Who was Empress Matilda? The forgotten woman who nearly became England's first queen

When the sinking of the White Ship decimated England’s line of succession and threw the kingdom into chaos in 1120, one teenage girl was the only heir to the British throne left standing. Here’s how Matilda’s path—and, perhaps, a crucial “lack of ruthlessness”—led to her almost being the first queen of England. In 1112, when she was just eight years old, King Henry I shipped Matilda off to Germany to marry Henry V of Germany, the Holy Roman Emperor.

Author: @NatGeo

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