Medieval Kings and Queens
Kings and queens have ruled Britain since the Romans. Some were very successful, powerful warriors in their own right, expanding their kingdom and governing their subjects with authority. But others were quite the opposite!
King Stephen of England and Matilda
The king, Stephen of England, was not nominated as heir to the throne of England. His cousin, Matilda, who was Henry I's daughter, was instead. Matilda (or Maud as she is sometimes known) had the strongest claim, and her father rallied for an oath to be sworn by his Anglo-Norman barons, before his death, that she would become Queen of England.