Despite constant fighting in both England and Normandy, William I (d. 1087) succeeded in securing both his territories. After his death, though, conflicts between his sons threatened this unity. It was only in 1105 that both England and Normandy were ruled by one king again, Henry I (d. 1135). However, Henry’s only son died in a ship accident. He then tried to establish his daughter Matilda as his heiress. She was the widow of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry V (d. 1125) and politically astute – but she was a woman. After the death of her father, despite their oaths, large parts of the English aristocracy supported her opponent Stephen of Blois (d. 1154). Through his maternal line, he was also a grandson of William “the Conqueror”. But Matilda did not surrender without a fight. A civil war of almost 20 years’ duration followed. After Stephen’s death, it was Matilda’s son from her marriage to Count Geoffrey of Anjou who managed to unite both territories again under one rule. As King Henry II (d. 1189), he ascended the throne as ruler over a vast empire.
England, 1128–1140
Parchment
Oxford, Corpus Christi College, MS 157, pp. 382–383
The chronicle on display here is famous for its miniatures. The opened pages show depictions of three dreams (or nightmares) of King Henry I, as he was said to have described them to his physician. One shows personifications of the three strata of English society – peasants, knights and clergy – at the bedside of the sleeping king. They are there to remind him of his breaches of duty and unfulfilled promises. The second miniature shows a nearly disastrous voyage by ship, reminding the king of the White Ship. The White Ship was the name of the ship which sank during a Channel crossing in 1120 causing many deaths. Henry lost his son and heir in this accident.
Anonymous Imperial Chronicle
Bamberg, around 1114
Parchment
Cambridge, The Parker Library, Corpus Christi College, MS 373, fol. 95v
The manuscript shown here is an imperial chronicle that was made for the German Emperor Henry V. Henry had married Matilda, the daughter of Henry I of England, in 1114. Their wedding feast, which took place in Mainz, is depicted in the presented miniature. Matilda had learned the German language and customs as well as courtly manners under the aegis of the Archbishop of Trier. As Empress, she also acquired the self-confidence of a supreme ruler. After the death of her husband, Matilda returned to Normandy and England. She probably brought this manuscript with her.
Liber Benefactoribus" of Thomas Walsingham
St. Albans, 14th c. (1380)
Parchment
London, The British Library, Cotton Nero D. VII., fol. 7r
The Liber Benefactoribus lists the most important patrons of the important English monastery of St Albans. Texts referring to the single donations is accompanied in each case by a miniature depicting the respective benefactors. On fol. 7r there is one of the few depictions of Empress Matilda. She wears a crown and holds a document with an attached seal in her hand, which represents her donation. The accompanying text refers to her as “Queen Mathilda”. This incidentally confirms the legitimacy of her claim to the English crown – the crown that Matilda never attained, not least because of her gender.
Back: ihs
Valasse abbey, Normandy, 11th–beginning of the 12th c.
Gold and silber over wooden core, glassware and precious stones
Rouen, Musée des Antiquités, Inv. 443 (A)
This precious reliquary cross is a masterpiece of goldsmith’s art. It has the shape of a cross pattée and consists of a small “crux gemmate” (jewelled cross) which has been integrated into a larger, skillful and preciously decorated cross. The front has filigree rosettes, the back a silver plate. Perhaps Empress Matilda brought the older parts of the cross with her when she returned from the Empire after the death of her husband. The cross, which came as a gift to the Cistercian community of Le Valasse founded by Matilda, served as a symbol of power for the Norman dukes.
Production: eichfelder artworks
Graphic template: Bayeux Tapestry (Bayeux, Musée de la Tapisserie); Rollo-Tapestry
„La Tapisserie de Rollon“; Pirou-Tapestry, „La Tapisserie de Pirou“
Length: 02:21
After William’s death, the Norman Empire, which consisted of the Kingdom of England and of Normandy, was divided between two of his three sons. One ruled as king in England, the other as duke in Normandy. The reign was only reunited under Williams’s third son, Henry I. When Henry’s only male heir died, he tried to secure the succession for his daughter Matilda.
Was he successful? Find out in this film!
The Norman Conquest also had a major impact on the language in England. Thousands of French loanwords that are now part of English can be traced back to the conquest and the Norman influences. Nevertheless, Anglo-Saxon remained in use, especially among the common people. This often resulted in the simultaneous existence of two terms. Play dominoes with us and try to find the matching word pairs.
The didactic station is based on an idea of the students Thomas Holzinger, Tim Laubscher, Benedikt Pfalzgraf, Patrick Prokop, Alexander Queren, Kathrin Stroh, Lutz Wahnschaffe and David Zimnol. It was realised in collaboration with Simone Sklorz and Daphne Blauwhoff.