Abstract
During the ‘Anarchy,’ a succession conflict between King Stephen and Empress Matilda 1135-54, the both the Empress and Stephen’s wife, Matilda of Boulogne, Queen of England, played important parts. This is particularly seen in 1141, as Stephen was imprisoned, and the Queen took leadership of the royal faction. This chapter examines aspects of female authority and how gender was used by contemporary writers to connote the appropriateness both the Queen’s and the Empress’ actions. Using two contemporary narratives, the Gesta Stephani and William of Malmesbury’s Historia novella, ultimately demonstrates that both women’s authority and leadership were accepted as a part of the role they were meant to play as elite women, and gender was a part of casting deeply nuanced meanings to their statuses as Queen, Empress or – potential – king.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Early Medieval Winchester |
| Subtitle of host publication | Communities, Authority and Power in an Urban Space, c.800-c.1200 |
| Editors | Ryan Lavelle, Simon Roffey, Katherine Weikert |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2021 |