Mathilda of Flanders with Laura Gathagan

Mathilda of Flanders with Laura Gathagan

From The Medieval Podcast by Danièle Cybulskie

March 19, 2026 · 1h 1m · Episode 333

About this episode

This episode discusses the powerful reign of Mathilda of Flanders and her role in the conquest of England alongside William the Conqueror.

They say that behind every successful man is a woman, and when it comes to one of the biggest medieval stories of personal success, that seems to have been true. Everyone’s heard of William the Conqueror, the illegitimate duke of Normandy who became king of England in 1066, but fewer people have heard the story of his powerful, indomitable queen: Mathilda of Flanders. This week, Danièle speaks with Laura L. Gathagan about Mathilda's unshakeable reign as duchess and queen, the way she embodied her power, and her role in the conquest of England. This podcast is made possible by the generous support of listeners like you! To find out how to help spread the joy of medieval history, please visit patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

People in this episode

Host: Danièle Cybulskie

Guest: Laura L. Gathagan

Topics covered

  • Mathilda of Flanders
  • William the Conqueror
  • medieval history
  • queenship
  • power dynamics
  • conquest of England

Keywords

  • Mathilda of Flanders
  • William the Conqueror
  • medieval queens
  • history
  • power
  • England
  • Duchess
  • 1066

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: patreon.com/themedievalpodcast

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