
Empress Matilda: Civil War and the Fight for the Throne
From The Rest Is History by Goalhanger
May 19, 2026 · 43 min
About this episode
The episode discusses Empress Matilda's struggle for the English throne during the civil war known as The Anarchy.
How did Matilda, princess of England, become Empress of the Holy Roman Empire in 1110? What disbarred her from becoming queen of England after her father's death? And, why did she go to battle for the throne of England, in the brutal civil war known as The Anarchy? In this new member’s-only mini series, Tom is joined by historian and author Helen Castor, to talk about some of the most impressive queens of medieval Europe. Join The Rest Is History Club: Unlock the full experience of the show – with exclusive bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to every series and live show tickets, a members-only newsletter, discounted books from the show, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at therestishistory.com. To read our new newsletter, sign up at: therestishistory.com/newsletters _______ Advertise with us: Partnerships@goalhanger.com _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Video Editors: Jack Meek, Harry Swan + Adam Thornton Social Producer: Harry Balden Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude Senior Producer: Callum Hill Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
People in this episode
Hosts: Tom Holland, Dominic Sandbrook
Guest: Helen Castor
Topics covered
- Empress Matilda
- Civil War
- The Anarchy
- Medieval Queens
- Holy Roman Empire
- Throne of England
Keywords
- Empress Matilda
- Civil War
- The Anarchy
- Holy Roman Empire
- Queens of Medieval Europe
- Throne of England
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The Rest Is History Club, Goalhanger, The Rest Is History
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