriage to Matilda was of obvious importance to him, since she had links with two royal families and with the Duke of Flanders (her father). One could scarcely have imagined a more strategic marriage than this for William. Extraordinarily enough, they seemed to have been in love with one another. Matilda became an accomplished partner of William's. Later she would serve as regent while they were apart.
The story tells the tale of William's desire to become King of England and the path that he took to assure that. He had to remain in England to consolidate his status after defeating King Harold at Hastings. In the meantime, Matilda was regent in Normandy, apparently doing well in that role. While their relationship had many strengths, there were subterranean strains that unfolded over time, such as the role of their male children. They disagreed on which child would become the heir to his positions and this led to serious repercussions. That they survived this still leaves me shaking my head.
The book covers their relationship after William became King, her patronage of churches, her management of their households. We read of their lives as they grew older. And we see what happened to their family after the deaths of both Matilda and William.
I am amazed at how solid a narrative that Borman created from often fragmentary documentation. But the author tends not to go far beyond what evidence there is. When speculating, she makes it clear the extent to which her scenarios might be likely.
All in all, a quite satisfying biography.
At the outset, we have two genealogical tables, depicting the ancestry of Matilda, daughter of Baldwin V, the Duke of Flanders, and relative of both the King of England and King of France, giving her an impeccable background. William was the illegitimate son of Robert I, the Duke of Normandy.
The book begins with the family backgrounds of both and the story (perhaps apocryphal) of how he reacted when she rejected his offer of marriage. William became Duke of Normandy by being hard-nosed and refusing to accept anything but accession as Duke. A marriage to Matilda was of obvious importance to him, since she had links with two royal families and with the Duke of Flanders (her father). One could scarcely have imagined a more strategic marriage than this for William. Extraordinarily enough, they seemed to have been in love with one another. Matilda became an accomplished partner of William's. Later she would serve as regent while they were apart.
The story tells the tale of William's desire to become King of England and the path that he took to assure that. He had to remain in England to consolidate his status after defeating King Harold at Hastings. In the meantime, Matilda was regent in Normandy, apparently doing well in that role. While their relationship had many strengths, there were subterranean strains that unfolded over time, such as the role of their male children. They disagreed on which child would become the heir to his positions and this led to serious repercussions. That they survived this still leaves me shaking my head.
The book covers their relationship after William became King, her patronage of churches, her management of their households. We read of their lives as they grew older. And we see what happened to their family after the deaths of both Matilda and William.
I am amazed at how solid a narrative that Borman created from often fragmentary documentation. But the author tends not to go far beyond what evidence there is. When speculating, she makes it clear the extent to which her scenarios might be likely.
All in all, a quite satisfying biography.
February 20, 2012
As biographies of historical figures of the eleventh century go, Tracy Borman's 'Matilda-Queen of the Conqueror' (2011) is quite good. She writes historical narrative in a very colourful way that makes for easy reading.
She relies heavily for her sources upon Norman and English 11th and 12th century writers. William of Jumieges for the Norman histories and William of Malmesbury and Orderic Vitalis for the more English perspectives, as well as the Anglo Saxon Chronicles and all the way into the nineteenth century writings of Agnes Strickland. To shine additional light into these dark ages, Matilda's prodigious witnessing of court charters in both Normandy and England help to fill gaps.
From the royal house in Bruges of Baldwin V of Flanders, to marriage with William of Normandy, Matilda became the first crowned Queen of England. In a paternal warrior world Matilda became a well respected queen in Normandy and England.
The author likes to put Matilda as the first of her kind and that 'she established a model of female rule that would last for hundreds of years.' True, for her time she was the mother of nine children, a strong character, pious and intelligent. When left in charge of court affairs while the Conq was away, the mice didn't play and certainly after her death William's rule suffered. But what of Alfred the Great's grand daughter, the sister of Athelstan, Eadgyth, who became Queen of the Germans when she married Otto. She too was a co-ruler, charismatic and a greatly loved personality of the time. She died in 946.
My edition of this book is missing the usual information from any Notes, as well as a Bibliography, which would have been interesting to learn where some of the material originated.
She relies heavily for her sources upon Norman and English 11th and 12th century writers. William of Jumieges for the Norman histories and William of Malmesbury and Orderic Vitalis for the more English perspectives, as well as the Anglo Saxon Chronicles and all the way into the nineteenth century writings of Agnes Strickland. To shine additional light into these dark ages, Matilda's prodigious witnessing of court charters in both Normandy and England help to fill gaps.
From the royal house in Bruges of Baldwin V of Flanders, to marriage with William of Normandy, Matilda became the first crowned Queen of England. In a paternal warrior world Matilda became a well respected queen in Normandy and England.
The author likes to put Matilda as the first of her kind and that 'she established a model of female rule that would last for hundreds of years.' True, for her time she was the mother of nine children, a strong character, pious and intelligent. When left in charge of court affairs while the Conq was away, the mice didn't play and certainly after her death William's rule suffered. But what of Alfred the Great's grand daughter, the sister of Athelstan, Eadgyth, who became Queen of the Germans when she married Otto. She too was a co-ruler, charismatic and a greatly loved personality of the time. She died in 946.
My edition of this book is missing the usual information from any Notes, as well as a Bibliography, which would have been interesting to learn where some of the material originated.
August 22, 2012
In general this was a decent narrative biography, but the writing style left Much to be desired. Regularly throughout the book, the author would write up a "known" historical bit as if it were a continuation in the Matilda story, comment on it, and Then announce it was from a 19th c writer or some other source that would obviously be unlikely to be factual. It would have been so much more interesting if the author had collected all these later glosses and had a last chapter of Matilda's development in history or similar, where she could examine the ridiculous stories of William the Conqueror tying her to his horse and the Victorian images of Matilda sewing on the Bayeux Tapestry as part of a sensible historiography.
A typical example near the end, p.204, starting with lengthy paragraph of a prophecy:
"The fate that the hermit predicted for Robert must have grieved his mother [Matilda] sorely...that under her son's leadership...Normandy would wretchedly lie at the mercy of the swords of her neighbors...that she would die before her husband."
Following paragraph:
"The existence of the prophet is at best dubious."
Arrgh! I constantly felt deceived reading this text, reading along and probably thereby committing to memory all kinds of "dubious" bits presented first as historical fact.
A typical example near the end, p.204, starting with lengthy paragraph of a prophecy:
"The fate that the hermit predicted for Robert must have grieved his mother [Matilda] sorely...that under her son's leadership...Normandy would wretchedly lie at the mercy of the swords of her neighbors...that she would die before her husband."
Following paragraph:
"The existence of the prophet is at best dubious."
Arrgh! I constantly felt deceived reading this text, reading along and probably thereby committing to memory all kinds of "dubious" bits presented first as historical fact.
September 8, 2014
Tracy Borman’s book about Queen Matilda (William the Conqueror’s wife, if you’re not keeping score at home) does a very good job with tracing the live of a medieval woman (much better than Weir’s
Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Life
, but it is also only 3/4s the length of that book), but manages to be irritating on a regular basis.
The introduction of the book gives a commonly told story of Matilda, upon hearing that she was to be betrothed to Duke William “the Bastard” of Normandy, rejecting the idea that she (related to the King of France) would never stoop so low as to marry a bastard. William, hearing this, rides to her family’s palace in Flanders and finding Matilda beats her mercilessly. Matilda then decides that she would marry no one else as he was a man of high courage and daring. When Borman gets to this part of Matilda’s life in the narrative, she repeats the story, and then starts casting doubts on the story, pointing out that it is first mentioned about two hundred years after the fact, and that one of the primary sources for it has a strong anti-Norman bias. The section ends with a conclusion that we just don’t have any clear picture of what, if anything, happened between the two before they were married.
This pattern is followed in many parts of the book. Tales are given with a straight face, and only afterward are problems or alternate versions talked about. Worse, are the cases where something is mentioned as being from ‘a nineteenth century chronicler’ with no discussion as to where he got it from, or why we should think he knew anything about it. After the number of other unsubstantiated stories that are discussed, it raises alarms.
But despite these problems, it is a good book about Matilda. It is not as comprehensive, or detailed as, again, Allison Weir’s Eleanor of Aquitane, but that book failed at being the biography it was supposed to be, while this one is a good biography that gives a much clearer picture of its subject.
The introduction of the book gives a commonly told story of Matilda, upon hearing that she was to be betrothed to Duke William “the Bastard” of Normandy, rejecting the idea that she (related to the King of France) would never stoop so low as to marry a bastard. William, hearing this, rides to her family’s palace in Flanders and finding Matilda beats her mercilessly. Matilda then decides that she would marry no one else as he was a man of high courage and daring. When Borman gets to this part of Matilda’s life in the narrative, she repeats the story, and then starts casting doubts on the story, pointing out that it is first mentioned about two hundred years after the fact, and that one of the primary sources for it has a strong anti-Norman bias. The section ends with a conclusion that we just don’t have any clear picture of what, if anything, happened between the two before they were married.
This pattern is followed in many parts of the book. Tales are given with a straight face, and only afterward are problems or alternate versions talked about. Worse, are the cases where something is mentioned as being from ‘a nineteenth century chronicler’ with no discussion as to where he got it from, or why we should think he knew anything about it. After the number of other unsubstantiated stories that are discussed, it raises alarms.
But despite these problems, it is a good book about Matilda. It is not as comprehensive, or detailed as, again, Allison Weir’s Eleanor of Aquitane, but that book failed at being the biography it was supposed to be, while this one is a good biography that gives a much clearer picture of its subject.
October 7, 2012
A very coherent, thorough biography of one of the lesser known queens of English history, Matilda of Flanders, wife of William the Conqueror. A great deal is given over to the beating that he gave her when she refused his offer of marriage, the familial background of the couple, their many children and the role that Matilda played in shaping what would be the queen's duties as the consort of an English king. She was cultured, well-educated, generous to the Church and to the poor. I was very surprised at how much I did not know about both Matilda and William, and would recommend this to anyone interested in Medieval history. Four stars overall.
For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Tracy_...
For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Tracy_...
July 11, 2014
Up front, I want to admit that I read this book on my Kindle. If, after reading this review, you choose to purchase it, PLEASE buy a hard copy. My Kindle immediately started me at the Introduction, and I therefore missed four fairly important pages of genealogy and maps that are virtually unreadable on the Kindle. In reality, the book could have used additional pages of genealogical charts showing the connections of important relatives and other kings and queens (Henry, King of France? Emma, the widow) and their connection to Matilda. Likewise, the Kindle edition suffers because the photos and footnotes are all the end, so that subtext of interest about the sources cannot quickly be referenced and skimmed. At the same time, I should mention that I am an amateur genealogist, and I have traveled through Normandy (visited the Bayeux tapestry twice) and England and lived in the Netherlands, so I'm fairly familiar with the geography as well.
Unfortunately, this book reads like a PhD thesis. Obviously, researching the history of nearly a thousand years ago is likely dull, dry work and leaves one overly reliant on a limited number of sources. I have no question that this could be THE definitive book on the life of Matilda, and I doubt anyone will feel compelled to write another unless a new source is identified or an alternate interpretation is required. Still, a summer beach read or Book Club recommendation it is not.
The book suffers from a plethora of supposition required to connect the limited data together. The words "Matilda would have..." or similar forms constitute the bulk of subject-predicate because there is simply no data upon which to rely. Almost all of Matilda's relationships with her relatives other than her husband are sheer conjecture, and information about her spousal relationship must be based on public outbursts, courtly statements or the simple reality that he left her in charge at a time when that was uncommon. A lack of editing leads to some repetition. The author is unfortunately challenged by the fact that MANY of the people share the same name or similar sounding or spelled names. Wading through the book feels as though you are slogging through mud. If you read it on the Kindle, by 50% of your way through the book you are really praying that it will end, and sure enough, it is over at 75%, when the photos and end notes take over.
On the bright side, these were turbulent times, and people who have read the Game of Thrones series will have a deja-vu experience with the history ranging from similarly named figures or locations, relatives inter-marrying to the dismay of the Pope, religious orders that are paid off, children or nobility held hostage in a friendly manner in foreign courts, poisonings, feasts, tasteless displays of wealth, ruthless and sadistic rulers, castellans, and endless castles and battles. If you can handle the dry, dull part, you just may find yourself thinking, "Send a raven!" or "Uncage my dire wolf!"
Unfortunately, this book reads like a PhD thesis. Obviously, researching the history of nearly a thousand years ago is likely dull, dry work and leaves one overly reliant on a limited number of sources. I have no question that this could be THE definitive book on the life of Matilda, and I doubt anyone will feel compelled to write another unless a new source is identified or an alternate interpretation is required. Still, a summer beach read or Book Club recommendation it is not.
The book suffers from a plethora of supposition required to connect the limited data together. The words "Matilda would have..." or similar forms constitute the bulk of subject-predicate because there is simply no data upon which to rely. Almost all of Matilda's relationships with her relatives other than her husband are sheer conjecture, and information about her spousal relationship must be based on public outbursts, courtly statements or the simple reality that he left her in charge at a time when that was uncommon. A lack of editing leads to some repetition. The author is unfortunately challenged by the fact that MANY of the people share the same name or similar sounding or spelled names. Wading through the book feels as though you are slogging through mud. If you read it on the Kindle, by 50% of your way through the book you are really praying that it will end, and sure enough, it is over at 75%, when the photos and end notes take over.
On the bright side, these were turbulent times, and people who have read the Game of Thrones series will have a deja-vu experience with the history ranging from similarly named figures or locations, relatives inter-marrying to the dismay of the Pope, religious orders that are paid off, children or nobility held hostage in a friendly manner in foreign courts, poisonings, feasts, tasteless displays of wealth, ruthless and sadistic rulers, castellans, and endless castles and battles. If you can handle the dry, dull part, you just may find yourself thinking, "Send a raven!" or "Uncage my dire wolf!"
February 15, 2023
2.5 Superficial. Gossipy in nature as compared to a work of research. Many undocumented statements about character traits or feelings. Majority of chapters only feature Matilda slightly. It’s a very chatty and 'historical fiction' introduction to William the Conqueror with some additional language about Matilda.
Borman makes broad statements with no background documentation: ”Yet Matilda, a mere woman, had established her authority from the start and had brought this turbulent duchy firmly under her control” … does not give single example of Matilda suppressing any political infighting; not a single disturbance is mentioned. (Were there any? Or were all the major troublemakers invested in getting land and riches from England? Or terrified of William? ) Matilda must have done something right, as William continued to give her power – but the author’s language promises more than is delivered.
Second, as other reviewers have mentioned, Again and Again Borman often tells a story that only later does she mention to be completely false. There were several occasions (William beating her into an engagement; revenge on Brihtric, sleeping with various nobleman, the prohet, more beatings, etc.) were I actually started looking for a footnote thinking “this cannot be true” only to find out … it was doubtful if patently not true. Annoying.
Perhaps useful for people new to the Norman Conquest. But I didn’t get much out of it.
Borman makes broad statements with no background documentation: ”Yet Matilda, a mere woman, had established her authority from the start and had brought this turbulent duchy firmly under her control” … does not give single example of Matilda suppressing any political infighting; not a single disturbance is mentioned. (Were there any? Or were all the major troublemakers invested in getting land and riches from England? Or terrified of William? ) Matilda must have done something right, as William continued to give her power – but the author’s language promises more than is delivered.
Second, as other reviewers have mentioned, Again and Again Borman often tells a story that only later does she mention to be completely false. There were several occasions (William beating her into an engagement; revenge on Brihtric, sleeping with various nobleman, the prohet, more beatings, etc.) were I actually started looking for a footnote thinking “this cannot be true” only to find out … it was doubtful if patently not true. Annoying.
Perhaps useful for people new to the Norman Conquest. But I didn’t get much out of it.
September 8, 2022
An excellent biography of a Queen of England that is over looked and little known. I throughly enjoyed reading about this determined and powerful woman. I would totally recommend this book to anyone who likes medieval history.
January 4, 2023
Fantastic!
Thank you to Tracy Borman for researching and writing about William the Conquerer's fascinating wife. Living in 1066 county I have been extremely interested with this part of history and it was wonderful to read about Matilda and her legacy.
Thank you to Tracy Borman for researching and writing about William the Conquerer's fascinating wife. Living in 1066 county I have been extremely interested with this part of history and it was wonderful to read about Matilda and her legacy.
March 31, 2017
1066 is very much the BC:AD moment of English history; anything before to most people is a confusing muddle of Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Romans. It is only with the bestriding figure of William the Conqueror that England as we know it comes into any kind of recognisable focus. And yet despite his invasion and conquest being the defining event of English history to this very day, William himself is a fairly shadowy figure in history.
So with that in mind, just imagine how much more of a shadowy figure is Matilda, William's wife and queen. And yet in her day Matilda was certainly more of an established personality on the international stage than William - her bloodline and connections were more important, and she herself was far more of an exalted figure than the illegitimate son of a duke of Normandy with a shaky grasp on his own inheritance. Matilda even turned down William's first proposal of marriage, deeming him beneath her dignity. The reasons why she changed her mind have been left to legend, but change her mind she did, forging a strong partnership with William that contributed in no small measure to his subsequent invasion and conquest of England. Without a regent whom he trusted unconditionally to hold his continental domain, it is unlikely William would have risked a length military expedition across the sea, and he certainly would not have been able to be absent from Normandy for the length of time it took to fully pacify England.
In many respects, reading this biography, Matilda reminded me of a later, much better known medieval queen - Eleanor of Aquitaine. Both were comfortable wielding the power of a queen; both substituted for their husbands in the absence in the position of regent; both were revered and respected figures; both rebelled against their husbands in favour of their sons. I think Matilda and Eleanor would have recognised much in one another.
As you can imagine, Matilda's was a tumultuous, dramatic life, and she couldn't ask for a better biographer than Tracy Borman. She has teased out the details of Matilda's life from the shroud of centuries and brought her back to life again, a woman every bit the equal of her husband and who contributed no less to the Conquest of England. Borman presents both the myths of Matilda's life and the facts, and whilst it is frustrating that there are so many aspects to her life that we can just never know for certain, Borman never pretends to knowledge that isn't there. It does mean in many respects this is as much a book about William the Conqueror and the 11th century than it is Matilda, but that is inevitable with so much lost to history, and it doesn't make any worse of a book.
So with that in mind, just imagine how much more of a shadowy figure is Matilda, William's wife and queen. And yet in her day Matilda was certainly more of an established personality on the international stage than William - her bloodline and connections were more important, and she herself was far more of an exalted figure than the illegitimate son of a duke of Normandy with a shaky grasp on his own inheritance. Matilda even turned down William's first proposal of marriage, deeming him beneath her dignity. The reasons why she changed her mind have been left to legend, but change her mind she did, forging a strong partnership with William that contributed in no small measure to his subsequent invasion and conquest of England. Without a regent whom he trusted unconditionally to hold his continental domain, it is unlikely William would have risked a length military expedition across the sea, and he certainly would not have been able to be absent from Normandy for the length of time it took to fully pacify England.
In many respects, reading this biography, Matilda reminded me of a later, much better known medieval queen - Eleanor of Aquitaine. Both were comfortable wielding the power of a queen; both substituted for their husbands in the absence in the position of regent; both were revered and respected figures; both rebelled against their husbands in favour of their sons. I think Matilda and Eleanor would have recognised much in one another.
As you can imagine, Matilda's was a tumultuous, dramatic life, and she couldn't ask for a better biographer than Tracy Borman. She has teased out the details of Matilda's life from the shroud of centuries and brought her back to life again, a woman every bit the equal of her husband and who contributed no less to the Conquest of England. Borman presents both the myths of Matilda's life and the facts, and whilst it is frustrating that there are so many aspects to her life that we can just never know for certain, Borman never pretends to knowledge that isn't there. It does mean in many respects this is as much a book about William the Conqueror and the 11th century than it is Matilda, but that is inevitable with so much lost to history, and it doesn't make any worse of a book.
September 4, 2019
I know it's really difficult to write biographies of medieval people, especially medieval women, since there are so few primary sources left. I just really struggled with the fact that this author was using rumors, "facts" written by 19th century historians (with no other source), and bad science from the 1960s as the evidence in this book. I guess I should have read some of the other reviews before starting this one because that seems to be the common complaint. That aside, I suspect Matilda was a formidable lady (her granddaughter and namesake certainly was!) but I think most of her character is lost to time.
April 23, 2012
When I heard that Tracy Borman was releasing a new title I had to pre-order it right away. I has so enjoyed her earlier work , "Elizabeth's Women" (I ordered if from Amazon UK so that I would not have to wait for the US release!) that I had high hopes for "Wife of The Conqueror" - and I was, happily, not disappointed!
Many of us have read a book about William , or at least know about who he was and what his claims to fame are, but few of us know much about his Queen, the very first Queen of England, Matilda, who wielded as much power as any women of the time, acting as regent in Normandy whilst William was about the business of conquering England. Matilda was the backbone of her family and she is largely responsible for fostering an environment of understanding and cooperation after William conquered England, deflecting tensions and skirmishes with a deft hand.
Ms. Borman has sifted through "historical artifacts and documents" to compile an excellent, highly enjoyable, biography of this truly unique women. Matilda was diminutive at 4 feet 2 inches tall but she had the intellect and courage of any man of her time.
From the jacket: "...this mother of 9, including four sons who went on to inherit William's French and English dominions, confounded the traditional views of women in medieval society by seizing the reins of power whenever she had the chance, directing her husband's policy, and at times flagrantly disobeying his orders..."
I think that Ms. Borman has the ability to sift through historical documents and collate the information - presenting a biography that is at once both easy to read as well as packed with significant historical notes. The reader gets a clear image of the people and the times. The reader absorbs the history lessons easily because the book is so well written.
I believe that this book will delight anglophiles, history buffs and biography readers, but it may also well hold the interest of people who are primarily historical fiction readers - because the book reads so well. Yes! I highly recommend this book. Bravo Ms. Borman!
Many of us have read a book about William , or at least know about who he was and what his claims to fame are, but few of us know much about his Queen, the very first Queen of England, Matilda, who wielded as much power as any women of the time, acting as regent in Normandy whilst William was about the business of conquering England. Matilda was the backbone of her family and she is largely responsible for fostering an environment of understanding and cooperation after William conquered England, deflecting tensions and skirmishes with a deft hand.
Ms. Borman has sifted through "historical artifacts and documents" to compile an excellent, highly enjoyable, biography of this truly unique women. Matilda was diminutive at 4 feet 2 inches tall but she had the intellect and courage of any man of her time.
From the jacket: "...this mother of 9, including four sons who went on to inherit William's French and English dominions, confounded the traditional views of women in medieval society by seizing the reins of power whenever she had the chance, directing her husband's policy, and at times flagrantly disobeying his orders..."
I think that Ms. Borman has the ability to sift through historical documents and collate the information - presenting a biography that is at once both easy to read as well as packed with significant historical notes. The reader gets a clear image of the people and the times. The reader absorbs the history lessons easily because the book is so well written.
I believe that this book will delight anglophiles, history buffs and biography readers, but it may also well hold the interest of people who are primarily historical fiction readers - because the book reads so well. Yes! I highly recommend this book. Bravo Ms. Borman!
June 14, 2016
$15.99
Not too long ago the only thing I had ever heard about was the year 1066 and enable William the Conqueror. I'm not saying I know a whole lot more now, but I do know considerable more than I did before, and I'm so glad I read this twice about Matilda, Williams wife. She was not some helpless female that William chose, and although she didn't want to marry him at first, she finally relented. It is not easy to keep track of how many children they had, but there are records of about 9 although not all lived to see success in adulthood. Matilda had her own heritage as the daughter of the Count of Flanders, the niece of the French king, and somehow threaded her way back to some English monarchs.
It seems that she and William made a good pair. He was brutal whereas she was kindhearted, and yet they were both ambitious and it would be difficult to imagine his success without her by his side. The only time they really seemed to be at odds was when she supported their oldest son and he didn't, and yet because William was fond enough of her, she didn't suffer some of the casualties (to put it nicely) that others did who went against him. After all this was treason, and in this day and age, that was not to be taken lightly.
She was a woman who was not only well educated, but I can see that she could have run a country by herself and while William was in England, she did just this in Normandy as his co-Regent. This was also another book that had a tremendous amount of research, but there was a lot of guessing as well as tales that may or may not have been true. Of course this was not the author's fault, but due to the fact that no one could have guessed when these two got married what a change they would have made in the world. Surprisingly there is scant details about many of their children, more specifically the girls, but I am looking forward to reading about Robert, William Rufus, and then getting into the heart of the English monarchy by reading about Henry I.
Not too long ago the only thing I had ever heard about was the year 1066 and enable William the Conqueror. I'm not saying I know a whole lot more now, but I do know considerable more than I did before, and I'm so glad I read this twice about Matilda, Williams wife. She was not some helpless female that William chose, and although she didn't want to marry him at first, she finally relented. It is not easy to keep track of how many children they had, but there are records of about 9 although not all lived to see success in adulthood. Matilda had her own heritage as the daughter of the Count of Flanders, the niece of the French king, and somehow threaded her way back to some English monarchs.
It seems that she and William made a good pair. He was brutal whereas she was kindhearted, and yet they were both ambitious and it would be difficult to imagine his success without her by his side. The only time they really seemed to be at odds was when she supported their oldest son and he didn't, and yet because William was fond enough of her, she didn't suffer some of the casualties (to put it nicely) that others did who went against him. After all this was treason, and in this day and age, that was not to be taken lightly.
She was a woman who was not only well educated, but I can see that she could have run a country by herself and while William was in England, she did just this in Normandy as his co-Regent. This was also another book that had a tremendous amount of research, but there was a lot of guessing as well as tales that may or may not have been true. Of course this was not the author's fault, but due to the fact that no one could have guessed when these two got married what a change they would have made in the world. Surprisingly there is scant details about many of their children, more specifically the girls, but I am looking forward to reading about Robert, William Rufus, and then getting into the heart of the English monarchy by reading about Henry I.
September 24, 2014
Queen Matilda, small but never diminutive, seems to have cast a large shadow over the pages of history. Beloved by her husband the great William I, strong-willed and intrepid, she demonstrated to Europe how a powerful woman could provide more to her country than just heirs. In many ways she reminded me of Eleanor of Aquitaine: one might call her marriage a great love match which eventually went bad; she loved one son to excess and supported him against his father; she was perfectly capable of ruling on her own.
But I felt that Matilda's story was framed by a necessary reliance on too many records that needed to be interpreted. Although it is clear from the bibliography that Tracy Borman did an exhaustive amount of research, it seems that she had a hard time piecing the biography together from charters and snippets of reference material. She often can only speculate; the book is filled with "may have been" and "seemed to have" and "was said to have been" and "had apparently", all of which are technically correct but by the end I was pretty tired of it. Many times, she concluded that Matilda must have had a great influence on this or that, which grew in the telling until by the end, it appeared that she was more powerful than her husband: "This side of her character, coupled with a fiercely independent nature, had made her essential to William's rule, giving her unparalleled influence over the king. She had proved such an able and effective ruler that he had come to rely upon her completely." I don't know...sounds like wishful thinking to me.
I did learn a lot of useful information which certainly made the book worthwhile, although it was delivered in a fairly plodding manner which did not live up to its lively introduction. Nonetheless, it fills a vacuum on my historical bookshelf.
But I felt that Matilda's story was framed by a necessary reliance on too many records that needed to be interpreted. Although it is clear from the bibliography that Tracy Borman did an exhaustive amount of research, it seems that she had a hard time piecing the biography together from charters and snippets of reference material. She often can only speculate; the book is filled with "may have been" and "seemed to have" and "was said to have been" and "had apparently", all of which are technically correct but by the end I was pretty tired of it. Many times, she concluded that Matilda must have had a great influence on this or that, which grew in the telling until by the end, it appeared that she was more powerful than her husband: "This side of her character, coupled with a fiercely independent nature, had made her essential to William's rule, giving her unparalleled influence over the king. She had proved such an able and effective ruler that he had come to rely upon her completely." I don't know...sounds like wishful thinking to me.
I did learn a lot of useful information which certainly made the book worthwhile, although it was delivered in a fairly plodding manner which did not live up to its lively introduction. Nonetheless, it fills a vacuum on my historical bookshelf.
February 8, 2015
Writing the biography of a woman from the 11th century is never going to be an easy task, due to a lack of primary sources that often fail to even record the birth (or death) of a daughter, let alone the social restrictions placed on women of the period, but Matilda, being an unusually powerful woman, has left a greater amount of recorded activity than just about any other woman of her period. So yes, there are issues of real evidence in the biography that Borman deals with by a liberal use of terms like 'probably', but even so, the reader builds up a reasonable picture of an ambitious, shrewd and clever woman who held the Norman Empire together with more diplomacy and success than her more famous husband, William the Conqueror.
This is a period of history I know little about, and Borman places Matilda firmly in the middle of her era. It was Matilda's direct link to Alfred the Great that enabled William to pursue his somewhat tenuous claim to the throne of England, a claim he chased with blunt force and brutality, razing entire villages to the ground in his desire to impose the Norman will. A much hated man in England, it was Matilda who used her diplomatic skills to help bring peace and quell revolt, though she herself was not above a spot of pillaging when it suited her. Their personal and political relationship seems unique in royal history, with William trusting her so much he made her sole regent of Normandy for many years whilst he tried to bring England to heel; upon her death it became clear how much she had restrained his more brutal nature, as he was then freer to give full reign to it.
All in all a well researched biography of an important woman, which, although flawed, is definitely worth reading.
This is a period of history I know little about, and Borman places Matilda firmly in the middle of her era. It was Matilda's direct link to Alfred the Great that enabled William to pursue his somewhat tenuous claim to the throne of England, a claim he chased with blunt force and brutality, razing entire villages to the ground in his desire to impose the Norman will. A much hated man in England, it was Matilda who used her diplomatic skills to help bring peace and quell revolt, though she herself was not above a spot of pillaging when it suited her. Their personal and political relationship seems unique in royal history, with William trusting her so much he made her sole regent of Normandy for many years whilst he tried to bring England to heel; upon her death it became clear how much she had restrained his more brutal nature, as he was then freer to give full reign to it.
All in all a well researched biography of an important woman, which, although flawed, is definitely worth reading.
June 22, 2014
Around the year 1049, William, Duke of Normandy and future conqueror of England, rode furiously to the palace of Baldwin V, Count of Flanders, in Bruges.
Matilda of Flanders, wife of William I the Conqueror, remains a mystery to history. Who was the woman behind the man who conquered England? How did her tempestuous marriage come about? In this biography, Tracy Borman tries to make sense of the conflicting accounts of Matilda's life and how she became the queen that every monarch of England is directly descended from.
I picked this book because it was about a time in royal history I know very little about. I found the book a fascinating read and Matilda a fascinating woman. The book is well-written and never dry, repetitive, or boring. My only complaint about the book is that the author starts off chapters with stories that are written as fact and then only after goes into how it probably didn't happen that way. I like my biographies factual and if you do find the need to add rumors and hearsay to the book, please mark it as such from the beginning.
I recommend this book to those interested in royal history, especially from the medieval period.
Matilda of Flanders, wife of William I the Conqueror, remains a mystery to history. Who was the woman behind the man who conquered England? How did her tempestuous marriage come about? In this biography, Tracy Borman tries to make sense of the conflicting accounts of Matilda's life and how she became the queen that every monarch of England is directly descended from.
I picked this book because it was about a time in royal history I know very little about. I found the book a fascinating read and Matilda a fascinating woman. The book is well-written and never dry, repetitive, or boring. My only complaint about the book is that the author starts off chapters with stories that are written as fact and then only after goes into how it probably didn't happen that way. I like my biographies factual and if you do find the need to add rumors and hearsay to the book, please mark it as such from the beginning.
I recommend this book to those interested in royal history, especially from the medieval period.
July 22, 2022
Very intriguing, but could have been a bit tighter edited as it is a bit flabby and repetitive in its writing at points. Given that we don't know very much, Borman has does an amazing job of mining documents for information and links to give a picture of an active, powerful Queen who set a precedent for generations. Suddenly Matilda vs Stephen makes much more sense, framed from the perspective of a King who was used to strong, effective Queens ruling well (i.e. Henry and his mother). The follow-up about what happened to Matilda's daughters is interesting too as information about them is scrappy. The footnotes are excellent though - worth a read in themselves. Overall, a book of strong personalities and strong times, but also educated and active females!
April 9, 2018
I really enjoyed this book, though the writing style was a little lacklustre. Borman makes Matilda come across as a really interesting historical figure, but a lot of the book comes from guesses and incredibly bias sources which makes me question the validity of a lot of the book.
July 3, 2017
Excellent work
March 28, 2018
This was extremely readable and interesting.
February 8, 2023
One of the most critical years in English history was 1066, when William Duke of Normandy invaded England in the Norman Conquest. Known as William the Conqueror, his strength and ruthlessness made him a legend, but William would not have been the Duke or King of England without his equally formidable wife. Matilda of Flanders stood her ground, became the Duchess of Normandy, had a large family with William, and would become the first crowned Queen of England. Although much has been written about William the Conqueror and the Norman Conquest, Matilda of Flanders has not received the same attention until now. Tracy Borman has written the first biography dedicated to this remarkable woman entitled, “Matilda: Wife of the Conqueror, First Queen of England.”
I enjoyed reading her previous book about Henry VIII and the men who made him, and I wanted to read more books by Tracy Borman. When I heard about this book, it drew me in because I did not know much about Matilda of Flanders and her time, so I wanted to learn more.
Matilda of Flanders, the daughter of Count Baldwin V of Flanders and his wife, Adela, was one of the prominent women in 9th-century Europe. Borman shows how Flanders grew from a lawless society to a significant court that drew the attention of the dukedom of Normandy. Normandy was the home of William, the illegitimate son of Duke Robert I and his mistress Herleva. William shocked Europe when he became his father’s heir as Duke of Normandy and chose Matilda as his wife. To say they had a rocky start was an understatement, but Matilda and William had a large family and solidified Normandy as a powerhouse of Europe.
With the death of Edward the Confessor, William and Matilda saw their opportunity to take a bigger prize, the crown of England. While William had the military know-how to win the crown, it was Matilda who was able to help William with his conquest financially and took care of Normandy while he was taking care of his new kingdom. In return, William had Matilda crowned Queen of England.
However, not everything was perfect for William and Matilda. When their eldest son, Robert Curthose, was fed up with not getting the chance to become the Duke of Normandy as was his birthright, he rebelled, and Matilda decided to support her son over her husband. Matilda was not afraid to speak her mind, even if it felt like she was going beyond what was expected of a woman during that time. Matilda’s death in 1083 impacted the rest of William’s reign as King of England as the king mourned for the woman who could stand toe to toe with the great conqueror.
Borman has taken on the arduous task of telling the tale of Matilda of Flanders, and she absolutely smashes it. This biography is engaging and thought-provoking, revealing who Matilda was when you remove the myths surrounding her life. If you want a delightful biography about the first crowned Queen of England, I highly suggest reading “Matilda: Wife of the Conqueror, First Queen of England” by Tracy Borman.
I enjoyed reading her previous book about Henry VIII and the men who made him, and I wanted to read more books by Tracy Borman. When I heard about this book, it drew me in because I did not know much about Matilda of Flanders and her time, so I wanted to learn more.
Matilda of Flanders, the daughter of Count Baldwin V of Flanders and his wife, Adela, was one of the prominent women in 9th-century Europe. Borman shows how Flanders grew from a lawless society to a significant court that drew the attention of the dukedom of Normandy. Normandy was the home of William, the illegitimate son of Duke Robert I and his mistress Herleva. William shocked Europe when he became his father’s heir as Duke of Normandy and chose Matilda as his wife. To say they had a rocky start was an understatement, but Matilda and William had a large family and solidified Normandy as a powerhouse of Europe.
With the death of Edward the Confessor, William and Matilda saw their opportunity to take a bigger prize, the crown of England. While William had the military know-how to win the crown, it was Matilda who was able to help William with his conquest financially and took care of Normandy while he was taking care of his new kingdom. In return, William had Matilda crowned Queen of England.
However, not everything was perfect for William and Matilda. When their eldest son, Robert Curthose, was fed up with not getting the chance to become the Duke of Normandy as was his birthright, he rebelled, and Matilda decided to support her son over her husband. Matilda was not afraid to speak her mind, even if it felt like she was going beyond what was expected of a woman during that time. Matilda’s death in 1083 impacted the rest of William’s reign as King of England as the king mourned for the woman who could stand toe to toe with the great conqueror.
Borman has taken on the arduous task of telling the tale of Matilda of Flanders, and she absolutely smashes it. This biography is engaging and thought-provoking, revealing who Matilda was when you remove the myths surrounding her life. If you want a delightful biography about the first crowned Queen of England, I highly suggest reading “Matilda: Wife of the Conqueror, First Queen of England” by Tracy Borman.
March 9, 2017
Did not finish. There was so much padding, and so much of the actual source material is shady - there wasn't enough discussion of that. In one breath the author tells us that women consorts' traditional roles were being pious and bearing kids, nothing more, and then a few pages later she's discussing the flowering of women's education in the era. So... women were highly educated, men were at war all the time, but Matilda was unusual because she did things besides pop out babies? Come on, at least source that assertion if you're going to make it. Several pages are spent discussing the rules for women's behavior a good five hundred years after Matilda's death. There are quotes from Victorian "historians" and poets on the happiness of Matilda's marriage, which... no. Less egregiously, there are lengthy discussions of probably-apocryphal stories and a lot of digressions about people Matilda might have met once or twice, or was related to. All of this serves to increase the word count but doesn't really give us any insight into Matilda's life.
Areas where Borman could have had an actual discussion of something interesting are glibly dismissed (e.g. Matilda's son William Rufus was "probably homosexual" - yeah, ok, but there has been a lot written about that, so if you really wanted to dig into it and get a couple of paragraphs out of it, it seems like that wouldn't be hard). Some things are simply wrong (in her discussion of fashion, she tells us that Matilda would have worn a wimple... which didn't come into style until much later, so no, she wouldn't have) but they are presented with blithe authority. A lot of the "primary sources" were written significantly later - e.g. William of Malmsbury was writing under the patronage of Matilda's (illegitimate) grandson. How much insight did he really have into the success of Matilda's marriage? The book is very readable but I kept coming across this stuff and wincing. Does it matter how readable it is if incorrect information is being presented with the same easy authority as actual historical fact? Like, what is the point of reading a biography that is wrong? As someone else said, Borman just doesn't seem to know how to evaluate her sources. It's a shame because she picked an interesting subject.
Areas where Borman could have had an actual discussion of something interesting are glibly dismissed (e.g. Matilda's son William Rufus was "probably homosexual" - yeah, ok, but there has been a lot written about that, so if you really wanted to dig into it and get a couple of paragraphs out of it, it seems like that wouldn't be hard). Some things are simply wrong (in her discussion of fashion, she tells us that Matilda would have worn a wimple... which didn't come into style until much later, so no, she wouldn't have) but they are presented with blithe authority. A lot of the "primary sources" were written significantly later - e.g. William of Malmsbury was writing under the patronage of Matilda's (illegitimate) grandson. How much insight did he really have into the success of Matilda's marriage? The book is very readable but I kept coming across this stuff and wincing. Does it matter how readable it is if incorrect information is being presented with the same easy authority as actual historical fact? Like, what is the point of reading a biography that is wrong? As someone else said, Borman just doesn't seem to know how to evaluate her sources. It's a shame because she picked an interesting subject.
April 27, 2025
Matilda, Wife of the Conqueror: First Queen of England, por Tracy Borman (leido en inglés)
Me gustó mucho el libro, aunque debo aclarar que no es ficción histórica, sino una obra basada estrictamente en hechos reales, contados tal como fueron investigados. La autora hace un gran trabajo documental, con abundantes notas bibliográficas y un evidente esfuerzo por ofrecer los detalles más precisos.
A ratos me sentí como si estuviera de vuelta en clase, pero a pesar de ser un libro histórico, logra ser entretenido. Eso sí, sentí que se habló bastante más de Guillermo el Conquistador que de Matilda, aunque entiendo que probablemente hay menos material disponible sobre ella. Supongo que la autora hizo lo mejor que pudo con la información existente.
Vi algunas reseñas que mencionan que la autora "se inventa" cosas o sugiere sentimientos de Matilda que no se pueden saber con certeza. Personalmente, no me interesa adentrarme demasiado en debates sobre la veracidad total de los datos; incluso los escritos contemporáneos de reyes y reinas estaban influenciados por quienes los apoyaban o despreciaban, así que todo pasa por algún filtro. Para mí, conocer lo que se pudo reconstruir de la vida de Matilda ya fue suficientemente valioso.
Le doy 4 estrellas, porque aunque es una lectura interesante, por momentos se siente más como un estudio académico que como una lectura recreativa.
Me gustó mucho el libro, aunque debo aclarar que no es ficción histórica, sino una obra basada estrictamente en hechos reales, contados tal como fueron investigados. La autora hace un gran trabajo documental, con abundantes notas bibliográficas y un evidente esfuerzo por ofrecer los detalles más precisos.
A ratos me sentí como si estuviera de vuelta en clase, pero a pesar de ser un libro histórico, logra ser entretenido. Eso sí, sentí que se habló bastante más de Guillermo el Conquistador que de Matilda, aunque entiendo que probablemente hay menos material disponible sobre ella. Supongo que la autora hizo lo mejor que pudo con la información existente.
Vi algunas reseñas que mencionan que la autora "se inventa" cosas o sugiere sentimientos de Matilda que no se pueden saber con certeza. Personalmente, no me interesa adentrarme demasiado en debates sobre la veracidad total de los datos; incluso los escritos contemporáneos de reyes y reinas estaban influenciados por quienes los apoyaban o despreciaban, así que todo pasa por algún filtro. Para mí, conocer lo que se pudo reconstruir de la vida de Matilda ya fue suficientemente valioso.
Le doy 4 estrellas, porque aunque es una lectura interesante, por momentos se siente más como un estudio académico que como una lectura recreativa.
July 10, 2019
This is fascinating reading--for history buffs--although the writing itself is not particularly compelling. Lots of repetition, but the author had a daunting task: how do you write a biography about a woman of the 11th Century, when women (even those married to a major history maker "William the Conqueror") were relegated to walking wombs. Despite this challenge, Borman seems to have discovered every scrap of paper with Matilda's mark or signature and accounts by historians, both contemporary and centuries later! Then she forms her own compelling conclusions about what all of this means in terms of who Matilda was and what her relationship with her husband was. Matilda was an intelligent and politically savvy woman, who was also described as being under 5-ft. tall and one of the beauties of her time. And, she was not afraid of going against her brutal and often uncouth husband, and apparently was able to hold him in check--and apparently he was faithful to her. The latter is significant, because this was a time when it was expected that noblemen and rulers would have multiple lovers/concubines/mistresses and illegitimate children (like William) who could inherit lands and titles. Eye-opening glimpse into the distant past.
December 20, 2022
Matilda of Flanders 1031-1083.
Father: Count Baldwin V of Flanders.
Mother: Adela of France (Father: Robert II of France.).
m: 1051/2 William the Conqueror.
Issue: 10 Children.
1.Robert (c.1053 – 10 February 1134) Duke of Normandy, married Sybil of Conversano, daughter of Geoffrey of Conversano.
2.Richard, (c.1055 – c.1069-74).
3.Adeliza (c.1057 – c.1073), betrothed to Harold II of England, probably a nun of St Léger at Préaux.
4.Cecilia (c.1058 – 1127). Abbess of Holy Trinity, Caen.
5.William Rufus, (c.1060 – 2 August 1100), King of England, killed in the New Forest.
6.Matilda (c.1061 – c.1086), possibly died much later, Trevor Foulds, identical to Matilda d'Aincourt.
7.Constance (c.1062 – 1090) married Alan IV Fergent, Duke of Brittany.
8.Adela (c.1067 – 1137) married Stephen, Count of Blois. Mother of King Stephen of England.
9.Henry (late 1068 – 1 December 1135 King of England, married Edith of Scotland, daughter of Malcolm III of Scotland. His second wife was Adeliza of Louvain.
10.Agatha, betrothed to Harold II of England, Alfonso VI of Castile, and possibly Herbert I, Count of Maine, but died unmarried. Wikipedia
.......
Marc Morris: William the Conqueror.
Father: Count Baldwin V of Flanders.
Mother: Adela of France (Father: Robert II of France.).
m: 1051/2 William the Conqueror.
Issue: 10 Children.
1.Robert (c.1053 – 10 February 1134) Duke of Normandy, married Sybil of Conversano, daughter of Geoffrey of Conversano.
2.Richard, (c.1055 – c.1069-74).
3.Adeliza (c.1057 – c.1073), betrothed to Harold II of England, probably a nun of St Léger at Préaux.
4.Cecilia (c.1058 – 1127). Abbess of Holy Trinity, Caen.
5.William Rufus, (c.1060 – 2 August 1100), King of England, killed in the New Forest.
6.Matilda (c.1061 – c.1086), possibly died much later, Trevor Foulds, identical to Matilda d'Aincourt.
7.Constance (c.1062 – 1090) married Alan IV Fergent, Duke of Brittany.
8.Adela (c.1067 – 1137) married Stephen, Count of Blois. Mother of King Stephen of England.
9.Henry (late 1068 – 1 December 1135 King of England, married Edith of Scotland, daughter of Malcolm III of Scotland. His second wife was Adeliza of Louvain.
10.Agatha, betrothed to Harold II of England, Alfonso VI of Castile, and possibly Herbert I, Count of Maine, but died unmarried. Wikipedia
.......
Marc Morris: William the Conqueror.
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