Page 12 - Illustrated Reditch History
P. 12
A Princess Is Born
Just over 900 years ago, in 1102, in a tiny village near
Oxford, a princess was born. Her father was the
mighty Henry I, who was not only King of England but
also king of part of France. She was named Matilda
after her mother, a Scottish queen. The precious baby
was wrapped firmly in finest linen and laid in a cradle
in a dark corner so that the light would not hurt her
eyes. No expense was spared on her upbringing. She
ate the tastiest food, was taught by the best tutors,
watched the best entertainment and wore silks and
velvets in the loveliest of colours.
However, the life of a princess is not always a happy Princess drawn by Val Lewis
one. You cannot marry for love but for the good of
your country. It is a princess’s duty to have children,
especially a boy, so that the family will continue to
rule the country.
When Matilda was only eight years old she was
engaged to be married to a man who was sixteen
years older - old enough to be her father. He was the
most important man in Europe, the German Emperor.
Henry I was delighted with the match. No enemy
would dare to confront him if his daughter was
engaged to the Emperor.
Her world changed when she was twelve years old.
She was sent over to Germany to live with the
Emperor. He wanted a bride who could speak German
well, so her friends and ladies-in-waiting were sent
back home. She found herself living in a strange
country with different food and customs, a language
that she could not speak well and no friends. She was
now known as The Empress.
Because the princess was married to the German
Emperor, any son would have been king of Germany,
England and part of France, but no baby was born.
No doubt she consulted herbalists (who knew all about
plants), astrologists (who could predict events from
the stars) and a team of wise men and women but no
baby arrived. That was a disaster! After eleven years
of marriage the Emperor died so she left Germany and
returned home to a disappointed King Henry.
However, she still kept her title and was known as
‘The Empress’. She helped to found Bordesley Abbey.
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